OMG! That Soon?
Hello to everyone.
Xavier made another milestone today. We walked in to see him and noted his temperature sensor was no longer attached. We asked Stacey, his nurse today, about this. She said it came off last night and they decided, since he has done so well regulating his own temperature, he no longer needs to be "plugged in" to the pod's monitor.
Also, this week, he may move from his pod to a crib. The NICU cribs are clear, acrylic tubs, much like the pod without a dome, and fewer monitors and sensors.
The doctors have written orders for Xavier to go to "ad lib" feeding. What this means is a set amount of food is given that he should consume over a twelve hour period, but he can eat whenever he likes or wants. So, he can suckle 20 ml in one feeding and not have the remaining 8 ml pumped through his NG. So long as he eats his 168 ml/12 hours (or whatever amount the doctors set), he can take it as he can and his NG will only be used for Actigall and vitamin injection. This is another step closer to home.
Speaking of closer to home, Stacey was talking to us prior to our leaving and stunned us with knowledge we were not prepared for: Xavier is doing so well, she expects he might be able to come home in the next week or two! Rebecca and I have not planned for this so soon. Until tonight, we were expecting (based on previous conversations with the doctors) the end of July, beginning of August.
This possibility may kick us in to overdrive, especially if it turns out to be a week. We are in the midst of moving out of the Northern Outpost, packing up what's left, listing the property, cleaning it, showing it, selling it. Now, we may have to rustle a car bed and bring our son home in the middle of these plans (plus, Rebecca and I need to attend a "check-out" class where we learn the basics of what to do when we get Xavier home before we can check him out). What's the opposite of Ambien? We might need a prescription. God is our strength. He has brought us this far, He won't abandon us now!
Your prayers are gold to us all. Thank you for them.
Xavier waiting for his bottle. He had to endure hunger pangs a little longer because Mommy had to get a picture of this. It looks like Xavier is driving his pacifier like a car's steering wheel. I explained to Xavier he needs to get used to this, and to just wait until Daddy gets serious about pictures and has to manage poses, lighting, background, and so much more!
Windy, Xavier's dedicated nurse, seems to be something of a scrapbooker. This sign appeared in his bay a few days ago. We learned Xavier has a dedicated nurse, one who follows his case the whole time he is in the NICU. That way we have consistency with his care and can go to a single person for all the answers if we need to.
Another of Windy's creations. This awaited us, hanging in his bay, and announced Xavier had reached three pounds. Upon seeing this, we didn't need to ask the nurse how much he weighed (though I did anyway, because that's how I roll)