Face of hope

Face of hope
Courtesy: TIffany Kay Photography

Monday, October 17, 2011

The longest checklist ever!

I write this post with restrained excitement... we have been told that Wednesday is 'probably' the day we'll be taking Meagan home!! I say restrained because in the NICU, anything can change.... so until we are IN the car driving away on Wednesday, I'm holding my breath just a little bit.

Brian and I knocked out all our tasks we needed to complete for discharge - CPR class, videos, placing Meagan's NG tube in by ourselves, learning how to check for placement of her tube, contacting the Pediatrician... in the meantime, Meagan has been doing her part too! She passed her carseat test, she is eating consistently on bottles now four times a day (not the full amount, but at least she's sucking!).  She also seems to be happy, content, and a much more alert baby. 

We had our instruction today with the medical equipment reps.  They showed us Meagan's feeding pump - how to use it, program it, and how to take it with us in the special backpack when we are out and about.  I laughed because I told them our pump would probably LIVE in the backpack most of the time - with 4 kids, I'm rarely just "housebound" :)  It all seemed very simple and user friendly... but I'm still a little nervous about it all. The funny thing is, I've found I'm more comfortable with actually placing Meagan's feeding tube in her nose than I am with the equipment. Haha.. I know it'll be fine - and I do remember what to do. I just need to get her home into our routine, and then I know I won't even think twice about the extra equipment we need.

The doctors are very positive with her now - saying she'll do a lot better at home. The GI doctor came by and introduced himself too. Since Meagan has a feeding tube, he'll have to follow her so he can aid in any feeding issues we may have, and, when she starts to gain strength and take more ounces per bottle, he will help us change her tube feeds so we can give more bottles and less tube feedings.  We also met with the social worker who is going to get Meagan registered for the Babies Can't Wait program so she gets all her proper therapies in our home after she is discharged. 

The best news today was that Duke contacted me and they'd like Meagan to come Nov. 1st for her first cord blood infusion! We are very excited.. kind of "bad" timing being that Halloween is the night before and we don't want the other 4 kids to miss out - however, I think we have a good compromise worked out where we'll stay with some family who lives near Duke. . and when we take Meagan up to the hospital, the kids will stay behind and be taken out to Trick or Treat with the family.  It will all work out for everyone.

That's about all the "news" for now -- everything is very "up in the air" as we wait on pins and needles for Wednesday to come.  I pray the next post I write is about us coming HOME!





BIG yawn!




I think she's gonna have a great sense of humor after her facial expression in this photo.




Sweet girl.. so beautiful and *almost* home!

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