It all started off like any other day. Mommy running late to visitation because she was enjoying her Tempurpedic mattress, catching the complimentary shuttle up to the hospital, watching Liam sleep peacefully for the first hour and a half...
The nurse said he did well overnight, they're still flushing his tube, not as much coming out as what's going in so we're on the right track again. I went on my usual break but when I got back I wasn't cleared to go into NICU. This happens from time to time, when there's a new admission that needs some work done without a lot of people milling about, when a baby needs a bedside procedure done in a sterile environment, or when a baby is in distress. A nurse was nice enough to pop out and tell me it wasn't my baby that was getting worked on. That was very comforting, even though I wasn't really worried about him. I think for the most part we are past the craziness.
An hour later they let me come back, they had gotten a new patient that was needing a lot of assistance. Our nurse sent some other nurses over to give Liam a suppository (newly ordered by the surgeon to make this boy go) and to make sure I got settled into holding him (our nurse was tied up with the new baby). You could tell the mood was different in the NICU, apprehension, expressionless faces... At one point a different nurse came back and slid the door shut to our private room to give more privacy to whatever was going on with the other baby. I guess maybe I was the only other parent in our section, but since we have a private room off the main floor they let me stay? I couldn't see what was going on from my chair, but I could see nurses standing back watching from across the room. What was weird was how quiet the whole NICU was. I pictured a crazy, dramatic scene like you see on "ER" or something where people are hollering, stuff getting tossed around, a total frenzy when things are going bad. But it was completely silent. It's like even the other babies knew now was not the time to fuss.
Back when we were first getting used to the beeps and buzzes in NICU, a nurse explained to us most of the sounds are to keep them posted with how baby or their med doses were doing but there's one sound that they all run to- and you'll know it when you hear it. Well I think I heard it today. And again- no chaos, just quiet work. Our nurse came in just a little while later to make sure we were ok. She asked if I wanted to stay longer (past visitation) because I was keeping Liam from fussing which freed her up to keep working on the other baby. Of course I said yes so we stayed in our little room and I just kept appreciating how good we actually have it compared to what the parents out there were going through.
So today was the second time a baby passed away since we've been here. That's about one a week so far.
Liam was sleeping peacefully during my afternoon visit so I just watched him and settled him when he stirred. Pretty soon it was time for Riley to arrive for his afternoon visit, so I took a break and went to play with him.
We were continuing our marathon game of Monopoly (at least I got hotels up this time before he bankrupted me) when I got a phone call from the hospital. This was the first time they have ever called me, and I would have been worried but Steve's parents were up there visiting at the time so I figured if something was wrong they would have texted or something. Our nurse was calling with the good news- LIAM HAS POOPED. And we're not talking about the rabbit pellets like late last week. We're talking the full-fledged-this-little-dude-has-stinky-pants kinda poo. She was soo excited she had to call and tell me! I'm glad she ended her shift on the happier note of Liam pooping (as silly as that sounds). He'll be getting the suppositories every day to try to keep the poop coming. Another step in the right direction! We hope it continues for the rest of the week so we can look at feeding by the weekend (maybe?).
Steve arrived from work and Riley filled him in on the good news. We all went out to eat and then sent Riley on his way back to Daphne with Steve's parents. Steve and I went up to see Liam one more time before bed and to do his bedtime routine. We arrived in time to give him a bath, lotion him up, and get new clothes on him. He tried to take aim at me when I was changing his diaper, but this isn't Mommy's first rodeo so I was able to side-step the stream in time. :) The night nurse brought some blankets from the warmer to get him all snuggled up and he started to get sleepy soon after that. We kissed his head and I made my way back to the house while Steve got on the road to Daphne.
I'm so thrilled we kept tracking forward today. I'm also grateful to know I get to spend another day loving on my baby again tomorrow...
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