No more Tube

Justin called me today and said that Duncan had his breathing tube taken out. I was really shocked, they didn't think that they would be able to take it out until the end of the week. When I got to the hospital he was doing pretty good, but then he started to just have a hard time and his oxygen level just kept going up and down. His nurse Brooke, said he was just too tired from all the work it took him to breath. Before we left tonight they put a different nose tube on him. They switched him to a cpap (i think thats what it is called) which will allow more pressure for his lungs and make it so he doesn't have to work so hard. I personally think they took the tube out too soon. I asked Brooke what made them decide to take it out and she said she asked Rusty, the NP (nurse practitioner) to take it out and they did. His settings were really low and his blood gases were coming back really good and they thought he was ready. I think that they should have waited at least another few days. He is only 31 weeks old. The one good thing was that we finally got to see his whole face. This is the first time we have been able to see this much of his face. I told Justin that he has his lips, he was happy to finally have something of his be on Duncan. They may have to put the tube down this trachea again, it all depends on how hard he is having to work to breath-they want him to conserve energy, not use it up. We shall see.

A sweet day

They are letting us hold Duncan more often now. It is really exciting. His nurse today Scott (my other favorite nurse) said that he could be off this vent by the end of the week, it all depends on how he does. So far he has been doing really great. We keep praying that it will continue that way.

Moving along

If you look closely you can see Duncan sucking on his fingers and he has his finger in his ear-very cute. See his arms? No more lines in them-makes him very happy.

Trying to get him with his eyes open

Too cool-they found him a hat to wear while we hold him so he doesn't get cold too fast, it is so cute and it has a puff ball on the top.

Duncan continues to do very well. He is 31 almost 32 weeks old. He is gaining weight steadily. He is no longer on any sedation therefore he is able to move more so he is burning calories. Also they are weening him off the vent so he is having to work more to breath. This means that his weight will go up and down for a little while. They said that is normal as long as he doesn't drop too much weight. He continues to stool regularly, and that is good. He knows when it is time to eat because he gets really grouchy and moves a lot when he is hungry-wonder where he gets that from. He continues to make great progress and they are saying in the next two weeks they should be able to have him off the vent. Before we know it he will be moved to the intermediate room which is where babies go when they are getting ready to go home.

Also today my mom and dad called from Alaska. They are on train tour to Denali National Park. They said it is really beautiful and my mom was so excited. When they went out of their hotel this morning there was a family of moose in a grassy area near the parking lot. She loves moose and said they were so beautiful. They are in Denali park and will be there until Monday and then Tuesday they will be in Anchorage meeting with their cruise tour group for site seeing and then again on Wednesday and then that evening they will board the ship. I don't know why, but I have really wanted my parents to take this trip for a couple of years. I'm really glad they went. I know my mom was very apprehensive about going, but my sister and I ensured her that they needed to go, and besides it's just a plane ride away if they need to get back.

Speaking of Alaska, tonight Justin and I went to see The Proposal and it was great!! I highly recommend it. I love a movie that makes me laugh and I laughed a lot at this one.

Chunky Monkey

3lbs. 1oz.-That is how much Duncan weighs now!!! We are so excited. It is so great that he is gaining weight because that means that his body and organs will grow and develop. Other good news is that his pic line was taken out today because he is tolerating his full feeds and doesn't need the line anymore (if you look at his arm at the top of the picture, that is the pic line- it was giving him his lipids). He is just doing really great. His Dr. is back and she was so thrilled with how he is doing. She told me she almost fainted when she saw him, she said he looks like a totally different baby. When she read his vision test results she smiled and gave me a thumbs up and said,"This is so good." So now the only lines he has in him are his feeding tube and his breathing tube. They are in the weening process on the vent. It will be a couple of weeks more on this vent and then hopefully onto a nasal vent. It will be so weird and exciting to hear his voice. They are going to give him caffeine to help stimulate the part of the brain that registers that he needs to breath on his own. When babies are extreme preemies they don't have this ability and they have to get this to help so he doesn't get apnea. He is watched very carefully and I have been really happy with most of his nurses. It is really nice when his has the same nurse several days at a time. I really like his day nurse Brooke and his night nurse Lara. They are really great and they both asked for him as their primary-and it is really nice to have that consistency.

I got to hold him again today for about 5 minutes. I was changing him today and he had a poopy diaper, as I was changing him I lifted his legs and as I did he pooped more! Luckily it didn't get on my hand because it was stinky. So he did get it on his blanket that you see in the picture and she had to change that blanket out. As she changed it out she let me hold him and it was really nice. I can't wait to hold him without the breathing tubes, it kind of limits how long and how well you can hold him.

Also, if you look at the picture of my dad and then at Duncan they have the same chin. I think he looks like his Papa. Justin is so surprised at how much Duncan DOESN'T look like him. I am a little too, because I really thought he was going to look just like him. He is total opposite-he looks like me. When Duncan gets the tape off his face we will take a picture and put a baby picture of both me and Justin on here and see what everyone else thinks.

Happy Birthday Dad and Henry

I forgot my camera today, so no new pictures. Duncan is doing really great and best of all his eye exam went great and he didn't have any abnormalities!! He is a blessed baby. I didn't go to the hospital until I knew he had already had the exam. A couple of nurses said it isn't something you want to be there for just because it is upsetting (for both mom and baby).

I had a Dr. apt. today and he went over what we would have to do the next time we get pregnant, that I would have to be monitored very closely from now on, etc. I decided to go home to my house after that and get a few things done. I cleaned out my fridge and cleaned all the shelves and drawers. It was needed and I now have a very empty fridge. It feels good to have a clean fridge-check one thing off the "to clean" list.

Justin and I went to the hospital together after he got off work and we had a good time sitting with Duncan. Justin had to leave at 7pm, but I stayed and got to help change his diaper and then best of all --I got to hold him. It was so nice and he had his eyes open wide. Even after I put him down he had his eyes open for 40 minutes or so. He is doing really good and we couldn't be happier.

Puppy Love

The hospital receives beanie babies that they use in the babies beds to help comfort them and they give them support to stay in certain positions. Well, Duncan's nurses keep putting cat beanie babies in his bed. Justin hates cats and he couldn't stand that he had cats in his bed. So it just so happens that I have an ample beanie baby collection from years ago and they are still at my parents house. I got them out months ago to find the bears and never put them away. I dug through them all and pulled out the dogs and washed them and took them to Duncan so he could have them in his bed to replace the cats. I knew one day there would be a purpose for those beanie babies. I'm going to go through and take out the ones that I know I don't want and I'm going to wash them and donate them to the hospital. If anyone has a beanie baby collection that they don't know what to do with now, if you want to get them to me I will wash them and take them to the hospital. I asked if they took donations of things and actually they love getting things like mobiles, bouncy seats, things that could be used with little babies. So if you have things that you don't know what to do with, I can take them down there for you if you want. Just let me know.