March 3, 2009
March 3, 2009
Amy
Showing posts with label NICU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NICU. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Way Back When-esday: March 2009
I was just reading http://mollyandluke.blogspot.com and it reminded me of when I took my twins home from the NICU after their bought with RSV. Thomas had been admitted 1 week before Eva Rose and was supposed to come home on Friday after he had been in the hospital almost 3 weeks. Thursday night we got a phone call that Thomas had a minor set back with some tachycardia so he wasn't able to come home the next day. He stayed over the weekend and ended up coming home with his sister on Monday in a snow storm, just like when we left the hospital after they were born. I thought it was pretty amazing that not only did they they ended up coming home together, but pretty much on their due date. We had to have a visiting nurse to check their weights and their breathing. They did awesome and the visiting nurse was able to discharge us after just a couple of weeks!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Way Back When-esday: RSV Twins
I'm joining along with Cheryl over at http://twinfatuation.blogspot.com for Way Back When-esday.
Just a little over 2 years ago my twins were discharged from the NICU at CHildren's Hospital Boston after their bout with RSV. They both came home with me when I was discharged 5 days after their birth, but that didn't last long. My son was admitted after being home for about 2 weeks and my daughter was admitted 1 week later. My son was rushed from his 2 week doctor appointment when he declined to the point that the doctor called 911. Luckily my older son who was drinking his formula from a glass bottle dropped it and it broke. That delayed things to the point of my son declining at the doctors instead of in the car on the way to a local ER. Thankfully he was only intubated for 24 hours, but was in the hospital for 3 weeks. 1 week later, we brought his sister to Children's ER and she was immediately brought back to a room from triage due to an episode of apnea while being triaged. They tried to use a CPAP machine initially instead of intubating her, but it just wasn't giving her enough oxygen. She was ultimately intubated and got an NG tube. Unfortunately, unlike her brother she was intubated for 6 days until she decided she had had enough and pulled her tube out. The next day she pulled her feeding tube out. My son was supposed to be discharged on the next Friday, but he had a period of tachycardia the night before, so that delayed his discharge. He ended up being discharged with his sister on Monday which pretty much ended up being their due date. When I think back, I am almost sorry that they came home with me. I sometimes wonder if they would have been better off staying in the hospital getting a little bigger and a littler stronger. Maybe then they wouldn't have gotten the RSV. They say that sometimes kids who have RSV can end up with breathing problems later on. So far, we have been really lucky and have only had 1 scare where we needed to bring my daughter to the ER for difficulty breathing. Luckily, we were sent home with just an inhaler, which she really hasn't needed to use. We have been extremely lucky with all 3 kids regarding illness. Other then my daughter, we have only had to ring my older son to the ER 1 time just after the twins were born. I am very thankful that my 3 children are healthy babies. I hope they stay that way, though I still do get a little nervous when the twins get colds!
Just a little over 2 years ago my twins were discharged from the NICU at CHildren's Hospital Boston after their bout with RSV. They both came home with me when I was discharged 5 days after their birth, but that didn't last long. My son was admitted after being home for about 2 weeks and my daughter was admitted 1 week later. My son was rushed from his 2 week doctor appointment when he declined to the point that the doctor called 911. Luckily my older son who was drinking his formula from a glass bottle dropped it and it broke. That delayed things to the point of my son declining at the doctors instead of in the car on the way to a local ER. Thankfully he was only intubated for 24 hours, but was in the hospital for 3 weeks. 1 week later, we brought his sister to Children's ER and she was immediately brought back to a room from triage due to an episode of apnea while being triaged. They tried to use a CPAP machine initially instead of intubating her, but it just wasn't giving her enough oxygen. She was ultimately intubated and got an NG tube. Unfortunately, unlike her brother she was intubated for 6 days until she decided she had had enough and pulled her tube out. The next day she pulled her feeding tube out. My son was supposed to be discharged on the next Friday, but he had a period of tachycardia the night before, so that delayed his discharge. He ended up being discharged with his sister on Monday which pretty much ended up being their due date. When I think back, I am almost sorry that they came home with me. I sometimes wonder if they would have been better off staying in the hospital getting a little bigger and a littler stronger. Maybe then they wouldn't have gotten the RSV. They say that sometimes kids who have RSV can end up with breathing problems later on. So far, we have been really lucky and have only had 1 scare where we needed to bring my daughter to the ER for difficulty breathing. Luckily, we were sent home with just an inhaler, which she really hasn't needed to use. We have been extremely lucky with all 3 kids regarding illness. Other then my daughter, we have only had to ring my older son to the ER 1 time just after the twins were born. I am very thankful that my 3 children are healthy babies. I hope they stay that way, though I still do get a little nervous when the twins get colds!
