Baby Update 3
I've just returned from Charleston's Children Hospital which is part of the Medical University of South Carolina. Yasmeen and myself and my sister and her husband went down early Sat. morning and stayed until today. Much has happened over the past week.
We've had a few setbacks and a few progresses. But nothing like this weekend. They finally took her off the oxcillating ventilator last night and she is just on a regular oxygen machine. She is now breathing on her own and her respiration rate is staying consistent which is what they were hoping for. Lungs are still not completely cleared of the miconium but its getting there. They started feeding her formula through her feeding tube. They started out at mere cc's every 3 hours and when we left today, they were in the process of giving her 1 1/2 ounces. She has tolerated the formula well and is digesting all that is given to her. Because they have been able to get her to suck on a pacifier since the ventilator came out of her mouth, they may try to feed her from a bottle tomorrow. Doesn't mean they will remove the feeding tube but this should put her one more step towards going home.
They have also removed the catheter and she is urinating on her own. She's calmed down alot and today they discovered that she will fall asleep to a wind up music toy they put in her bed. No longer is she wearing the blind fold so she'll remain calm. The morphin meds have also been reduced and they are hoping to wean her off those pretty quickly.
We were slightly concerned when the doctor ordered Laila to have an ultra sound of her brain. They did this to see if she had any abnormalities or blood on the bring. As far as they can tell at this point, her brain appears to be normal.
So, all in all, things are starting to go good. We are still praying that she continues to improve and that she will be able to go home by this weekend. My son's materinity leave (yeah men get to take those as well)is over as of the 24th. After that, we aren't sure what he'll do if she is still in the hospital. He'll have to work. That will leave Jackie without him in Charleston. We need Laila to be well enough to go home prior to his having to go back to work. If you are reading this, please send up a good wish for full recovery. I certainly appreciate all of you who have shown their support no matter how small.
That picture is right after birth before we found out she was having problems. The next pic is of her before they removed the feeding tube. Those pics I haven't put on the computer yet.
We've had a few setbacks and a few progresses. But nothing like this weekend. They finally took her off the oxcillating ventilator last night and she is just on a regular oxygen machine. She is now breathing on her own and her respiration rate is staying consistent which is what they were hoping for. Lungs are still not completely cleared of the miconium but its getting there. They started feeding her formula through her feeding tube. They started out at mere cc's every 3 hours and when we left today, they were in the process of giving her 1 1/2 ounces. She has tolerated the formula well and is digesting all that is given to her. Because they have been able to get her to suck on a pacifier since the ventilator came out of her mouth, they may try to feed her from a bottle tomorrow. Doesn't mean they will remove the feeding tube but this should put her one more step towards going home.
They have also removed the catheter and she is urinating on her own. She's calmed down alot and today they discovered that she will fall asleep to a wind up music toy they put in her bed. No longer is she wearing the blind fold so she'll remain calm. The morphin meds have also been reduced and they are hoping to wean her off those pretty quickly.
We were slightly concerned when the doctor ordered Laila to have an ultra sound of her brain. They did this to see if she had any abnormalities or blood on the bring. As far as they can tell at this point, her brain appears to be normal.
So, all in all, things are starting to go good. We are still praying that she continues to improve and that she will be able to go home by this weekend. My son's materinity leave (yeah men get to take those as well)is over as of the 24th. After that, we aren't sure what he'll do if she is still in the hospital. He'll have to work. That will leave Jackie without him in Charleston. We need Laila to be well enough to go home prior to his having to go back to work. If you are reading this, please send up a good wish for full recovery. I certainly appreciate all of you who have shown their support no matter how small.
That picture is right after birth before we found out she was having problems. The next pic is of her before they removed the feeding tube. Those pics I haven't put on the computer yet.