Head to Toe update...

I have been having a hard time writing posts lately.  Partly because I have a hard time finding time to write.  Partly I feel dumb stating all of this boring medical stuff to anyone out there reading it.  And partly because I am not always brave enough to acknowledge my feelings to an audience.  Joe reminds me this blog is for me and Joshua - and doesn't have to be some cutesy or inspirational pinterest worthy blog.  It is just simple and boring.  Someday I may change this blog back to private ;)  But in the meantime here is a general update on Joshua and photos from the past few days.

We have not had any brain ultrasounds lately, but based on head circumference Joshua's bleeding and fluid on his brain seems to be stable.  They will not need to do any treatment (shunt) as long as it stays stable.  We'll just have to wait and see if/how this Grade 3 IVH and the hemorrhage in his cerebellum will effect him as he continues to develop.

You like to grab onto things...this is a bootie

Holding your paci in

Joshua had another ROP eye exam this week and the vessels are still stable.  They still have some growing to do so his eyes will continue to be monitored.  His next exam is in two weeks.

At 38 weeks (about 3 weeks ago) the PT suggested that it would be time for Joshua to have some entertainment in his crib.  So he now has a mobile hanging from his crib.  And we now have a mirror and aquarium that we switch in and out.  During the past week Joshua has really taken to the aquarium that lights up and plays music or ocean sounds.  He loves to suck his paci and watch it after his care times.  He will focus on your face or sometimes on the mobile.  He will look in your direction when you are talking.  I have yet to see him follow an object, but I would guess that will be coming soon now that he is full term. 

We have been breastfeeding twice a day for over the past week and he is doing GREAT!  Yesterday was the first day that he did not show interest because he was too tired.  They had just weaned his flow though and was probably tuckered out from working harder at breathing.  He started out on 3L of flow on the cannula and on Saturday the bumped him to 2.5L and he did great.  They said he didn't even notice the change.  Yesterday they took him down to 2.0L and he was bradying and desatting more and he didn't want to feed...but at 6am he finished his first FULL bottle!  All 50mLs of it!  Way to go Joshua!  He needs to take all feeds by mouth before going home.

The doctor is continuing to slowly wean Joshua's flow on the cannula.  They do not want to wean it too fast because putting Joshua on 100% oxygen at a flow that he could go home on may cause his eyes to deteriorate.  So right now Joshua is on blended air (which you are not able to go home on).  He could go home on less than .5L at 100% O2...still a ways to go.
He still has BPD or chronic lung disease and he sounds like an old man with a wheezy obstructed cough.  The nurses say his lungs sound clear, it is just because of the bad lung tissue.  As he grow, hopefully he will get more and more healthy lung tissue to help him breathe more easily and clearly.
They have taken him off of albuterol and Lasix and so far he is handling the adjustment well respiratory-wise.

A second without your cannula!  Look at your handsome face!

Joshua's fracture in his arm has most likely healed.  They do not recheck to see how it is doing.  But since he has osteopenia the nurses just try to handle him extra gentle so more fractures don't occur.  Fractures aren't something they check for unless he would get super fussy or if they would notice it on an x-ray for some other assessment. 

Joshua has a huge umbilical hernia that looks like a little button that is going to pop when he bears down, cries, or gets mad.  It is getting bigger and may need to be repaired in the future, but right now it is not causing any problems.  They are still watching the two inguinal hernias that he had repaired and are concerned they may recur.

Right now his intestines are handling my breast milk.  Right now I am not altering my diet any and he is doing well with it.  Joshua still has some residuals in between feeds, but right now they just adjust his volume of feeds based on how much residual is in his stomach before the next feed.

Joshua officially hit 3 kilos this week!  Which is about 6.5 lbs!  He is 47cm long.  In newborn sized diapers and officially out of preemie clothes!  He's getting to be a big boy!  Still considerably smaller than any other newborn I have given birth to!