We're home!!!!!!!!!!!

We're home! We got home around 7:00 pm last night, after a long, boring day. But I am grateful it was so uneventful, and everything went smoothly as it should, so we could get discharged.

Highlights:

1. Awesome nurses who listened and advocated for Quinn (and us.) At one point a doctor wanted us to practice feeding Quinn bolus style (gravity) during the day, and then stay another night to see if Quinn tolerated a continuous pump feeding. I was like no way. We have been doing bolus style feeding with her other tube for months, we do not need a day of practice of that. Luckily, the doctor listened to us, and the nurses got that we are pretty medical savvy parents, and let us take control of her oxygen needs.

2. The surgery was easy and Quinn was never in too much pain. We were able to manage her pain for the most part with Tylenol and Motrin, and was close to being back to her normal self within 24 hours of the surgery. She rolled about 48 hours after surgery, and seemed ok on her belly. She is obviously still sore, but I think she is going to bounce back quite quickly.

3. Quinn slept for eight straight hours last night! It was glorious. Around 4:00 am (or was it 5:00 am...darn Day Light Savings), she got fussy, and I ended up sleeping with her on the couch on her room for a couple of hours, but that is actually pretty normal Quinn sleeping behavior. I think having her on her feeding pump through the night is going to be very nice.

4. Her tube is not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It is usually hidden under her clothes, and so she has not really grabbed or pulled at it, like she did with the one in her nose. I hope we can make it through the healing period (six to eight weeks) without her pulling it out, and then it will be smooth sailing.

5. Under to new plan, she is already getting two more ounces of food a day, with (hopefully) room to add more as needed. I hope she is going to pack on some grams.

6. She took an ounce of apple juice orally this morning. Hooray! I was a little worried that after 48 hours without a bottle, she would refuse, since she pretty much hates them anyway. We'll see if she'll take some formula tomorrow.

7. Her face is tube free, although we traded a little tube in her face, for a much bigger one in her belly. Now, if we could just get rid of the dots, Quinn's beautiful face will be free of extra accessories!

8. We got new roommates, and I totally "knew" them from reading their blog. Small and crazy e-world. We totally lucked out with our second set of roommates.

9. Our NICU experience totally prepared us for this hospital stay. While I was nervous about the surgery, I felt confident in navigating the hospital setting, and was prepared for all the wackiness that can happen when you are the mercy of others for your child's care.

10. A baby that is at 80% two days after surgery.


Low-lights:

1. Sleeping at the hospital. It sucked, and was uncomfortable. One of us would sit in the rocking chair with Quinners for as long as we could stand before our whole lower body was numb, while the other would sleep (and I use that term loosely) on the pull out cot. I did get to watch some old episodes of 90210 while I was doing my time in the rocking chair.

2. No DVD player in our room. We had planned on just chilling and watching Arrested Development during our stay, but no dice. We only had a VCR, and limited channels for our viewing pleasure on the TV. Thank goodness for smart phones and laptops.

3. Slow delivery drivers. We were discharged at 5:40 pm, and waited almost an hour for our medical supplies for Quinn to be delivered. I was one ornery and impatient mama by this point. I just wanted out of the hospital.

4. I realized how spoiled we were at IMC. It is new. We had a private room. We had one on one, or one on two nursing. Up at PCMC, not so much. Although, we had top notch care at both places, so I can't really complain.

5. Hospital cafeteria food. No decent showers. Bad cell service.

BUT, we are home!!!!

Now for the pictures....

Hospital, day 2.....

(Tubie)

Home, Day 3....








P.S. Happy Birthday to my mom! Love you!

Crazy

Last night was a little crazy. Full of mishaps and accidents. Nothing major or scary, just crazy.

First of all, Quinn slept well, which is wonderful. But I fell deeply asleep and missed her 11:30 feeding. I woke up at 12:45 to feed her, and was feeling a little rushed. Quinn has a pretty set feeding schedule due to her need to take a certain amount of volume each day, and the fact she is sensitive to volume changes, so missing a feeding isn't really an option, and getting too far off schedule can cause her to have to take too much volume in a particular feeding.

I am changing her diaper, and notice her prongs for her oxygen are in her ear, rather than her nose. Next, I notice her feeding tube is starting to come out. I push it back in, and a second later, it is really starting to come out. So, I pull it all the way out and figure I will just start over. This means going downstairs to get some supplies. I take Quinn with me, who now thinks it is time to party, because of all the lights and movement.

