7 Weeks

Lorena has had a pretty good week.  She has had lots of tests this week.  She passed her hearing test on Tuesday (she didn't pass it the first time several weeks ago).  She also had another head sonogram to look for bleeds and it looked good.  She has had several sonograms during her NICU stay, and all have been good, but they just like to repeat tests to be sure.  She also had another eye exam.  Lorena still has slight ROP (her eyes just aren't developed yet) and will get it re-checked in a week.  She has been off caffeine and has been doing well.  Just a few desaturations here and there but nothing to get worked up about.  She has also been off milk fortifiers for several days.  She weighed 4 pounds 13 1/2 ounces on Sunday night, but lost about an ounce on Monday's weigh in.  She regained that ounce by Tuesday night but didn't gain any by Wednesday.  So today she weighed 4 pounds 13 1/2 ounces.  Lorena has been on the diet she will go home on for several days (6 breastmilk bottles and 2 formula bottles).  But since she hasn't been gaining weight, they have decided to put protein powder in her feedings to help bulk her up.  Hopefully this will help her gain more weight. 

Lorena has had a slight heart murmur since she was born.  Deb ordered a echo for her today to check it again.  It isn't uncommon for preemies to have murmurs but they usually go away with time.  We will know the results on Friday so we are praying that her murmur has disappeared.

Lorena is also seen by a physical therapist to check her legs.  In the womb, babies kick and have resistance against the wall of the uterus.  Premature babies can't develop their leg muscles if they don't have anything to push up against.  The bottom picture shows the contraption that helps Lorena develop her muscles.  Lorena's legs kick up against the roll, mimicking the wall of the uterus. 

Dan's mom, Cindy, went with me on Tuesday and a friend (my Sigma Alpha sister in Kansas), Wendy, went with me to Topeka today.  It is always nice to have someone along for the ride.

I'm getting to the point that I just want her home!  I have been trying to work some, which is making the days go by quickly, but I also am feeling more guilty for not being with her.  We haven't stayed many nights in Topeka but she is getting to the point that I may spend a few nights there next week.  She still gets very tired when breastfeeding but is taking about 2/3 of a day's feeding by bottle.  She will go home on a combination of breastmilk and formula bottles and an occasional breastfeeding.  Hopefully she will catch on to breastfeeding as she gets older.

This week has been very tiring for some reason.  I'm just feeling drained tonight.  It will be so nice to have her home.  Things are just unsettled with her being in Topeka and us being here.  We finally got her room ready though.  And we did get great news this week.  Deb, our nurse practitioner, said Lorena may come home next week!