11/7 NICU Day 76


 A couple more low key days for us! Being the weekend and being that Olivia is doing really well, no changes have been made. She is continuing to work on breast feeding. She is slowly gaining weight-tomorrow nutrition may reevaluate her calorie/protein intake. They are doing what they can to optimize her growth and to help her growth velocity continue appropriately. Olivia is still on the 0.1 L of oxygen with no events. I’m really hoping we can start weaning that soon! 

But for now we are just enjoying uneventful nice easy days. The nurses have given us some autonomy as Olivia continues to be stable. It’s been fun being very involved in her care-my favorite is being able to snuggle whenever. Surprisingly, I hate dressing her. No one told me it was hard to dress a baby…but is! It doesn’t help she’s a feisty little thing. So she’ll probably be naked a lot at home. Don’t tell case management or the discharge coordinator!   


We are thankful God has given us some easy days. Very thankful for a family weekend-even though it was spent at the hospital. It’s been fun watching Olivia gain more of a little personality and even more fun being able to be very hands on in her care. We are still praying God continues to work in her little life-for healing and growth, and the He continues to perform miracles. 

Popular posts from this blog

Last Days of Summer

Image
Being in North Carolina provides some decently warm days well into the end of September and even part of October. We have been lucky enough to soak in a ton of sun during these last summer days. We started September off with an impromptu trip to the beach-just the three of us. It was so much fun being able to just pick up and leave. It wasn't long ago that we were tethered to oxygen lines and equipment.    We also spent many days at the local "water park" beating the heat and hanging out with her older cousin, Branson. Both babies love the outdoors. Olivia has gotten to a point that she knows when shoes are going on her feet-we are going outside. It's been a blessing to have such nice weather and so many nice parks close by. We will have to get really creative with activities once the weather starts to cool off! Disclaimer-no she cannot reach the peddles, but she likes to climb on the bike and be pushed around the yard. She's getting big but not that big yet!    M...
Read more

12/28 DISCHARGE DAY!

Image
  I think I’m still in shock that we are actually in the car…driving Olivia home! Of course I’m not driving-I’m just snapping all the pictures.  This is a huge appreciation post to all the staff at the NICU, friends, family, strangers, coworkers…people who prayed for us, advocated with us, listened, cried,  and laughed with us, held our hands through the difficult times, and celebrated the wins.   As we were wheeling through the halls…back tracking the way Kevin and I came speeding up over four months ago…so many emotions. When we arrived…Olivia was given  60% survival chance.  The day she was born that percent had jumped to 80%.  And here we are today…a living breathing miracle and proof of the power of God. This is not the birth story I hoped for, or the first four months of motherhood I envisioned-but I would never ever take back what I’ve gained. We are so thankful for Olivia!  Thank you to everyone again for support and prayer, kind words and...
Read more

8/23 Baby Girl's arrival

Image
 8:12 AM on Monday August 23 baby Olivia made her unexpected arrival into the world. She came into the world in a fury of fists and kicks and attempt at loud cries that surprised all the doctors being that she was only 24 weeks and 3 days gestation. Let me briefly begin with how we got here... August 19, Thursday, I started to notice very mild cramps midday. Being a first time momma I have my OB on speed dial. They scheduled an appointment for Friday and suggested I take it easy but continue to monitor everything. Nothing was intense or constant. No bleeding or abnormalities. I had been on my feet all day and very busy at work, I didn't think much of it either. I got home, pounded water, rested on the couch and everything subsided. The next morning while in the waiting room of the office my cramping came back out of no where. The midwife who evaluated me figured maybe I had an infection and had me prepped to check. Within minutes though, she had me get dressed and was preparin...
Read more