Saturday 19 April 2008

Saturday 19th April






What a busy day! Sorry it's taken so long to update the blog, I had a pile of washing (or was that 3 piles)? to sort out and all the usual evening routine to boot. Anthony and I aren't feeling too well either which is annoying. We are both feeling like we are about to come down with something, but nothing eventuates. We just had a nightcap of lemsip so hopefully that will help, that and some much needed sleep. Had a shocking night last night, Bailey came in and I ended up sleeping with him in the guest room. That boy does not stop talking! Even in his sleep! Ah the joys of parenthood :)

Well, our precious little miracle has today put on another hefty 70g. They also gave her a diuretic as she looked a bit puffy and she did the biggest wee ever! I think she will lose 50g overnight just due to that. I had to change every one of her sheets, even the padded 'nest' she sleeps on! Everything was saturated. Niamh also had a blood transfusion today as her haemoglobin levels were on the low side. The doctors had been holding off, but she just wasnt making enough herself. She certainly looked a lovely, healthy shade of pink today so I think it agreed with her. She looked so smiley, though I expect it was wind ;)

She is down to go into an open cot on Monday which Im sure Ive already mentioned (can you tell I'm excited)? It all depends on whether or not she can regulate her own body temperature so don't be surprised if its a few more days yet.

We spoke to our doctor today who thinks that if all keeps going well, Niamh will be coming home in 5 weeks!! Can you believe it?!! It feels like we will be doing this forever, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Now we just need to get out of the NICU lol!

One of the babies got out and moved on to SCBU yesterday, I will miss seeing her parents, they are lovely people. Hopefully I will see them around. Its funny how you bond with people and then they go and thats that. Its so true what they say about friends for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Thats not to say you might not make life long friends in this situation, but your main focus is getting through this and home and if making friends along the way, and supporting each other is something that helps, then you do it, even if they are only friends for that short period of time and then you move on.

Did I tell you about the photo shoot we did at the hospital the other week? The Hospital is putting together a new information booklet for parents in NICU/SCBU and wanted to photograph some babies to go in it. Niamh was one of the babies along with some of her friends. The photographer put the photos on a disc which I received yesterday and Ive put a couple on here. I had to read her a story which felt really embarrassing but didn't come out too badly lol! It was so nice to receive the cd as its another record of our time here.



The other thing Niamh has been part of is the Perinatal Conference in Queensland. Niamh is a 'poster' girl for a paper on hyperthermia. The new technique is to wrap babies born early or with low birth weight in plastic when they are born to maintain or increase their temperature. Niamhs picture of her wrapped in plastic moments after her being born was used to demonstrate the method.



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