Saturday, February 2, 2013

February 2

Elsie graduated from the NBICU Room 1 to Room 2! Here's what this means and why it is significant: Room 1 is for the smallest and sickest (most sick?) babies, and each nurse in Room 1 is assigned to one baby. While Elsie is still the smallest baby in the NBICU, she is doing well enough that she doesn't need the one-on-one attention from a nurse. Room 2 is the next step, where two babies share a "room" and share a nurse, or two babies for every one nurse.

It's funny because when Clayton and I were at the hospital on Thursday night, I asked the nurse, just out of curiosity, when she thought Elsie would be moved to Room 2. She laughed and said that Elsie could be moved there any time since she was taken off the oscillator and wasn't really high risk anymore. She told us to watch the board by the front desk where the baby's names are listed by room number, and that is how we will know if she has been moved. Today, when I got to the front desk to get my ID sticker, I thought to myself how funny it would be if I didn't look at the board but then it turns out that she was moved and I didn't notice. So I turn around, look at the board, and lo and behold, she WAS moved! Ha ha ha. Good thing I looked.

PS, while typing this post so far, I have typed "Evje" twice instead of "Elsie". Oops :)

Here's some stats for ya. Elsie is up to 690 grams, which is about 1 pound 8.5 ounces. She's getting 12 ml of fortified breast milk every 3 hours. I keep telling her to hurry up and grow so that she can eat more, because our deep freeze is overflowing with milk. It's like a dairy farm around here. She is doing well on the lesser powered ventilator (I don't know what it's technically called, so I'll just keep calling it "the lesser powered ventilator"), which is designed so that she can breathe on her own while it's on, but if she gets tired, then it breathes for her. She is slowly being weaned off of this ventilator, and the respiratory therapist told me today that they might try a CPAP sometime next week, if Elsie continues to do well. Hooray! Because once her breathing tube is out and a CPAP is on, that means that Mommy and Daddy can hold their little baby.

I told Elsie today that she's a big internet sensation, and that she's practically famous. She didn't respond. Well, she was asleep, so of course she didn't respond.

Sweet Valentine/love note from Elsie's awesome cousin Riley that we taped above Elsie's bed. We taped the note, not Riley.

Signing off from Room 2, see ya later from Elsie's Mom.

13 comments:

  1. YAY! So proud of Elsie! Way to go little one!

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  2. Sweetness!
    What good progress your little one is making- such good reports! So proud of you and the faith you exhibit.
    Keep hanging in there. When she's 3 and making you crazy, you can look back on these hard days.

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  3. Elsie, YOU are a super-star! This is yet another "Happiness Milestone" in her challenging experiences. That is awesome news for Elsie's mom & dad and everyone else, including the nurses I'm sure.

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  4. I saw Elsie in Room 2 late this afternoon! She was sound asleep, but the most beautiful I've seen her...must be all that "dairy" milk;)

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    1. Isn't she looking better and better every day?! I thought she looked particularly well today, too. Mona told me that you were coming to visit during your break so I wondered how you would find Elsie since she was moved. I assume one of the nurses helped you find her new room?

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  5. This is so wonderful Ruth!!! Each day I read about Elsies vast improvements, I think about how my husband (Rob) was born. He had gastrosceisus (born w/ his intestines on the outside) & by 6 weeks old was able to go home. I tell you this because I can't shake the feeling that your beautiful little girl will be comming home soon. We continue to prey for all of you daily. With Love Lisa, Rob, & Mackinzy Swasey

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  6. She is fabulous!! What a super star! I cannot even begin to tell you how well she is doing. Of course you probably don't Need me to tell you, I'm sure the hospital staff is. She is leaps and bounds doing spectacular compared to our NICU experience. I am so happy that she is doing so well!!

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    1. I've been thinking this, too! She's a girl on a mission! :)

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  7. Oh and I always called it the conventional ventilator. :-)

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  9. If you need more freezer space, just let me know. Several people in the ward have said they have room.

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