3 days before Thomas was admitted with RSV
At home the day after discharge in their preemie outfits that were still too big
The twins 3/9/2009
Thanks for looking at my way back when pictures!
Amy
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Way Back When-esday:March for Babies
Saturday, here in Boston, is the March of Dimes March for Babies. Since our twins were in the NICU with RSV when they were just weeks old, we have been invited to join the Children's Hospital team. Unfortunately, I have not raised any money other than what I plan to donate myself, but that is another story. It always amazes me to look at my kids and remember how small they were when they were first born. Unfortunately, I was put on bed rest for about 3 months for fear of going into premature labor, had many doctors appointments, ultrasounds, and Non-stress tests, and a couple of scary times. I was luckily given a steroid shot at week 28 to help ensure that the twins lungs would be more developed if I happened to deliver early. I did end up delivering early, but was able to make it out of the scary danger zone. I delivered my twins at 35 weeks at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA and they were just about 4 1/2 pounds each. They were in a level 2 nursery and on monitors, but when I was discharged, they were able to come home with us.
Unfortunately, they ended up with RSV just a couple of weeks later (which I have probably written about way too much and won't bore people with more about RSV!). They ended up at Children's and thankfully thrived while they were there. I am absolutely one of the lucky ones with regards to how long I carried my twins, their size, their time at Mt Auburn and their time at Children's. I owe so much to the great care that I received throughout my pregnancy from my OB at Fresh Pond Women's Health and my perinatologist at MGH west and the staff at Mt Auburn, as well as the twin's doctor and all the staff at Children's Hospital from the ER to the NICU. I know my donation won't be much this weekend, but I hope it helps other people that need to have their children in the NICU at Children's Hospital.
I decided that I would show pictures from when they were swaddled just a couple of days after they were born and show them now laying on those blankets that they were swaddled in. Ok, so that was my plan, but unfortunately , after looking at pictures, I realized that i din't have any of them swaddled in these blankets. Most likely, that is because they were always double swaddled at the hospital and the receiving blankets were always on the outside. So I just included pictures from when they were at Mt Auburn just a couple of days old!
Unfortunately, they ended up with RSV just a couple of weeks later (which I have probably written about way too much and won't bore people with more about RSV!). They ended up at Children's and thankfully thrived while they were there. I am absolutely one of the lucky ones with regards to how long I carried my twins, their size, their time at Mt Auburn and their time at Children's. I owe so much to the great care that I received throughout my pregnancy from my OB at Fresh Pond Women's Health and my perinatologist at MGH west and the staff at Mt Auburn, as well as the twin's doctor and all the staff at Children's Hospital from the ER to the NICU. I know my donation won't be much this weekend, but I hope it helps other people that need to have their children in the NICU at Children's Hospital.
I decided that I would show pictures from when they were swaddled just a couple of days after they were born and show them now laying on those blankets that they were swaddled in. Ok, so that was my plan, but unfortunately , after looking at pictures, I realized that i din't have any of them swaddled in these blankets. Most likely, that is because they were always double swaddled at the hospital and the receiving blankets were always on the outside. So I just included pictures from when they were at Mt Auburn just a couple of days old!
Eva Rose with Daddy 2 days old (most likely double swaddled)
Eva Rose laying on the blanket we used to swaddle her in almost 15 1/2 months old
Thomas being held by Daddy 2 days old (most likely double swaddled)
Thomas laying on the blanket we used to swaddle him in almost 15 1/2 months old
So my plan didn't work out like I wanted it to and you really can't see how small Thomas was, but I like the contrast between them being just a few days old and being almost 1 1/2 years old
Amy
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Way Back When-esday
We just got our information about a celebration and remembrance day for Children's Hospital at the March of Dimes March for Babies Event in Boston. It should be a fun time and we may get to see some people that took care of the twins while they were there. I know that I have posted picture of the kids while they were in the NICU as well as their pictures soon after their birth, but I thought I would post them again along with their most current pictures.
