Friday, August 15, 2008: One less wire attached

The big news today is that as a result of his new found ability to regulate his temperature on his own, Luke has been transferred into a regular crib! That’s right, a regular baby crib, which we can take him in and out of easily; no more isolette, no more “big heating machine” (official term for “radiant warmer”). The other big news was that his IV was removed, so now all he needs to work on is feeding.

He’s getting breastmilk through a tube that is in his nose and goes into his stomach. Every three hours we do “care” (check temperature, change diaper, feed). I get to try to convince him to feed off the breast. He’s into playing and just staring off into space. He got on several times but didn’t really hold on. But he did do two-three chews and that’s good. We had a friend, Jessica (our babysitter) come visit, and while the visit Luke spit up all over himself and pooped. O…. the beginning of the mystery white stuff and things coming out from both ends. He is getting cuter every minute. We asked about when he would be release and the doctor explained it depends on how he does with his feedings. So eat little man!! Learn how to catch the nibble.

After a week plus in the NICU, we have a new extended vocabulary. Here are some of the words we have learned through all of this: ventilator, oscillator, radiant warmer, isolette, pulse oximeter, heart rate and breathing monitor, intravenous lines, umbilical catheter, nasogastric tube, nasal canula, blood pressure monitor, endotracheal tube. Quiz, anyone?