tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13245041681416932832024-03-05T09:08:03.751-05:00Austin KimmeyAustin Allen Kimmey born 11/3/11 at 5:18a.m. He was born at 26 wks 2 days gestational, weighing in at 828 grams--approx. 1 lb 13oz. With this blog you will be able to check up on the progress Austin is making while in the NICU. He has quite a long stay ahead of him, but is such a strong little guy with so much life in him all ready! With the strength and power of GOD, Austin is a miracle, just working on getting home!a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-1504264686954117892012-11-18T23:36:00.000-05:002012-11-18T23:36:07.060-05:00Austin is ONE.... PICTURES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
ONE YEAR OLD.... in pictures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l6Q4uhoW2-aMkf2muWgVUTloCFEm4XJiMAyBqHGvPEniUaGxi_WvAvXu2PXxxV1-C7uyRYX0WAGkaJ-pcfHpx2kUesmRYjxq7rlmg1HilOkLqz_z4q1zHYtprYfnuUekXvYDOo3mbso/s1600/closeAUSbear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l6Q4uhoW2-aMkf2muWgVUTloCFEm4XJiMAyBqHGvPEniUaGxi_WvAvXu2PXxxV1-C7uyRYX0WAGkaJ-pcfHpx2kUesmRYjxq7rlmg1HilOkLqz_z4q1zHYtprYfnuUekXvYDOo3mbso/s640/closeAUSbear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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AND NOW A PEEK AT HIM A YEAR AGO....<br />
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And a few from the months in between......<br />
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AND WITH HIS FAVORITE PERSON.....<br />
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Austin is doing so well. To date he has 8 teeth. He is babbling up a storm, and says "dad" often. He knows who is who, even the dog, Fredward, and looks for each when asked "where is....". He is doing sign for "more" when eating, something I have been teaching him. He is eating finger foods and doing great! He is CRAWLING...all over the place! He is helping me dress him. He knows where mommy's eyes, mouth and nose are. He loves his dog, Fredward and I cant keep them apart! He is doing so amazing. AND HIS LUNGS... sound and look the best yet! We have a nebulizer that has been given to us since his recent two and a half stay in the hospital back in September, and we have only needed to use it once. He is doing above and beyond my expectations for him developmentally and I have high hopes he will get up there in size before we know it! He is currently 16 lbs 8 oz and 26.5 inches..... a long way from 1 lb 13 oz and 13 inches! <br />
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Continue to check in.... I will try to update and add pictures often..... God Bless!<br />
a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-76700288304608930642012-11-03T00:28:00.000-04:002012-11-03T00:28:04.363-04:00Remembering..... one year laterAustin is just hours away from his first birthday. A few weeks ago I had high anxiety once again. I don't feel that so much, but this past week I have been waking up in sweats with the same dream... a doctor holding me down by my shoulders telling me "Do not push this baby out, there is no one in this room to help your baby." Only this isn't just a nightmare, but once a true moment in my life.<br />
<br />
June 6, 2011 I found out that I was carrying my so longed for, second child. Elated! That's an understatement. My husband and I, and all who loved us, were praying for this pregnancy to happen for a few years now. FINALLY! It was positive. I swore I was having a girl... nothing was the same as the first pregnancy. I wanted to make sure everything I was doing was of healthy choices - I wasn't going to jeopardize this pregnancy that I had wanted for so long..... Fast forward.... September 8, 2011... I called my mom. She had seven children- she knows a thing or two about pregnancy. I didnt' feel well. Lower back pains, and just sick feeling. She reminded me that my body was going through some changes, if I didn't feel well in the morning I could call my doctor. Middle of night, around 3 a.m. I awoke from a dream that I lost the baby........ My stomach was hard as a rock, and I had to pee..... I went to the bathroom... I was bleeding. My husband and I rushed to the hospital.... heart beat was good and strong, I was contracting so they administered brethine to stop the contractions, ordered me to rest and drink a lot of water and doctors in the morning. We went to the doctors, ultra sound tech checked baby, HE was fine. She said we were having a baby boy--I didn't believe her.... I thought I was only 18 wks, she must be wrong. Through out the weekend my contractions and bleeding worsened. I called the doctor and she reminded me that I needed to hang tight, drink a lot of water and rest, because at this point in the pregnancy there is nothing they can do for my baby. I am seen by MFM and put on bed rest with light activity, like showering and getting myself a bite to eat. I had marginal placenta previa--which should fix itself as the uterus grows. After two and a half weeks, "things" started to look up and become normal again.... I was anxious for my next visit, as I thought they would lift my restrictions.... a week and a half later, on October 7, 2011... everything changed. I rolled over and a major gush... I thought my water broke... it was blood. I still to this day can not believe that my baby survived with the amount of blood loss I had for 8 weeks. Now I was to stay in the hospital on strict bed rest.... I am not going to go into the entire bed rest thing.... it was many trips between ante-partum and L&D, as I was always bleeding out and they never know what to expect.....and many different drugs and strict bed rest orders to stop labor.<br />
<br />
week 23 of gestation.... This is where I am now starting to process, YES ONE YEAR LATER, the extreme trauma that I went through. It begins here, at 23 weeks gestation. This is where I begin to cringe. Most women while pregnant have to make the type of decisions of what color to paint the room... what will the first outfit worn be.... I never in a million years ever imagined having to be told to make the type of decisions my husband and I were now being told we needed to make... First was that if it became an emergency situation, whom would be saved, me or the baby..... NEXT, <br />
A fellow studying to be a neonatologist came to visit and tell us what to expect if the baby was born now, at 23 wks. The chance of survival was very slim. The chance of massive brain trauma was 100%. The baby is not considered to medically be viable until 24 weeks, so at 23 weeks the doctors give you, the parent, a choice. We were asked to discuss and choose that if our baby was born this week if we would want them to try to save the baby. We were told of the chance of their instruments used to save the baby being to big, ultimately making it impossible. We were told that its extremely invasive and painful and that it may even cause damage that is not fixable, or would kill the baby. Our other option was to do what they call comfort care... which is when the baby is born We would hold and comfort the baby until he passed. The only way they would automatically take charge to save the baby no matter what was if he came out crying, which was nearly a 0% chance. I was given a two series dose of steroids for the babies lungs. Thankfully we made it to 24....then 25.... I was administered the "rescue" dose of steroids for the babies lungs. I asked "why" concerned they had reason to believe he was coming soon. The exact, verbatim answer was "we don't know. You do not have any type of pattern for us to follow. You are having unpredictable episodes and we do not know what to expect". I also had to decide that if I had a c-section, if I would want my tubes tied or not.<br />
<br />
Monday, October 31, 2011. An ultra sound had showed that my marginal previa was no longer. It had indeed moved up with the uterus as it grew. Everyone was elated... things were getting better. My bleeding was very minimal.... still had my contractions but they were the same as always.... I was going to be in the hospital for a long time, but hey, it was worth it. Tuesday, November 1. 26 weeks! For whatever reason, since the day I was put on bed rest, I had a feeling that I just needed to make it to 26 weeks. Anytime I said that around a doctor or nurse they straight up told me "you will not be having this baby a second before 28 weeks, but we'd like to see you get to 32". But I had a calming feeling about making it to 26 weeks.<br />
<br />
Weds night.... around 11:30 pm. I wasn't feeling very well. I was on the monitors as my contractions were spiking high, although i still wasn't feeling any pain. I was also on IV fluids and had to pee constantly. They eventually put me back on bed pan orders bc I was up more than I was on monitors...... about 2 am (I may be off on the times, I do not remember when the pain started).... I was complaining that my contractions were now hurting. They did an ultra sound and the baby was indeed head down. I was checked and was 2 cm. About 3:40a.m, I was in DIRE pain... I was already given a few doses of morphine, but it didn't even touch the pain. The doctor checked and I was still 2 cm. 4:10 a.m. I was begging for them to figure it out... Something wasn't