Too Early Part 2...

Here come the next few entries in my diary....

4 June 1997 - Day 2

Met paediatrician Dr Nicola.  She explained that Jayden would have a brain scan and a chest x-ray today.  She asked me a lot of questions about Jaydens birth and the days leading up to it because they are very concerned about the severe bruising on the top of his head. After discussing it with her they are pretty sure (and a little horrified to say the least) that it would have been caused by the internal exam the midwife who was with me for the delivery had done about 10 minutes before his birth.  She had a really good feel around and freaked out because she thought he was coming breech (which would have been fatal) yelling at me not to push because she thought that the very soft head of a very premature baby was his bottom.  So I gather she did not have any experience with very premature births and the result was significant trauma and bruising to his head - fantastic!

Got the result of the brain scan later in the day.  Jayden has a small bleed in his brain classified 1 on a scale of 1-4.  The will continue weekly scans to keep an eye on it.  The chest x-ray is standard procedure to check the lungs and heart and check the placement of the ventilator tubing.

They started feeding Jayden 1/2 ml milk feeds every 2 hours but because of all the drugs they have given him and his immature digestive system he didn't take the milk very well so stopped it later in the day.

5 June 1997 - Day 3

Had another restless night.  Went to see Jayden about 4am.  I got to change his nappy for the first time. 
Gary went home at lunchtime with his mother.  Mum stayed with me. 

They changed Jayden from his plastic "tent" to an enclosed incubator this afternoon.  I got to have my first "hold" while they were changing him over (hold - not cuddle - a cuddle is impossible with all the attachments).  I was scared that I would accidentally pull out one of the tubes or attachments. I wanted to hold him forever, I want to protect him but I can't - his feet got cold so he had to go into the incubator after about 5 minutes. 

I got to have a good look at him once he was in the incubator.  He has an IV in his arm for fluids (lipids and TPN - Total Parental Nutrition - this is what feeds him), he has a line in his navel for blood testing and transfusions.  He has 3 probes stuck to his body that are hooked up to a rather large machine that beeps constantly and monitors his heart and respiratory rates.  There is a probe wrapped around his little foot which measures the oxygen saturation in his blood.  And there is the ventilator which is doing the breathing for him.  They don't know how long he'll need the ventilator - its up to Jayden (really - is any of this up to Jayden?)

I got moved into the "self care" room especially for out of town mothers with babies in NICU tonight.  Room mates Bridget (twins 28 weeks), Cate (baby 30 weeks) and Lorna (baby full term has had surgery).

Not impressed with my MIL today - found out today that she was miffed because we didn't name Jayden after her father because Gary was (middle name).  I think there are more serious things going on here that what we have chosen to name our son!

Thanks for reading - there will be more next week.