Keira’s Coming Home!!!

We were told yesterday that they plan to send Keira home Thursday morning (tomorrow).  We brought in her carseat so they can do the carseat test.  They put her in it for an hour and she is on an oxygen monitor to make sure she can breathe properly while in the seat.  We are ready for her to come home.  Shaun is so excited to have her here.  I am too but I am nervous.  I know I wont sleep the first night she is home b/c I’ll be so worried that she wont breathe right! 

Conor had his surgery on Wed and it went well.  The hernia was very large so he is going to be sore for a bit.  Good thing he wont remember this!  I fed him a bottle yesterday and he did amazing.  I have never seen him take a bottle w/out some reflex so this surgery is definitly making life better for him.  I expect that he will be home late next week.  It will be so nice to not have to go to the hospital!!

No Milk Sucks!

Well the nutritionist gave me the listing of milk ingredients and examples of food that contain milk.  Who knew there was milk in deli meats and hot do weiners.  I am really having trouble finding foods w/out it.  And this causes a problem for me as I have never been a big eater.  I am hungry most of the time which means Im really not eating enough!  If that keeps up my breast milk will drain me of what nutrients I have making me more unhealthy and then possibly not be good enough for my babies.  Im going to have to talk to the doctor about this! 

In the dr’s notes it says that Keira may be discharged on Tues but the nurse couldnt see it being that early as she wont be on full feedings of breast milk until Thurs.  But it should be next week sometime as long as she doesnt have problems digesting my milk.  The nurses keep saying how much she looks like me.  I can see she may have my nose but she has Shauns lips.  Other than that I dont see resemblances. 

Conor is still doing very well.  He is still having some gavage feedings so he needs to be completly off of that in order to come home.  He goes for surgery on Monday.  He has hernia (very common in preemie boys).  It will be so nice to have them home.  I feel I spend so much time at the hospital that I dont get anything done at home.  I know I will be very busy when they get home but at least I may be able to catch some catnaps when they (if, I guess I should say) sleep.

Conor is over 5 lbs!!!  When he is lying next to Keira, she looks so small!  She is growing well but you can tell that she will be a dainty girl.  She drinks Neocate and they are hoping to switch her to breast milk before she comes home as the neocate is $50 a tin but they still feel she may be lactose intolerant or her belly may be sensitive to lactose until it develops more.  So I have been told by the nutritionist that I must stop having anything dairy.  Ive never been a milk drinker but I have to watch for other things like margerine.  She is giving me a list tomorrow for things to watch out for.  She wants it completely out of my diet.  And of course now that I cant have dairy that is all that I want.  We have a cheesecake taunting me in the fridge right now! 

I gave Conor a bath right now and his hair was all standing on end.  The nurses keep on commenting on how much hair he and Keira have.  Doesnt really surprise me as both Shaun and I had a lot of hair when we were born.  It is getting a lot easier to handle them now.  Keira downs her bottle like there is no tomorrow and boy can she burp!  We figure Conor will be our grumpy bear.  He is demanding and impatient.  Tonight when I was putting Conor to bed, both him and Keira were crying.  Just a hint for what life will be like when they come home.  SOunds like Keira may be home in a week or two.  Conor will be longer as he isnt as good at the bottle as she is. 

Tomorrow night I have a wedding shower to go to.  It is for my friend Kelly.  Shaun and I are both in their wedding which is Aug 30.  It will be my first day away from the babies once they get home but we already have care in place.  But I know I will worry the whole time but I am really looking forward to the wedding.  Hopefully I can fit into the bridesmaid dress!!  I do still look pregnant, I guess thats a given considering my belly had 3 babies in it.  But everyday it is better.  I cant believe how many strangers ask me when Im due.  I dont get upset over it at the time b/c I know how it appears, especially when Im carrying a nursing pillow into the hospital or buying baby stuff at a store.  I gained ALL of my weight in my belly so I should have expected this!

So they put Keira on another formula.  Her belly was starting to get big again yesterday but it has been good since they switched it.  I was happy to see today that she is off of the IV and may join her brother again in a day or two.  They will keep her on the formula until just before she goes home and at that time we will try to switch her over to breast milk but w/ medicine in the milk to help w/ her possible lactose intolerance. 

Conor is doing well still.  They have put him on something similar to human milk fortifier to help him gain weight faster.  He is quite the expert at pulling out his feeding tube.  He always does it to me but I dont feel that bad cause he does it in front of the nurses too.  He is one quick little fella.

Keira doing better

>Conor bathing

So Keira is doing better.  They are taking her off of the antibiotics but she is still in level 2.  Her belly is back to normal but she hasnt had anything to eat for 48 hours.  This afternoon they are going to try her on a special formula that is already broken down so that her belly wont have to digest so much.  If she starts to get bloated again they will put dye into her intestines and watch it on an xray to ensure that there are no blockages in her intestines that are causing this problem.  It doesnt seem to be an infection as her blood and urine cultures came back negative. 