right... I was checked and was at 4 cm's and considered in active labor.... I was getting put back on magnesium sulfate (for the third time) to stop the labor. It began to get a little crazy at this point.... I called my husband and told him to get there NOW. Scotty (my husband) walked into a chaotic mess.... I was screaming and begging for an epidural. He was NOT allowed to be next to me bc he was not sterile, so he was pushed into a corner. Nurses were prepping my room and I am just BEGGING for that epidural! The doctor in charge is screaming "WHERE ARE THE PEDS?" over and over and over. Another doctor is holding me down by my shoulders as I am ripping off the monitors screaming in pain... she says to me "Do not push this baby out, there is no one in this room to help your baby." I will never ever forget this moment. I am telling them that I am trying and to please give me the epidural... the moment they are ready to stick me in the spine was the moment I felt I needed to push and I said so.... once again screaming "WHERE ARE THE PEDS??? NO PUSHING ..... DO NOT PUSH...GET THE PEDS HERE NOW!!!!" The moment I push him out (5:18am) the peds are walking through the doors. It was like a football hand off. No scrub gowns, no gloves, not standing by the warmer ready....... out he came, in they came.... (I found out later that someone was paging the wrong code and that is why they were not coming- a nurse had to physically run down to the NICU to get them to my delivery room).<br />
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Now these next moments were scary. And to this day are still so very vivid, as though I am still lying in that bed looking back to my husband, who is still in the corner.<br />
<br />
When Austin was born he was gray/blue. He did not make a peep. He needed a lot of help. He was the smallest thing I have ever ever ever seen. Yes, I knew he was likely going to be under two pounds, but NOTHING can prepare you for what that looks like. NOTHING. The NICU team was working on him. Each of their eyes kept glancing up to the next person. They were over there for what seemed like hours but was actually 10-15mins. There was never a cry. There was never even a squeal. They did walk him over to me, and he was pink, he looked good. He had a pink "turkey baster" thing down his throat that a nurse or RT was manually pumping and giving him his breaths. I said "Hi baby" and he opened his left eye at me. Then off they went.<br />
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I remember a doctor came in to tell us he was "stable" and gave us so many statistics and what they would be watching for and what type of infections were likely. We were given so much information that it took weeks of questions to ever figure out what was what.... or so it seemed. <br />
<br />
Scotty walked down first, some time after 8am. I wasn't allowed to go down until after 3pm. He was so small. So frail. His skin looked maroon and like it was cracking, kind of like dry, old wax paper. I don't really remember everything this day.. or for the next few. I remember naming him... I remember yelling at Scotty to stop worrying about NEC and the what ifs... that we would only worry about them if they presented themselves. I also remember that they were telling us how well he was doing. BUT all odds were against him for brain bleeds, all but the fact that he was feisty.... that still sticks in my mind.... just like his mom and dad... feisty! Austin's apgar score was 1 after one minute, 2 after five minutes, and 7 after ten minutes. He needed two epi shots when born - it was a resuscitation, and they needed to get him twice to get his heart to stay steady. He was born before 28 weeks, less than two pounds and born vaginally, these all played against him and his brain.... His chances of a brain bleed was in the 80%. He had NO BRAIN BLEEDS. NONE!<br />
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That is another very vivid memory. Scotty left to take Drew to church. My mother was staying with us. The phone rang. Heather, a resident, had the results. She told me the results were normal.... my response was "as in a 1 or a 2?" She said "NO. 0! No brain bleeds". I fell to the floor sobbing. My mom came in and was saying No. No. No. I was shaking my head no and trying to say "no mom, its good news". That moment was HUGE!!!<br />
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The first time I held him will always be my WOW moment. He was three days old. it was on Nov. 6. I honestly did not think i was going to be able to hold him for weeks! It was such special moment.. A feeling i cant even put into words.<br />
