When I walked in yesterday she was at CPAP of 5! I could not believe my eyes. She has been hovering in the 55-65% fiO2 area which is slightly above her requirement at the other pressures, but not by a lot. Her breathing is faster than they would like, but she isn't laboring. The next step is not nasal cannula as I thought, but CPAP of 4.
I think for kids like her that are having a hard time coming off and need more oxygen flow than a nasal cannula can provide, they like to put at 4 for a while and maybe let them settle into that. She really needs to get her breathing rate down so that she can begin learning how to feed from a bottle. Anything above 60 is too many breaths for them to coordinate sucking and swallowing and breathing.
We got Nurse Jacqui today! Her intern was supposed to be in a class all day so they allowed her to work with Amelia while he was gone. When I called she was alert and awake and Jacqui was holding her. She also did some unofficial PT with her by doing some leg and arm exercises.
Dr. Hitner came by and looked at her eyes yesterday and everything is still regressing.
Her weigh in last night was 7 lbs. 10 oz.! GLOW (gorgeous ladies of wrestling) here we come.
3 comments:
Dear T&C,
HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY Christina and Todd. Enjoy your time with one another with no guilt. You have earned a respite. Amelia will do just fine with Aunt Marian and Uncle Ben---
WOW, What a difference a week has made! Last week--not so much progress--but this week Amelia has finally managed to turned another one of those proverbial corners that we have long awaited. You wouldn't think that 2-5 calories a feeding would have that kind of result on her weight, but with the weight comes strength--strength to overcome some of her pre-mature problems, strength to begin acting more like a newborn, and God love her for it, strength to give US strength to continue our prayers for her blessed recovery.
These latest pictures of her are precious and we can all see the alertness she possesses. After all, today she should really only be 10 days old real time, though she is actually 20 weeks old.
We will continue to be behind you, lifting you up with prayers, and will continue to do so until Amelia can be safely taken home. Let us know if we can do more.
Love MOM/Grammy
She's a big girl now! It sounds like she is doing so well!
Correction--Amelia is actually 4 1/2wks real time, not 10 days. Sorry--got my newest grandchild's date confused with Amelia's. Grammy
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