What has been going on since we left the hospital? A lot of preparation and pumping. ;) We opened all of the gifts that we have (I’ll get thank you cards out next week) because we know that there is a lot of stuff we are going to need as soon as Mallory gets to come home.
I’m exhausted, and I know this is just the tip of the iceberg compared to how it will be when she is finally here. The first couple of days we were home, I was still on a lot of medications. I’m down to 2 inhalers and pain pills now. Not too bad. I wake up pretty much every hour during the night due to trips to the bathroom and sweating. But my ankles are going down so I’ll take it.
This week has been loaded with working a little (since we both weren’t quite ready to stay home yet) and trips back and forth to the hospital. I thought it would be a little relaxing, but it has been quite the contrary. Well wishes and prayers have been abundant, which has been such a blessing. Angie Hickman from our small group even came over and helped Johnathan clean one day while I went to the doctor and to feed Mallory. That one act of kindness relieved so much pressure from me. The dogs have been bathed, which will probably become a weekly event. . . at least until we feel comfortable that Mallory can handle more dander.
I got to start trying to nurse her on Monday. The girl is a pig! Of course, she and I will have to work on the feeding thing. We both have a learning curve to overcome (me more than her), but we can do it. We only let her nurse for a certain length of time at this point, because she can expend more calories trying to eat than she is taking in. Once we have reached that limit, Johnathan gives her a bottle. The very first one he gave here, she sucked down in a heartbeat. It was so funny. And she burps like a big girl (gets that from her daddy I guess, haha). The only problem I think that is left is her little tummy. She was on so many antibiotics that her stomach is messed up. . . which of course affects her hiney. It never fails, I’m trying to get the latch and she has a blow out. Poor thing. But that too shall pass.
This week has also been riddled with emotional ups and downs. On Monday, we went to feed her and on the way home, the nurse called to say that we really needed to pick a pediatrician. She believed that they were going to ask us to “room in” with Mallory on Tuesday or Wednesday (that is where we spend a whole night in the hospital taking care of her by ourselves before she gets to come home). When I went back on Tuesday, Nurse Polly Pessimist was there. (The name is unfair. She is just being realistic and honest.) Apparently, Mallory had a “spell” at some point and the doctor likes to keep the baby for 5 days after a “spell”. Of course, she couldn’t tell me what the “spell” was or when it happened. When we went back on Wednesday, another nurse looked it up for us (imagine that). On the 27th, Mallory’s heart rate and oxygen level dropped while she was sleeping. This nurse believes that you could hook any baby up to the monitor and, at some point, you would see a drop. But the doctor wants to be cautious so we’ll be understanding. The good news is that Polly Pessimist asked us today if we would be interested in rooming in tomorrow!! That means that Mallory will be coming home on Saturday! Yay! She still has to pass the car seat challenge. Every preemie must spend about 45 minutes in their infant carrier while hooked up to the monitor to make sure they don’t stop breathing. I’m sure she will pass with flying colors. So far she has been such an over-achiever. . . wonder where she got that from??