Alone with the boys

It's my first day alone with the boys (my mom left yesterday afternoon for a week) and all is well, except for my bloodshot eyes. Both boys are napping with full tummies and clean bodies. I'm trying to tell myself that's all that really matters as I look at my pigsty of a house.

After I posted last Saturday, the home health nurse came by for her first visit. It lasted a long time (3 hours) because she had to get all of Micah's medical history. She measured his respiratory rate twice and it was in the 80's (should be 40's or 50's). He was also using extra muscles to breathe. She put in some calls to Micah's cardiologist and pediatrician. After she talked with them, she called me and told me to take him to the ER. Great. 24 hours at home, then back to the hospital. After 4 hours in the ER, which included a nasty blood draw and an IV inserted (it's times like those that I miss the NICU), we were told he would be staying the night. I was so sad when I carried him into a room on the pediatric floor. The crib was 3 times larger than his NICU crib and I could barely stand to lay him down in it. Fortunately, Micah's cardiologist was on call so she came to see him around 10pm and increased his medications. Micah was discharged around noon on Sunday.

Hopefully the drama is over. Micah had his 2 month "well visit" with his pediatrician yesterday. It was her first time meeting Micah. I'm very sad that she is going on maternity leave in April for 12 weeks. The appt went well. Her concern is the same as everyone else's: weight gain. She was glad to hear that home health was coming by our house to weigh Micah at least once a week. She'd rather he not spend time in the waiting room at the office if not absolutely necessary. Micah had an appt with his cardiologist yesterday. She increased his meds again and wants to touch base on Tuesday to decide whether she needs to see him again on Wednesday. Regarding his heart surgery, she thinks 3-4 months (he's already 2 months old), but she wants him to be at least 10 pounds, if not 12. I'm guessing his surgery will be in May. Oh, and he finally hit 8 pounds yesterday!

We're very concerned about our little guy. It's stressful to think about him exerting so much effort just to breathe. We've had a pretty stressful few months since receiving all of Micah's diagnoses before he was born. We were looking forward to vacation with Mark's parents in April, but we can't go because Micah can't fly (or be far away from his doctors). We desperately need a vacation, but that will have to wait. We just want Micah to be well.

This shot cracks me up. This is what I found in Micah's crib when we arrived the morning of his g-tube surgery. His overnight nurse had given him a bath and he nuzzled himself into his blankets and all I could see was his fuzzy hair.

[It's taken me all day to write this post.]