What a week for our little boy! We started out the week by celebrating Mother's day with Aaron's parents on Sunday, and they were both able to reach in and touch him for the first time. We weren't originally sure whether or not they would be able to, due to the state of his pneumonia, but thankfully he already seems to be responding to the antibiotics and, while rather sleepy, is remaining stable.
Nana's First Touch
Peaceful Slumber
Monday
Monday was the first negative nursing experience we've had since Isaac was born. Isaac was assigned to a nurse that we had never met before. (He has worked with at least 30 nurses in the last two months, and we've loved most of them, and had no major complaints about any to date.) We didn't have any complaints about her skills or care for Isaac, but rather her bedside manner. Aaron and I each called twice during the day for updates, and received brusk, vague answers about his care. When I asked for the results for a blood test, the nurse actually complained about having to look it up in the computer. As soon as she gave me the information, she quickly said, "Okay, talk to you later," and hung up on me before I could ask anything else.
I tried to convince myself that perhaps she was merely having a bad day, but by that evening, I was verging on full-blown anxiety attacks. I felt blocked off from my baby, and while that may not have been her intention, it was more than I could handle. That evening, we spoke with the charge nurse on duty and requested that the difficult nurse not be assigned to Isaac in the future. The charge nurse was extremely sweet and said that wouldn't be a problem, and to feel free to bring any issues or concerns to her at any time. I felt instantly soothed, encouraged that he would be assigned to nurses that would communicate with us more willingly.
Considering that Isaac is now nine weeks old, and we've just now had our first personality conflict with any of the staff, I would say we have been extremely fortunate. I'm still rating the NICU staff at a 10 out of 10. We had one issue, and it was resolved smoothly in under 24 hours. Mommy can stop panicking and breathe once more. Our baby is in good hands.
Tuesday
Sure enough, Tuesday morning, Isaac was with another new nurse. This was his first male nurse, and he seemed very mellow, spoke in soothing tones to Isaac, and was glad to update me on all of his medical information without me even having to ask. The experience reiterated the extremely high level of care at this facility and the compassion of the staff. The nurse even cheered when I saw Isaac pick his nose for the first time, stating, "Congratulations, Isaac, you're officially a boy!" Monday had shaken me, but Tuesday recharged my confidence, reminding me the importance of being an advocate for my son and being involved in his medical care. I've heard people call new mothers the "momma bears," and with my strong protective qualities, I'm seeing just how true it is! I love our little Doozer!
Wednesday
Another day = another victory. Today Isaac reached 3 pounds! He is officially considered preemie size, rather than a micro preemie. He is still too small for clothes, but that landmark is just around the corner. He has to be a little bigger in order to maintain his own body heat, and then he'll enter the wonderful world of fashion.
We were excited to hear that his lungs are doing better, he was able to wean down on the vent a bit, and Daddy was allowed to do kangaroo care again for the first time in several days. Daddy was eager to hold him and Isaac was very excited to be held again. He snuggled down in Daddy's arms, quickly fell asleep, and both boys were as content as could be.
I've Missed You, Daddy!
Friday
Thursday we weren't able to hold Isaac due to his fluctuations on the ventilator, but by Friday he had weaned back down to the CPAP. Originally, I didn't think kangaroo care would be an option, because an IV had been inserted in his head, but as long as I was careful around it, I was cleared for cuddling.
It was another peaceful cuddle, through the entire hour, until suddenly he needed a diaper change, then his mood changed as well. Generally, once he is cleaned, he usually simmers down and goes to sleep, but today he was feeling particurly fiesty. Isaac's nurse laid him on his stomach, and he started doing full-on pushups, turning his head from side to side with each push in an atempt to get comfortable with the breathing mask. Aaron and I were ready to strap him into his bed to keep him calm, but his nurse assured us that, even at this very young age, tummy time is good for his muscular development, so we let him continue his strength training and watched him do a few more push-ups and a partial crawl before he tired himself out and settled down for the night. It still amazes us how strong he is! I'm pretty sure that if he were still in utero, I would have some pretty serious bruising from his athletic endeavors. He has a strong grip, amazing strength and a whole lot of determination. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if we have a future rock climber on our hands. So far, he has Daddy's good looks and Mommy's energy. What does this mean? We're in for a lot of trouble!
Saturday
On Saturday, Isaac seemed to "find" his hands. He has used them often and his grip is great, but we've never noticed him actually look at them before. Today we were enthralled to watch his fascination with his new discovery. He kept looking at his hands, wiggling his fingers, touching the opposite hand, and seemed to take it all in. Even as his energy was fading, his hands kept reaching up to touch each other, until he was finally sound asleep. It's amazing to watch every step of his growth and development, so see what he's learning, to wonder what he's thinking. I've seen other parents bring books to the NICU and read while sitting with their baby, but I'm so fascinated with everything he does, I can't take my eyes off of him. Even watching him sleep is better than tv. He's almost ten weeks old, and we're loving every minute!
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