February 5

I had my follow-up doctor appointment yesterday, during which, it was confirmed that I had a uterine infection which caused me to go into labor. There is no way of knowing what caused it or why it happened. It just did. The chances of it happening in future pregnancies are very small, but regardless, any future pregnancies will be considered "high-risk" and I will be carefully monitored by a specialist.

Elsie continues to be stable and is gaining weight; she was up to 760 grams yesterday, which is about 1 lb. 11 oz. I was talking to the nurse at the front desk today, and she mentioned that Elsie was "so well-behaved." I sort of laughed it off, but then asked Elsie's nurse about it a few minutes later. She said it was because compared to the other 23-week baby currently in the NBICU, Elsie was a "star student." I always feel kinda bad that Elsie is doing so well compared to this other baby, but then my evil side feels pride that she is doing so well. If you know me well, you know that I love to win.

On Sunday, Elsie was taken off the ventilator to see how she would do breathing on her own. Let's just say, it didn't go that great. She was only able to stay off for half an hour before it became very apparent that she needed help, and the breathing tube went back in. Her muscles and lungs are just not strong enough yet to fully support herself. Consequently, her doctors have brought back the subject of steroids, and Elsie will likely start receiving the steroids today. Clayton likes to joke about it, saying that when she is a star athlete in the future, and she is asked if she has ever taken performance enhancing drugs, she'll have to say that yes, she did in fact take steroids when she was a baby. While there are no studies to show the side effects that this small amount of steroids will have, we do know that the side effects of staying on the ventilator are detrimental, and we'd like to get her off the ventilator as soon as she can. And thus begins the first of probably many hard decisions that we, as Elsie's parents, have had to make for her.

Here are a few pictures from today for your viewing pleasure.

Compared to a dollar bill, she ain't that big

Another dollar, another day . . . 

 

Cute little bow :)

Just chillin'