Cohen had a GREAT day! He is starting to get rid of his “head gear.” His bilirubin level had another decrease, so he is officially off phototherapy and the sunglasses are in his memory bag (temporary until I either scrapbook it or find a box). And… because he has been doing so well keeping his oxygen sats up while on the nasal cannula, his Doctor wrote an order to stop the alternating CPAP/cannula and just have the nasal cannula. What does this mean? COHEN IS OFF CPAP!!! (and his little face isn’t covered with the scuba mask) This isn’t necessarily a permanent thing, as he has to continue to have consistently high oxygen sats in order to stay off the CPAP. So, potentially he could go back on it, but I know how much he dislikes the mask so I am hopeful that will be enough incentive for him to do well with the cannula. His A&B’s are very rare now, and usually only occur when the cannula is out of his nose. His little head is so small the tubing has a hard time staying in place…I’ve seen both prongs in one nostril, the entire thing blowing air into his eye and at one point I caught him with it in his mouth and sucking on it!
Cohen had two poops after the enema and tolerated all feedings today without any residual, which has earned him an increase in feeds. It is only a 0.6cc/feed increase (so he gets 2.5cc/feed total), but it is forward progress and that is what we like to see.
The antibiotics he has been on since birth have also been stopped. The nurse and I finally solved the mystery of why he was on antibiotics. (We asked the Doctor) Cohen was born with mild “wet lungs.” Wet Lungs, or more accurately called transient tachypnea of the newborn, is slow absorption of the fluid in the fetal lungs. This fluid makes taking in oxygen harder and the baby breathes faster to compensate. The condition is more likely to develop in babies delivered by c-section because the fluid in the lungs does not get squeezed out as in a vaginal birth. Cohen will have a chest x-ray tomorrow to confirm he no longer has wet lungs.
And, although it is against his nurse’s wishes, the Doctor is holding off on giving Cohen a PICC line for a day or two. A PICC line is a thin flexible tube that is threaded through a vein in the arm to the vena cava. It will be used to deliver medications, fluids and necessary nutrients. The PICC line will replace his IV because it is more stable and will last longer. If his feeds increase significantly, then he will not need a PICC line. But, it is more likely than not he will get one by the end of the week.
I got to hold Cohen for 2 hours today. Because he is off the CPAP I was able to sit on the couch (its more like a padded bench) and kick my feet up and just snuggle with him. We caught up on all the Hollywood gossip that we missed this last week, and by the time I was done telling him about the crazy octuplet mother, he was passed out.
Finally, I am sad to report that because Cohen has the IV in his arm, and the fact the gift shop was out of XS (up to 3lb) short sleeve onesies, Cohen did not get to wear clothes today. I did, however, get him a teeny tiny blue hat! It was quite the reality check when I tried putting the” up to 3lb” long sleeve shirt on him and he was swimming in it! He can just rock the diaper until he puts on some weight!
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