The twins were born at 35 weeks and weighed in at about 4 1/2 pounds each. We were psyched that they made it to 35 weeks since I was put on bed rest at 23 weeks in fear that I would go into labor. At 35 weeks my restrictions were lessened and I was able to do more. The day of their birth, I went for a regular OB visit and was told that there was a good chance that I would go into labor that weekend given how I was presenting. My husband and I were prepared for that but were not prepared for the news at my non-stress test. My blood pressure had spiked to 188/111 and my lab work was off. Given how I presented that morning, the on-call OB decided that she would break my water and I would hopefully go into full blown labor soon after. She decided to do a scan to make sure that baby B was not breech. At my ultrasound appointment 2 days earlier, both babies had been head down, but that night baby B presented breech. Since I had a C-secetion previously, I needed to have another. Definitely disappointed since my goal with both pregnancies was to have a totally natural birth using only hypnotherapy as a way to deal with the pain and discomfort of labor. Both babies were in the special care nursery, but only needed monitors not any help breathing. They had a little trouble with the suck, swallow, breathe sequence ad we needed to watch them for that, but overall they were really healthy and did great and came home when I was discharged.
The twins were born at 35 weeks and weighed in at about 4 1/2 pounds each. We were psyched that they made it to 35 weeks since I was put on bed rest at 23 weeks in fear that I would go into labor. At 35 weeks my restrictions were lessened and I was able to do more. The day of their birth, I went for a regular OB visit and was told that there was a good chance that I would go into labor that weekend given how I was presenting. My husband and I were prepared for that but were not prepared for the news at my non-stress test. My blood pressure had spiked to 188/111 and my lab work was off. Given how I presented that morning, the on-call OB decided that she would break my water and I would hopefully go into full blown labor soon after. She decided to do a scan to make sure that baby B was not breech. At my ultrasound appointment 2 days earlier, both babies had been head down, but that night baby B presented breech. Since I had a C-secetion previously, I needed to have another. Definitely disappointed since my goal with both pregnancies was to have a totally natural birth using only hypnotherapy as a way to deal with the pain and discomfort of labor. Both babies were in the special care nursery, but only needed monitors not any help breathing. They had a little trouble with the suck, swallow, breathe sequence ad we needed to watch them for that, but overall they were really healthy and did great and came home when I was discharged.
Eva Rose the day after birth
Thomas the day after birth
Unfortunately, 2 weeks after they were home Thomas was rushed to Children's via 911 from his doctors visit since he had an episode of apnea. He was intubated for 24 hours then on oxygen and came home 3 weeks later. Also unfortunately, his sister was admitted 1 week after he was for the same thing. She was intubated for 6 days until she decided to pull her tube out. Thankfully she was able to come home the same day as her brother. The funny thing is that Thomas was scheduled to come home a few days before his sister, but had an episode where his heart rate dipped too low and they needed to monitor him longer. Was this a twin thing so that he could come home with his sister? Either way it was wonderful to have them both home at the same time. Both twins ended up with RSV which is a very dangerous cold for babies this small. Granted, there are plenty of children who were much sicker and sicker much longer, but any time your children are ill it is a scary thing! the amazing thing is that the clothes they are wearing are preemie clothes and they are still too big even though both twins gained weight while in the NICU.
Eva Rose day of Discharge from the NICU
Thomas day of Discharge from the NICU
Now over a year later, the twins are doing great! They are growing and meeting milestones. They are a little slow at walking, but all in due time. Eva Rose has started walking a little and is definitely the more adventurous of the two, as well as her older brother. The twins are doing better at copying others and so is Michael. I am really looking forward to attending this event and hoping to see any of the staff that took care of the twins. The staff at Children's from the ER to the NICU were all so wonderful. I can't say enough about the nursing staff, the doctors, the social workers, and everyone else that we worked with!
The twins on Easter/Opening day Red Sox
The 3 kids Easter/Opening day Red Sox
Thanks for reading about our story with the twins and looking at the pictures!
Amy
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