-----sotto vocce---- Pssst, Inkling. Every year a few days before your birthday you should remind your dad that you are the best gift he could ever get on father's day and that since you have to share you have to share a celebration with him that you deserve extra cake and ice cream.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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On June 19th, we had our fourth child. Inkling was born at 4:28 am, weighed 7 lbs, 9 oz, and measured 20 inches in length. His due date had been July 5. Shortly after his birth, he was moved into the NICU for breathing difficulties. He was put on a CPAP machine for oxygen and to help his lungs expand. A tube was inserted into his mouth, and ran down to his stomach to help relieve gas buildup. An IV was attached to his little arm for medicine and food.
On June 20th, Mrs. R and I had a better picture of what was occurring. Because Inkling's labor had been so quick, the fluid in his lungs had not been pushed out as normal. Thus, we were told, his lungs were not able to expand enough, and he was having to breathe very quickly to make up the difference. Although we were allowed to see him, we could not hold him. Over the next few days, we learned the rhythm of the NICU; shift changes of nurses and doctors, which nurses were attentive and 'people persons' and which were more. . .um, technically concerned.
The doctors and nurses were unable to say when Inkling could return home with us, but they were able to take him off of oxygen after the first day in the NICU. This was a good sign, apparently, though he still had to have on the CPAP. After three days in the NICU, he still had not opened his eyes, and was very lethargic. He developed jaundice, and was wrapped up in a blanket that emitted a special kind of light to break up billirubins.
Inkling lost a pound in the first four days. His breathing improved slowly, I think because he was not getting the nourishment his body needed. In addition to the IV, we were allowed to feed him breast milk through the tube running to his stomach.
After three days, we were allowed to try giving him a bottle. The first day he took it very well, but later that night he spit it back up. They switched him back to the IV only for a day, and he improved. The jaundice and his respiratory problems were making him very sleepy-- he could only drink a bottle for a few minutes before falling asleep. By this time, Mrs R and I were both at home-- we had left our newborn at the hospital without ever holding him.
We arranged our schedules to be able to be at the hospital for most of his feedings, and for about an hour after. This was one of our better moments of time utilization, as we tried to feed Inkling every 2-3 hours. I was able to work from home a couple days, and when I had to go back to work, Mrs. R was able to arrange babysitting with family and with friends from church. Thank God for that.
On June 22, they were able to take off the CPAP. Inkling's breathing was still too rapid, but they decided that the smaller breathing tube was all that was necessary. It was a relief to see those big tubes gone from his face.
Junebug, Super-K, and LiteBrite were not allowed into the NICU-- well, actually, Junebug was, but we felt that it would be completely unfair to Super-K to let her go and tell him was unable to merely because of his birthdate (he is about three months too young). In addition, we were worried about them being scared by all of the tubes and wires poking into their little brother. But when they removed the CPAP, we decided to let Junebug see him. She did marvelously-- very brave, very loving.
The IV was removed when Inkling was four days old. He had a difficult time with the bottle/breast, but we kept at it. After a few days, one of the night nurses hit upon the idea to use a different kind of nipple. That decision marked a huge turnaround for our little guy-- almost as soon as he began getting food into him, he began improving rapidly.
Of course, things couldn't go that smoothly. We got a call from the NICU, and the doctor explained that they had found what could be testicular torsion. They were ordering an ultrasound that should be done in an hour. We looked up testicular torsion on the internet (basically, it's when a guy gets his. . . bolas tangled up), and found out that it may require surgery. We went to the hospital, and found out that it was just fluid.
That was the last of the emergencies. Inkling was finally eating, his jaundice was going away, and his breathing, while still more rapid than normal, was under control. We brought him home eight days after he was born, and he is doing very, very well.
It's taken me a long time to write down the events of that week and a day. Looking at it from the outside, it wasn't much of an ordeal; Inkling was never in much danger so far as we know. Respiratory distress syndrome, due to precipitous labor (lookee, technical medical jargon I brought home from the hospital) is fairly common, and easily dealt with.
But one does not deal with one's life from the outside. Living it was the nearest I've come to misery since being stuck in Kansas for a week with no money, a pregnant wife, and a Blazer with a busted transmission. At the same time-- I've never worked so hard at developing a relationship with any of our newborns as I have with Inkling.
Necessity and desperation-- they are not nice things to build the foundation for a father-son relationship, but I've found that they build strongly.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Wow, Scott, that was quite an ordeal. Congrats on your little one being home safe and sound, though!
Posts: 873 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Oh, geez. I was scared of the direction that post was going, Scott. I'm glad that everything's turning out okay. Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote: Looking at it from the outside, it wasn't much of an ordeal
Who are all these unsympathetic outsiders. It sounds like quite an ordeal to me. I can imagine how hard it must be to have such a tiny family member in ICU. It is so hard to stand by when those we love are suffering and not be able to help in any substanitive way.
I'm glad things have improved and that Inkling is now home and healthy. Congratulations and Best Wishe!!
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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>> Who are all these unsympathetic outsiders.
More correctly, I should have said, "In hindsight," or "Trying to see it from an outsiders point of view." I didn't mean to imply that anyone was unsympathetic.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I'm so glad he's home and well!
