Wow...they are flying by. Since my last post on your 6 month birthday we have come home from the hospital. Such a happy day. We are getting back into the groove of you daily care and of course trying to make you happy every second of the day. Today you are much much more active. You are rolling over more from your front side to your back side. You are grabbing rattles and toys and shaking them then moving them back and forth from hand to hand. You are able to stand up while we balance you. When we play with your activity gym you swat at all of the toys and grab them. We are now trying to find more educational shows for you to watch instead of the shows mom and dad like to watch. You are gaining weight!!!! A whole 16lbs 11.5oz. We went to a follow-up visit with your new surgeon Dr. Krishnawami and he said everything was going well and our goal is to let you grow for at least another 6-8 weeks before we revisit the idea of getting you a G-tube to feed you. Until then, as you can see in the picture, you have a special tube called an NJ (nasojejunal) tube that bypasses the stomach to have a way to keep down your milk without fear of you throwing it up. That means more calories down and more weight :) Unfortunately you still spit-up the yucky juices in your stomach, but not nearly as bad as before we went in the hospital. We now feed you continuously through this tube with my breast milk and added calories with a formula called Duocal. Its working!
Your oxygen needs went down shortly after you had the heart catheterization to close your PDA. We did some labs on the last day of your hospitalization and it showed that your heart function was drastically better and back to normal function...Go Owen! You are on only 1/2 a liter of oxygen.
In other news, your dad and I have been overwhelmed with your care which is a 24/7 job (without any weekends). We love you and thought it would be good for all of us if we got someone to help us. We as you know have absolutely no support system since our move to Portland which makes us feel completely isolated at home. So we met Jilene who will be helping me on the days that daddy is at work. She is absolutely wonderful and up to the task of learning all that is involved in your care. We are lucky.
We are working on going on rides in the car in your car seat which is something you have to now learn since you spent so much time in a crib in the NICU. And we are working on going on walks in the stroller.
I love you little bear!!!
What I love about you:
1. Your big smile at me every morning when you wake up
2. The happiness you get when we stand you up and make silly faces at you
3. Your red hair! (which I can't figure out how to brush since it all sticks up)
4. Bath time
5. The boy sounds you make
6. Don't tell your dad.....the fact that sometimes you just need your mommy to calm you down.
Keep fighting my love...you are so strong and your life is and will be beautiful!
-Mom
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| Out for a walk |
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| Boomer Sooner! |
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| Owen Bear! |
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| Doggy PJs |
