Monica is Home at last

After Marie being on complete bed rest for 13 weeks and then our precious little baby girl spending the first 8 weeks of her life in hospital (initially graduating from the high dependancy unit at the Queen Charlotte and Chelsea hospital to low dependancy, the Isolation ward and then finally special care baby unit at the Lister hospital), to say that we are absolutely over the moon to have been able to finally bring our little girl home would be quite some understatement. 

Monica took the cold weather in her stride and slept the whole way home, although to be fair she did have a full tummy for the journey.

Marie and I would just like to thank everybody for all your kind words, emails, cards, presents & visits etc.  It has made all the difference to us and has made the journey a lot easier :-)

Monica getting read to leave the hospital in her "snow" suit.

Monica in her car seat ready to go home.

Monica outside for the first time ever (the first time didn't really count as she was in an incubator then :-)

Our little baby girl asleep in the car.

Monica fast asleep in her new moses basket at home :-)

Update: 21st Feb 2009 - First Week At Home.

The first week at home has flown by and Monica is doing amazingly.  It's incredible how strong she is getting, just a couple of weeks ago she couldn't even turn her head and now she moves her head from side to side all the time.

The poor little thing had to go for another ROP Eye test yesterday which was incredibly unpleasant for her (not to mention for Marie and I).  Retinas in babies aren't fully developed until week 36 hence the test to ensure that they have developed without issue.  I had to hold Monica down while the doctor did what I can only describe as some very heartbreaking things to her eyes.  Luckily she passed with flying colours and so has now been fully discharged and never has to have that test repeated again.

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Monica is coming home

Great news, if all goes well, Monica is coming home this Friday :-)  Our little star has made great progress over the past couple of weeks she passed her hearing test with flying colours and she now no longer needs the NG tube or the vital signs monitor as her desaturations have pretty much stopped.  It's great to see her without any tubes or wires.  She is now on demand feeding and is still 6lb 1 oz and she actually now looks like a normal healthy baby rather than a premature baby :-)

So.... hopefully I'll be posting some photos up of Monica leaving the hospital and coming home :-)

Monica just before the NG tube was removed.


Monica the night before she is due to come home.

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Monica - Week 7

We can't believe how fast the time is flying and how quickly Monica is progressing, but we are still cautious in getting to each and every milestone.  One of the doctors actually said "why is this one still here?" to the other staff when referring to Monica which is cautiously encouraging.  The nurses pointed out that Monica was still being tube fed until "normal" feeding had been properly established.  We'll very soon be graduating from the Pampers Micro nappies to the next size up!!

Of course as with these things there are always ups and downs.  Monica had quite a bad day today (Tuesday 3rd Feb) which started with a routine eye test for ROP (Retinopathy of prematurity).  After the test (which we are informed is particularly nasty and stressful), Monica was desaturating all day and had another bradycardia episode when mum was trying to feed her.  She was quite clearly very distressed but we're hoping that she will be fine again by the morning.  She looks at you with such a sad face when she is not happy.  Unfortunately we're told that protocol dictates that she has to have a repeat of the ROP test in 2 weeks time :-(

One of the first reactions of the doctors to Monica's desaturations was to recommend more blood tests but Marie managed to stall them on that and requested that they wait until tomorrow to see if Monica improves overnight.  Unfortunately though, Monica is now back on Oxygen with tubes running to her nose.  Mum said she exhibited quite a level of annoyance at this and promptly tried to rip both the oxygen and feeding tubes off and very nearly succeeded.  She had to have a pair of mittens on for her own sake although I'm not sure she understands where her beautiful hands have gone as she did look a little puzzled at times.  On the plus side though, today's events didn't seem to put her off her milk too much :-) (although it did take a lot longer to feed her than normal).

Update: We're told the results of the ROP test are fine but Monica will still need the next test in 2 weeks time.  Monica had a much much much better day today (Wed 4th Feb) and only had a few fleeting desaturations.  She has been off the oxygen since about 5pm but still has the oxygen tubes just incase.  We arrived in the hospital to find the doctors doing an ultrasound brain scan which was a bit scary but we were informed that it was routine and then at the end we were told that everything was ok.  Monica was weighed overnight and has put on the most weight she has ever put on....  She is up by 225grams to 2.645Kg which is 5 lb 13 oz !!!! Monica's hemoglobin levels are also now up to a more acceptible value since the blood transfusion.  So a great day all round :-)

Monica is starting to look more and more like a full term baby, albeit a bit smaller all round.

Monica sunbathing blissfully oblivious to the snow and chaos outside.  We had to stay in a hotel nearby the hospital to ensure the little ones milk supply route was kept open.

Monica after her ROP Eye test (at 35 weeks gestation) and laying on her special "head shaping" pillow.  We're not quite sure why they ruffled her hair up.

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Monica - Week 6

Monica has been doing exceptionally well this week.  She now weighs 2.420 Kg (5 lbs 5oz !!!!) which isn't far away from being double her birth weight.  Some of the nurses even joke about her having a double chin and one of them that hadn't seen her since she was admitted from the Queen Charlotte's came over and said "Wow, Monica, you are a little fatty". We know that we are really lucky that Monica is able to tolerate her feeding regime although we are constantly amazed at how the doctors keep putting her 3 hourly quantity up (currently 54ml) every time her weight increases and how she takes it in her stride.  I made the mistake of letting the milk run out half way through a feed and was chastised with a cry that I knew could only mean "do not even think about stopping my food". Sure enough no sooner had the milk-into-tummy syphoning resumed than the look of contentment and calm returned.

Monica relaxing after her milk.

Monica catching another cat nap. Mum was actually very annoyed to return to find Monica had slipped under the blanket :-(

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