Ok so it's taken me a couple days to get this post written, but thankfully baby Katea was able to be discharged from the hospital the day after I wrote the last post....we were in there for 4 days. I'm not really sure if they were planning on letting us go home, or if they even wanted us to....but I asked them if I could take her home. I just figured that they're not really doing anything more for her than I was already doing at home....and we'd both much rather be at home....she's been on oxygen her whole life (with the exception of the last few weeks)....I already give her her flow vent twice a day everyday....I already give her albuterol when she needs it......they weren't suctioning her because she wasn't really congested, the few times they did suction her, they didn't really get anything....so they stopped doing it. The only thing different was that she was put on an antibiotic for her ear infection. Other than that, we were sitting in the hospital having them do for her everything I was already doing at home.
I kept thinking about how Tea brought my kids to come visit baby one of the days we were at the hopsital and it broke my heart how much baby Katea's eyes lit up when she saw them. She went immediately from being sad, lathargic, whiny and out-of-it.....to smiles and bright eyes when she saw her brothers and sister. On top of her being sick, she really missed her siblings......so why were we at the hospital????
We spent all day there on Sunday....baby had a better day...I wouldn't say it was a good day, but it was definitely better than any of the other days we'd been in the hospital. She's allergic to any antibiotic, it makes her have diarrhea really bad....so she pooped all over everything....her clothes, herself, me, the bed....everything was covered and so stinky so I took her and gave her a bath. She felt better after that and we pretty much just watched the olympics and slept all day long.
At shift change for the staff at the hospital, I asked the doctor if we could go home. He was a little surprised that I was asking, considering she was still on oxygen. I explained that I didn't feel like she needed to be in there anymore....everything they were doing for her, I could do or have been doing for her at home. He asked me if I was comfortable with her going home on oxygen (at a higher level than she's ever needed to be on at home....1/2 liter) I told him yes, I'm comfortable....she's almost one and has needed oxygen almost her whole life. He told me he'd go and talk it over with the other doctor that was coming on and they'd let me know....he was gone for about half hour and then he came back in and said "if you're sure you feel comfortable, I'll go get your discharge papers ready....but you'll have to go fill all her prescriptions for her on your way home" Yay! That was totally fine with me....and we would finally get to go home! :)
The pharmacy at that hospital is closed on Sunday so I had to take all her prescriptions to the Walgreens pharmacy.....this is what we came home with:
An inhaler and chamber mask for her steriod flow vent, she gets 2 puffs twice daily
An inhaler and chamber mask for her albuterol
Saline to help her clear the flem from the back of her throat
Her antibiotic for her ear infection
Tylenol to keep her fevel under control
And more oxygen because she's now on 1/2 liter :(
Lots of stuff for my little miracle to try and help her little lungs get strong again. She's a fighter and I have no doubt that as soon as this bug that she has passes, she'll get herself off the oxygen....but for now, she needs it.
Today is Thursday so we've been home for a few days. The first couple days were so sad, she was obviously still really sick. We stayed on top of her medications and yesterday and today she's more like herself....she's still got a little cough, but she's back to her smiley self and she wants to play with her toys and in her bouncer....she didn't really want to eat anything for the first little while, and when we'd try to put anything in her mouth (even her medicine) she's close her lips really tight and not open her mouth....so we put some orajel on the teeth that were breaking through and that seemed to solve the problem lol. It was actually so cute! Today was a lot better and there were times she was able to go for short periods of time without oxygen. She needs it when she's eating or sleeping....but she's getting there....and we've got her back down to the 1/8 liter that she was on when we got dischared from the NICU....at least that's progress!
Thanks for all the calls, texts, fb messages and all the love and prayers for my little Katea. We have such a wonderful support system and we are so grateful! We love you all!
I kept thinking about how Tea brought my kids to come visit baby one of the days we were at the hopsital and it broke my heart how much baby Katea's eyes lit up when she saw them. She went immediately from being sad, lathargic, whiny and out-of-it.....to smiles and bright eyes when she saw her brothers and sister. On top of her being sick, she really missed her siblings......so why were we at the hospital????
