Daily Update

How's Ann?

Well, I am actually feeling much better.  I almost hesitate to say that because every time I've thought I've started to feel better during the past two weeks something else gets worse.  I had a low grade fever this morning (100) but nothing for the rest of the day  (am taking Ibuprofen for rib pain so a low grade fever wouldn't show up).  

My vital signs are much more normal for the first time since showing up the hospital early Monday morning.  My pulse ox had consistently been 94%, today it is 97-98%.  I can tell it's better, without being monitored, because I can breath better again.  Not normally but much better.  

My pulse is back down to the 70's, it's been around 100 all week, and was 130 when I got admitted last night.  

I'm still coughing a lot and cant lay back at all but the  cough is more productive which I take as a good sign - likely that pocket of germs is being broken apart.

They did a very thorough work-up involving a lot of cultures.  None of the final results are back yet but the sputum culture did show gram positive cocci.  This could be any number of things, some good, some bad.  I'm hoping it grows out  the most common community acquired bug that is easy to treat and has a lot of alternative treatment options that can be given orally.  

If it something more aggressive that will be disappointing.  

I am currently under precautionary "isolation" while MRSA cultures are pending.  They should be back around midnight.  Assuming I am not carrying around MRSA I will be able to see Kyle again.  I haven't held my baby in 24 hours, not a lot of fun.  

So, take home from the day for me...

1) I am still coughing a lot and not feeling great but I think I may feel the best today than I have in 2.5 weeks

2)  Please pray that the MRSA cultures are negative!

3) Please pray that the sputum culture grows an easy to treat bug!

4)  They told me I won't be discharged until Sunday, a little disappointing but okay.  Just hoping that it doesn't get extended for any reason.

5) Please pray that the spiking fevers stay away!  

6) Really, really hoping this "can't see the baby" rule will be over soon

7) The super high powered antibiotics that they have me on make it very likely that get a yeast infection.  Please pray that I don't get this as I simply can't imagine having to fight thrush while reestablishing nursing at the same time.  

How's Kyle?

He is doing fine.  His bilirubin went up a little today (8.5 to 8.9).  They left him on double therapy lights (I think)  and won't recheck him again until tomorrow morning.  Once his bilirubin starts going down (not sure the specific cut off but I think it's around 6) they will do a 6 hour trial off of lights to see what happens during that time.  If it goes up, back the lights he goes.  

After fighting antibiotic choices that were prescribed to me and a neonatologists "must dump breast milk if mom has a fever" rule (not scientifically based at all) I am happy to say that my milk has come in.  While I haven't seen Kyle or fed him myself for 24 hours Victor has been doing the feedings every 3 hours with kangaroo care.  He's never been responsible for multiple middle of the night feedings before so it's been kind of fun to see.  I'm glad he's willing to do them all.  The pediatrician felt it was very important he be there and made sure he knew he needed to have skin-to-skin contact with every feeding.  I'm thankful for her too.   

So at the earliest Kyle will be discharged tomorrow night but more likely Sunday.  If I get discharged after him that will be interesting.  If all my cultures come back okay then I think they will just let him room in with us. We'll see.  

How is the trio?

They are all doing fine I think.  Only Erik will talk on the phone to me.  He must be anticipating we will be coming home on Saturday (which is what we were hoping for earlier in the week).  So he told me, "Mommy, tomorrow's Saturday right?"  I told him it was but that we probably can't come home until Sunday.  His response, " But I've been missing you a lot mommy."  Poor little thing!  I miss them too.   At one point he asked me how Kyle was doing.  He specifically wanted to know, " How's that jaundice mom?"  Hahaha!  Too funny little guy!   He also told me he was saving two cookies for me that grandma made them.  Oh my sweet little boy.  I think I may pull him and Lainey out of school for a day next week just so I can see them a little bit.  

I am so thankful my parents are there to help us out but man do we need to get home and get into a routine again, it's truthfully been a good three weeks since we've had any kind of routine since I was pretty sick leading up to delivery day.  For a fairly routine oriented person I'm starting to get a little itchy.