| The NICU Experience | Aaron update 66 |
| Subject: Aaron update 66 Date: Sunday, February 9, 2003 2:42 PM From: Kevin Quick To: Aaron Update List Today, Aaron’s gestational age is 35 weeks. To answer a couple of questions that some of you have asked about the last update... Yes, Aaron was wide awake and active during his bath. In the photo, he just happened to have his eyes closed for a little bit. He didn’t fuss too much, but he did cry just a few “peeps” now and then. We really haven’t seen nor heard Aaron CRY cry, but I’m sure those days are coming. So far, he just cries a few breaths once in a while. We’re on a routine now of breast/bottle feeding Aaron every other feeding (every 6 hours; 4 times every 24 hours). He gets gavage fed for the other 4 feedings. In a week or so, we’ll be breast/bottle feeding him every feeding, in preparation for feeding at home. This weekend, I (Kevin) have been able to kangaroo with Aaron after his feedings for an hour or two each time. He is such a joy to hold! Our current best guess is that Aaron will be ready to come home in about 3 weeks. (As I wrote that last sentence, tears flooded my eyes and ran down my cheeks. We’re really ready for this part of our adventure as parents to come to a close. We’re still doing OK, but sometimes we realize that we really have been through a lot in the past 3 months.) Aaron has been in an unheated isolette since noon today (it’s 2 p.m. now). If his body temperature hasn’t dropped by 4 p.m., he’ll graduate then to an open crib. Another milestone! Then, we’ll see how he does on being able to maintain his own body heat. If he does OK, he’ll stay in the open crib. If he gets cold, or if he stops gaining weight (because of burning too many calories trying to keep warm), then he’ll be moved back to a heated isolette. To answer another question... His nasal cannula has been supplying air that is 45% oxygen, on average. For him to be able to come home without being on supplemental oxygen, we’ll have to wean him down to 21% oxygen, which is the same as ambient air. If we can’t wean him down that far by the time he’s ready to come home, he’ll have to be on oxygen at home for awhile. But, we have a few weeks to go, and nurse Lisa today said that we’ll be amazed at the progress that Aaron will make in all areas over the next couple of weeks. Here’s a picture of Aaron, after his bath yesterday, dressed in an outfit given to us by Marko’s parents (by the way, Marko is apparently doing well at home). Thank you, family and friends, for keeping the three of us lifted up in prayer. Lots of love, Kevin, Kathleen & Aaron |
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