We spent all day there on Sunday....baby had a better day...I wouldn't say it was a good day, but it was definitely better than any of the other days we'd been in the hospital. She's allergic to any antibiotic, it makes her have diarrhea really bad....so she pooped all over everything....her clothes, herself, me, the bed....everything was covered and so stinky so I took her and gave her a bath. She felt better after that and we pretty much just watched the olympics and slept all day long.
At shift change for the staff at the hospital, I asked the doctor if we could go home. He was a little surprised that I was asking, considering she was still on oxygen. I explained that I didn't feel like she needed to be in there anymore....everything they were doing for her, I could do or have been doing for her at home. He asked me if I was comfortable with her going home on oxygen (at a higher level than she's ever needed to be on at home....1/2 liter) I told him yes, I'm comfortable....she's almost one and has needed oxygen almost her whole life. He told me he'd go and talk it over with the other doctor that was coming on and they'd let me know....he was gone for about half hour and then he came back in and said "if you're sure you feel comfortable, I'll go get your discharge papers ready....but you'll have to go fill all her prescriptions for her on your way home" Yay! That was totally fine with me....and we would finally get to go home! :)
The pharmacy at that hospital is closed on Sunday so I had to take all her prescriptions to the Walgreens pharmacy.....this is what we came home with:
An inhaler and chamber mask for her albuterol
Saline to help her clear the flem from the back of her throat
Her antibiotic for her ear infection
Tylenol to keep her fevel under control
And more oxygen because she's now on 1/2 liter :(
Lots of stuff for my little miracle to try and help her little lungs get strong again. She's a fighter and I have no doubt that as soon as this bug that she has passes, she'll get herself off the oxygen....but for now, she needs it.
Today is Thursday so we've been home for a few days. The first couple days were so sad, she was obviously still really sick. We stayed on top of her medications and yesterday and today she's more like herself....she's still got a little cough, but she's back to her smiley self and she wants to play with her toys and in her bouncer....she didn't really want to eat anything for the first little while, and when we'd try to put anything in her mouth (even her medicine) she's close her lips really tight and not open her mouth....so we put some orajel on the teeth that were breaking through and that seemed to solve the problem lol. It was actually so cute! Today was a lot better and there were times she was able to go for short periods of time without oxygen. She needs it when she's eating or sleeping....but she's getting there....and we've got her back down to the 1/8 liter that she was on when we got dischared from the NICU....at least that's progress!
Thanks for all the calls, texts, fb messages and all the love and prayers for my little Katea. We have such a wonderful support system and we are so grateful! We love you all!
This picture was taken a few weeks ago, but I wanted to post a picture of my chubby, happy, oxygen free miracle child! We'll get back to this in no time at all! I love you my baby Katea!
6 comments:
sick babies are no fun!! I'm glad she's feeling better though, your family is in our thoughts and prayers:)
I've been a bit behind on reading blogs/checking facebook. I just learned you had to take her in to the hospital again. I'm glad she's home, and I'm sure she'll bounce back soon.
So happy she got to come home! May she continue to recover. What a fighter :)
I am SO SORRY!! I had NO IDEA you were back in the hospital with Katea!! Man, I'm a crappy friend. I've been so stuck in my own world that I haven't been keeping tabs like I should. You are such a strong mommy and I know your family is blessed to have you. I have had many reactions with Jaxon like you had in your earlier post...with the 2 year old. It's so hard to explain how much we worry about these little babies after going through so much. I will be thinking of you and praying for your family. I'm sure blessed to know you! Hugs!!
She's so beautiful! I am so sorry she was sick...hope she gets better soon...(thanks for the invite to the bday party, I only declined because that date is our anniversary)
....Lots of love to your sweet fam!
She is so cute and so happy! Hope that she gets feeling better soon. Sometimes that stuff can linger longer than is welcomed but fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Love ya girl!
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