The nurses had warned us early on that babies in the NICU are often on a roller coaster of progress; some good days, some not so good days. Today was one of the not so good days for Oneta Simone (who, by the way, I've been calling Nina but that's just me and that could change - what do you call her?). After struggling to maintain her oxygen levels with the SIPAP machine all night long the Dr. decided to intubate her again around 2pm today. Let me try to explain what the doctor described to us: She has what is called PDA
(Patent Ductus Arteriosis) All babies are born with an unclosed vessel connecting the pulmonary artery and the aorta in the heart. In most newborns, the act of respirating renders this vessel useless, and it closes within the first two days of life. Because of her prematurity and her difficulty keeping her lungs inflated, her ductus has not healed. This results in a redundant flow of oxygenated blood to her lungs and her heart being slightly enlarged due to being overworked. It is stressful to watch as she labors heavily for every breath, her whole abdomen expanding and contracting, the force of which nearly shakes her whole body. I understand what it means to be a parent as I would gladly offer her my lungs and heart if only it would give her some respite.
She is on a medicine to help heal this process and the doctors hope to extubate her by 2 pm tomorrow. If they are unable to do this they are considering transferring her to the Anaheim facility which specializes in premature care. Let's hope they get to stay here together.

He has been very stable for the second day in a row and is taking more and more in his feedings. His ability to feed from the bottle/nipple will determine when he can come home, but if he stays on track we hope by Tuesday. Let me emphasize that WE hope he can come home on Tuesday.

They also have a mild case of jaundice and are under a fluorescent light to help their skin (although I thought when we held Robert that he looked as pink as ever). The picture of him in his cool shades is a cloth band that they velcro to his head to keep his eyes shielded.



We got to change we his diaper! I suppose it's only natural for a parent to be excited to change their child's diaper for the first time, and then be completely over it by diaper number 427.

A quick note about Mandy: she felt a bit more pain today as the spinal has completely worn off. After discussing with the doctor, they came to the decision to discharge her on Monday. We will of course be back quite regularly to check on the babes.