I get her tube back in, but can't find the stethoscope to check the placement of the tube. I find the stethoscope, but need a syringe. As I am putting the plunger in the syringe, I somehow pinch my breast into the syringe. Oh man, did it hurt. And bruise instantly.

About this time, I notice Piper has somehow gotten a hold of poopy diaper and is eating it on her bed. There is poop everywhere.

I feed Quinn, and she goes back to bed easily. Thank goodness, despite wide eyes and smiles earlier. I go downstairs, dispose of the poopy diaper parts, and throw Piper's bed into the laundry room, because it is smelly. I was going to wash it, but have since decided to throw it away. It has seen too much nastiness, and I am sick of washing it. Then, I ice my bruise breast, and eventually get back to sleep.

It was a night.

Speaking of crazy....

Quinn is a wild and crazy baby. She never stops moving, and exploring. Our neighbor brought Quinn over a Valentine's gift today, and commented on just how wild Quinn is.

Here is some photo evidence of her craziness.

Photo 1:, she never stops moving. Can she just sit and play? Never, she slides, arches, flips, scoots, rolls, and yells.



Photo 2: She went nuts for some oatmeal and apples tonight. She ate it with great urgency. She had it everywhere. She wanted the spoon. She wanted the container. She wanted more. She ate double what I normally feed her and was covered from head to toe. So, I took a shower with Quinn for the first time. She thought it was kind of weird, and did not love it, but tolerated it ok.


Photo 3: After our shower, it was time to burn off some energy, so she would be ready for bed. She played in her jump up, but really only wanted to touch and lick the walls, and particularly interested in putting her hands in the one place they are not allowed....

Go Shorty

Quinn got a walker* from my parents for Christmas. She is such a mover and a shaker, we were so excited that she got something that she could move around in. However, our short little child is about 5 inches to short to reach the ground while the walker is on the lowest setting. HA! She still really liked sitting in it, and being pushed by her daddy. She could be walking on her own, before she is tall enough to reach the ground. She is seriously so tiny. Dalan calls her the opposite of a giant all the time! Funny, tiny, yet strong baby.








*She will only be using this on the ground floor of the house. Perfectly safe.

Nursery

Here are some much overdue pictures of Quinn's adorable yellow forest. I am totally obsessed with owls and other woodland creatures right now. They are so cute, just like Quinn! It also should be noted that I have spent many nights/mornings snoozing on the couch, it is not so good on the back, but better than not sleeping at all.






Quinn looked adorable in her new black and white polka dotted vest from Grandma today! As well as emotional! Or maybe a little Snow White and Seven Dwarfs-esque in it. She was happy in it. She was pouty in it. (Her pouty face is getting better and better/sadder and sadder by the day.) And she was sleepy in it.

Tubes

Quinn has become very skilled at getting her cannula out of her nose. It is rare that she has it directly in her nose these days. She pulls and stretches it and rubs and moves it constantly. In fact, right now it is skewed to the right and closer to her mouth than her actual nostrils, but she is breathing alright and it is pointing in the right general directions, so I am not going to mess with it. She loves to rub her little face against my shoulder/chest until she can get it out her nose. She also loves to pull it into her mouth, or bat it up so it is sitting on the bridge of her nose. I am hoping this is all part of the process of Quinn ultimately weaning herself off of oxygen.


We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon to discuss her eating. We have really good days, and not so good days. Overall, I think (as does the occupational therapist and the doctor) she has made progress, but there is clearly something that it is getting in the way of her eating 100% orally. So, we are going to see if we can make a new plan, and get this girl eating. It is our biggest stress right now. I think it is time to ask you all for some more vibes of the eating variety. Quinn needs them. Also, it we can get eating than that is another tube we can get off her cute, little face!

Answer

Ok, this is Quinn's head....



And this is Dalan's head....



But you have to admit, they look an awful a lot alike.

Also, Quinn's picture was originally taken to show off the crazy wispy pieces. But my mom noticed it looked just like Dalan's head. Here is another picture from that morning. Look at Quinnie's first morning of bed head. It was out of control. Well, as out of control as ten really long pieces can get.

Feet

Remember this little foot from May 16th?


Look at what 4 months can do....