Infection?

Looks like the infection control director's grandson has an infection. They haven't identified it yet, but he just had round #2 of antibiotics today. This could explain why Micah has been so lethargic this week. Last week he was much more alert. It's been much more difficult to wake him up for feedings, and he hasn't taken much orally. He seems capable of digesting whatever goes into his stomach, whether orally or through his NG tube. But the neonatologist decided not to increase his volume today. And he now has a nasal cannula back in because he has a lot more desats these days (where his oxygen concentration goes under 90%). He also has a lot of air in his stomach (the nurse can tell when she draws out from his belly before his feedings to check his "residuals" - how much is still in there from the prior feeding). I'm going to ask the dr about that tomorrow.

New NICU comes with new rules. One is that Nathan can't visit at all (in Milwaukee, siblings over 2 could visit... here it's over 4). Another is that Micah can only have visitors if Mark or I are with them (in Milwaukee, we could specify anyone who could visit Micah even if we weren't there). And we don't have a phone number so no one can reach us if we're there (in Milwaukee, there was a phone in Micah's room that was specifically the parents' phone). Two people called me in the NICU today and I was lovingly chastised before I left today that trying to find me takes time away from the babies. I was discouraged enough about Micah's lack of feeding progress. I didn't need someone telling me something I already knew and just needed to communicate to people. Seriously, folks, I just got here. Cut me some slack. Anyway, if you need to reach me, just call my cellphone and leave a message. I'll try to check it every three hours or so.

In other news... Nathan is quite happy to be home. He didn't even want to go to Grammie and Pop's house yesterday. On a normal day, he'll be halfway to the mudroom to get his coat if you start to say, "Nathan, do you want to go to Grammie and Pop's house?" But he was just too excited to be home and play with his trains and the rest of his toys.

We're going to try to get into a routine with visiting Micah. Our intention (on weekdays) is for me to go in around 8:45 and be there for his 9:30, 12:30, and 3:30 feedings. We'll skip the 6:30 feeding and give Nathan some sense of normal evening routine. Then Mark will go feed Micah at 9:30. That makes for a rather late night for Mark, though. I'd like to ask if they could change his feeding times to the tops of the hours. But that time slot is already taken by another baby so we may have to wait.