Drayden: ONE Month

Drayden is ONE month old!

April 1, 2016

Where do we begin! 

What a journey he has been on in his first month of life. But what a tolerable and content little guy he is through it all. We have been impressed with how he takes things so well. With all the poking and prodding that happens on a regular basis, bag changes and procedures - Drayden continues to show us what a little champ he is at taking it all. He is such a sweet little boy and oh so handsome. Many of the nurses in NICU oooh'ed and ahhh'ed over him! :) Drayden's first month of life had many surprises, but he is truly fearfully and wonderfully made. God's hand has been in this from before he was even conceived. Through Drayden's birth and journey so far, God has caused our family to grow closer and we have seen how beautiful the body of believers are with all their love, support and most importantly all their prayers. God has been so gracious and we most certainly feel his love, comfort and strength with each new day! What a beautiful baby He has given us with an even more beautiful story of God's hands at work in each aspect. 

He likes to hold on to peoples fingers. He likes his feet touched, or have pressure on them - Chris has done this from the beginning. He likes to be held. He loves to eat. He loves his head rubbed.
 He responses great to shushing. He enjoys his pacifier....if you are holding it for him the whole time! :) He likes his hands up by his face. He likes to rest his little hands under his chin when he eats. He relaxes when the hair dryer is on as we learned through many bag changes at home. He likes the calming music that plays in the hospital. He likes to be talked to and hear familiar voices. He likes to be bounced when held. He very much enjoys being swaddled. He enjoys when Ryken holds his hand, shushes or sings to him. He seems to be most comfortable when lying on his back.

He does not like cold wipes on his little bum. He does not like to be restricted or restrained. He does not like his temperature being taken. He doesn't like tubes down his throat or nose. He doesn't seem to care for hats on his head yet. He does not like to be hungry. He doesn't seem to be all that fond of his car seat in the little that he has been in it. 

He has big eyes that are very expressive. In the NICU we received many comments about how he is the most expressive baby. He has long fingers. He has a birthmark on his right leg on the outside, by his keen. He has dimples on both cheeks. He has a mark under his chin on the left side that looks like a bruise -but hasn't gone away. He has a big scar on his belly from the incision from surgery. He has an ingrown toenail.
You weigh 6lbs 11oz.

Firsts for this month:

First breath, first cry, first hold from mom and dad, first ambulance ride, first surgery, first taste of breastmilk, first time being tube free on his body, first car ride, first time being home, first time meeting big brother and sister, first time meeting grandma, grandpa, nana and papa, first time doing arts and crafts.

Timeline (for records):

March 1- born, x-ray of stomach, taken to sanford by ambulance, exploratory surgery, blood transfusion, plasma added, illiostomy, 

March 2- blood clot found in diaper, dye was injected and ultrasound of bladder, bladder good, clot will dissipate.

March 3 - incisions look good- not red and inflamed, IV came out of head today, moms first full day with Drayden at the hospital.

March 4 - got off ventilator today, most active we have seen you, newborn screen redone, mom changed diaper and took temperature.

March 5 - Got to hold you for the first time, along with dad, and nana and papa. 

March 6 - starting to enjoy pacifier, intestines started to work, stuff started pushing out into bag, getting milk swabs and enjoying them, small red birthmark on outer right leg by knee, grandma flin got to hold him

March 7 - NG tube that was down his nose sucking things out of his stomach is out. 

March 8 - 1 week old, mom got strep and couldn't come in for 2 days, spit up so no trying of milk, acting very hungry, likes to be held, output is changing colors in the right direction.

March 9 - 

March 10 - been spitting up and output has decreased, Askegard dilated stoma, x-ray was done to see if there was any blockage, got 5 mLs of milk today, sucked it down, he gets 5 mLs every 4 hours.

March 11 - still 5 mLs- but now every 3 hours, stoma dilated twice today, mom got to feed you, you peed on me.

March 12 - started the weaning process from omnibed to crib, up to 10 mLs every 3 hours, Ryken came to meet you

March 13- in crib now, can hear your grunts, noises and cries now, can take you in and out of crib when we want, 

March 14 - 6 lbs 3.2 oz, up to 20 mLs of milk every 3 hours, poop is looking like breastmilk poop, last dilation was done this morning. 

March 15 - 2 weeks old, NG tube in this morning, up to 30 mLs, has dimples, up to 37 mLs at the end of the day.

March 16 - up to 41 mLs- ate all but 17, grandpa came to meet you, starting to decrease nutrients and fats.

March 17 - was your due date, gained a lot last night, weigh 6lbs 9oz, up to 48 mLs.

March 18 - bottled great, took 48mLs at 11,2,5,8, up to 55 mLs, OT came to watch you eat, you need cheek support when eating from bottle, breastfed you for the first time today, great latch.

March 19 - 

March 20 - 

March 21 - rectal suction biopsy, loosing weight, giving supplement to breastmilk, adding pectin to bottle to help thicken output, swabbed for MRSA - came back negative 

March 22 - NG tube out again, 6lbs 8oz, up to 24 fat cals with formula.

March 23 - didn't gain much weight, added 15mLs to supplemented breastmilk after nursing, neck x-ray just to rule out a cyst on the bruise like spot on his neck, starting the discharge process, can bring car seat in next time as he needs to pass a car seat test - which he did pass.

March 24 - gained 22 grams and weighs albs 8.5oz, got his Hep B shot, mom received lots of discharge information:feedings, ostomy bag change, bath, etc, nurses did arts and crafts with his foot by painting it orange for an Easter craft

March 25 - gained 4 grams, can't go home, he is completely ready to go home, just waiting on Dr's ok.

March 26 - ate really good today, but amount nursing and good amount through bottle.

March 27 - gained  34 grams, body does not absorb breastmilk, on pure pregestimilli when not nursing, no longer supplemented breastmilk.

March 28 - gained only a gram today, his weight is the same today as it was a week ago, he started eating a formula called Neocate, he has an infection in his eye and will be given an eye ointment 3 times a day for 5-7 days.

March 29 - gained 22 grams and is now 6lbs 10.5oz, tried a tomme tippee bottle which seemed to help as it has a nipple that is more like a breast nipple, lots and lots of bag changes today too many, you came home from the NICU today!! 

March 30 - did well at eating and going back to sleep, it went smoothly up until around 10pm or so, bag issue after bag issue as your output was so watery, your eating slowed down and your output had increased dramatically, mom and dad knew things weren't looking great.

March 31 - re-admitted to the hospital due to dehyration, you had low sodium, potassium and electrolytes. We went to lab, met with Askegard, got new bags from the wound nurse, back to labs, back to chat with Askegard, re-admitted at 2:00pm into room 490 in General Peds.

April 1 - 1 month old today!, ostomy bag lasting much longer than it has, you are eating well - around 60 mLs each time, your weight was 6lbs 11oz today - as you were pumped with liquids.