I got to hold her today which was nice as I havnt been able to for a couple of days.  She just slept in my arms.  She did gain weight and now weighs 4 bls, 2 oz.  Conor is still doing well.  I bathed him last night and the water got a little cold.  He was not impressed.  I just am not quick enough at changing his diaper and swaddeling him b4 his bath (he is swaddled while I wash his hair and face to keep him warm).  Now is growing out of some of his clothes.  My mom got him cute outfits from Mother Care in England and is almost too long for it : (  I will have to get more pics in those clothes! 

I went to church yesterday for the first time in 3 & 1/2 months.  It was nice to go back but very emotional.  It was one of those services where God really knew I needed to hear some stuff and where better than church.  A verse was up on the screen while communion was happening and it was 1 Thesselonians 4:14.  It basically said that those Christians who have died before us, we will see again when Jesus comes back to earth.  I’ve always knows I would get to see Cadence again when I died or when Jesus comes back (whichever sooner) but this verse said it perfectly and it was just the comfort I needed to have that day. 

And it was also great to see my church family members.  So many had been praying for me and the babies and I am so thankful for that!

Above:  Shaun bottle feeding Conor, Below:  Keira

Keira Needing Prayers

Last night I went in and saw both my babes in a crib together.  It was so cute.  I did bring my camera but of course, forgot the memory card in my printer so I didnt get any pics.  It is amazing how much alike they look!  Keira’s belly was full of air which can be a concern. 

This morning, nurse called me to let me know that Keira has been moved back to level 2.  Her belly became very big overnight.  She is back on antibiotics, but this is a precautionary measure as we dont know that it is from an infection.   She is also off of her breastmilk feedings and will be getting an IV.  They have taken some blood and will do some tests.  I let them know that I have family who is lactose intolerant and I have always thought that I was slightly so they are keeping that in mind.  Conor is having the same symptoms as Keira but to a lesser degree. 

Please pray for Keira and the doctors as they try to find out what is wrong with her and that she will be back with her brother soon.  I just want them home and healthy.  She is in very good hands at the hospital and I thank God for that.

I have now gotten to bathe my babies.  Conor was easy, but I had help from a nurse with him.  Yesterday I only got half way done w/ Keira b/c she went to the bathroom in the water so that ended that bath.  Last night I was told that they would be in a crib together today!!!  I havnt been able to make it in today yet.  Shaun has needed the ford escape all day and I get too sore when driving my acura as it is a standard.  But I will be going in tonight to see them.  I feel so guilty if I dont make it in twice a day. 

Last night Conor weighed 4 lbs, 9 oz and Keira was 4 lbs.  They had been put on human milk fortifier to help increase their weight but their tummies dont like that stuff so now they are just on breast milk and hopefully they can just grow on their own.  It is getting much easier to cuddle with them.  I feel a lot more comfortable holding them and they are getting bigger. 

I am posting a couple of pics of me when I was 28 weeks pregnant (two weeks before I delivered).  These were taken by my friend Chelsey Roberts. 

Conor Promoted

Just a short post today.  I never got to see the babies today b/c we were at a wedding and I was just too tired to see them after.  But yesterday afternoon when I went in, Conor had been promoted to Level 1 nursery!!!  That means he needs less care and now just needs to grow.  And apparantly Keira is not far behind.  Her feedings are up to 27 cc’s and she had a really good day yesterday and today (I called her nurse to check on her today).  I cant wait to bring them home!!!

Last night both were doing so well.  Shaun cuddled with Keira and she was wide awake.  He even got to change a dirty diaper!  Im so thankful for a husband who is not afraid to get his hands dirty!!  Keira is doing so much better.  They never were able to determine what the infection was for sure but that is not uncommon.  The important thing is she is growing, back on her feeds and fighting the infection well. 

I got to hold Conor.  And as always he was wide awake.  He makes this funny noise, sounds like a goat.  And he has several face expressions that make us laugh.  I was allowed to take him off of his leads and brought him over to visit Keira.  The nurse had even done that the night before.  Conor is being gravity fed and even used a bottle for 10 min yesterday but then forgot to breath so it was back to pump feeding for him.  I guess the breathing, swallowing, and sucking comes more b/n 34 to 36 weeks and they are only 32 1/2 weeks.  I cant believe they could have still been inside of me and at the size that they are!!

So I went to visit my babies last night and got to hold both of them.  Keira was doing so much better, she hadnt had an apnea episode since 7:30 am yesterday.  She was stable enough for me to hold her and she was crying (a good thing) and her color was much better.  Plus she was alert and looking around.  She did lose a bit of weight but not enough to be a concern. 

Conor was so cute last night.  I held him for an hour and he was awake almost the whole time.  He just loves to look around and stare at whoever is holding him.  His feeding is going very well and he continues to gain weight.  I did take my camera to take pics of them (havnt taken any for a few days) but couldnt take pics and hold them at the same time!  Will have to wait till tomorrow.  I have posted a couple of pics of them w/ this post but they arent new pics.   < Conor

I am not going today as I feel a bit under the weather and dont want to risk getting my babies sick.

< Keria

I got the call from the funeral home and Cadence’s ashes are ready to be picked up.  I so wish that she was here with us.  I miss her so much.  Shaun and I will soon be having our own little private memorial service for her, probably at the beach.  I know that I did everything I could to keep her here with us but that doesnt seem to lessen the pain of losing her any.  God bless my little Cadence.