Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Tapping and ROP - April 12th, 2016

Following up from the last blog, they ended up doing an ultrasound of your head (second one of the day) because you had 8 episodes between 7 pm and midnight. The ultrasound came back stable, so they weight adjusted your caffeine and gave that to you at 1 am. From midnight to 7 am, you had 3 episodes.
When I got there around 9 am, the nurse told me that they think they either need to give you a blood transfusion or maybe they weaned your CPAP settings too fast. She told me about the ultrasound last night and the episodes. She said you have been good for her so far. She said to me "you know he has his eye exam today, right?" and I told her that I asked the doctor yesterday if he would have his eye exam today (they do them on Tuesdays) and she told me no because they give her the orders 24 hours in advance and she didn't get any. So I said to the nurse, I figured he would but the doctor said he wouldn't. Mommy is on her way to becoming a doctor while being here.
The neuro residents stopped by to feel your head and said that it felt fine.
When the doctors rounded, I asked them a ton of questions. I refuse to look at google for any of my questions because I don't want to read the worst possible things that could happen. Anyway, they increased your feeds to 33 ml's every 3 hours. They are not going to do a blood transfusion yet (hemoglobin was 9.4) because they said it would tell your body that you are making enough blood when you aren't. They said in the near future you would need another, but for now they would hold off. The nurse told them you were doing well breathing, so the doctors just kept your settings as they were. They started talking about adjusting the cc's they take when they tap (they usually take 10 cc's) and said that now that you are bigger, they can take of 16 cc's. They felt your head and decided that they would tap you again today. (Neuro said you felt fine, so maybe they thought because of the episodes they would take more.) They got 15 cc's. I asked when they would make a decision about placing a shunt and the doctor said this week. I am assuming since you just got tapped Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, that you will need one. After they tapped you, I think you had two or three episodes until 8 pm when daddy and I left.
Around noon, the ophthalmologist came. He said that he was going to look at you and decide whether he would examine you in one week or in two weeks. There was also a music therapy person there playing the guitar because they said it may help you through the exam. You hated the exam regardless. When the doctor finished, he said that you didn't need to be examined for another two weeks. He said that you are at stage 1 for ROP (retinopathy of prematurity). There are 5 stages. Stages 1 and 2 usually resolve themselves 90% of the time.
After your busy morning, you got to relax a bit. You did pretty good all day. Only the few episodes I mentioned already. I didn't hold you today because you already had a lot going on today. I will definitely hold you tomorrow!
I called around 10:15 pm to see how you were doing and the nurse was busy but another nurse said your nurse told her to tell me that she did your care and you did great and that you went back to sleep. She said she did not get a chance to weigh you yet, but I am so curious if you gained enough to be 4 pounds! I will know in the morning when we come see you.
Please continue the prayers for Mighty Mason. He continues to fight every day.
Mommy and Daddy love you and will see you in the morning. We hope you do well over night! Stay strong and keep fighting!

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