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The next vivid memory is when Austin was on the vent again... This was the first time Scotty and I had seen one of his many clamp down episodes. This is when the baby clamps shut his airways and doesnt' deliver his oxygen to the rest of his body... Thus, causing for medical intervening, bagging and sometimes he would code and need chest compressions. This first time he was on the vent. His nurse Sharon was helping them do an xray. His sats dropped. Dropped so fast. He was as white as a ghost.... it was awful. I turned to scotty and said "i don't think he's breathing..." we were both crying. A nurse came and explained to us what was happening. He recovered and was fine. BUT that was only the first of many many many episodes. He coded many times.... needing chest compressions during his stay. I just found out that those moments are really the only moments that they can't keep the baby alive for the family to come say good bye. Most cases they can keep a baby on life support... well I guess I should say in many cases...... but in clamp down cases, the baby will eventually give in or pass. Thankfully that was never the plan God had for Austin.<br />
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My next vivid memory is when I called the hospital while Austin was on the vent. he was the sickest during his nicu stay when he was on his vent for the second time. It was awful... He had episode after episode. I honestly thought he was just worn out. I didn't know that his little body could hang in much longer. I had a talk with my sister Heather. She was the ONLY person I revealed that fear to, at that moment. I felt selfish bc I wanted him to keep fighting... but he looked so sick. BUT one day, his vent settings needed to keep being turned up. O2 requirements kept increasing..... and I called at 11 pm and the o2 was 40% I called a few hours later and Lauren was so excited.... he was down to 23%. Things were turning around for the better!! On December 10, 2011, during my baby shower, I found out from a text from Scotty that Austin had been extubated and back on CPap and doing well. I started to cry and was able to share that moment with my closest friends and family. I will never forget it! I will never forget the Christmas party and the next day arriving and Austin was in an open crib and clothes! Those happy moments were always amazing! <br />
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I have some pretty bad dreams still to this day, about this next memory. If you followed this blog while Austin was in the NICU, you may remember this too. The date was January 13, 2012. This was a day that Austin was on high flow, and was doing great. He had reflux, and this day it almost cost him his life. Austin was in the middle of a feed, via NG tube. He refluxed and choked.... He was trying to correct it himself... but he couldn't. He was flailing around. He was choking. Tracey laid him down, lowered the bed, pulled back his feed, suctioned, bagged, yelled for Rose, who began chest compressions. His o2 sats dropped all the way to 0 to 1 to 0 to1.... his HR was down in the 50's then up in 70's, 90's down to 60's, 50's and lower..... he was PURPLE as a plum, head to toe. His tongue was out of his mouth and fat. His feet. That's what I still see in my head... his feet. They were such a dark purple. He released his bowels, Tracey yelled for the doctors. Austin was dying right in front of my eyes. I can still see, smell, taste, and hear this moment. It will never ever ever leave me. This is one moment I wish, more than any moment in my entire life, this is one I want to give back. This is my scariest moment of my life. We were at such a good point in his recovery... and he was dying right in front of my eyes. I think this is one thing no one should ever ever ever ever ever ever witness in their entire life. And then he gasped and took a breathe and his sats recovered. And I will never be the same person ever again. This is the hardest moment to shake out of my head. it was the hardest moment to move forward from. It was the hardest day to walk out the doors and go home..... and I didn't--for hours... until he opened that one eye, his left eye, just like at birth, as to say, "mommy- I'm okay".<br />
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March 18, 2012. This was the day that Dr. Greg called and told me Austin had ripped out his NG tube, and they figured to let him go on demand on bottle feeds and see how he does, and he figured he'd be home by Weds, the 21st. I couldn't believe it! Of course we dreamt about this day... but I didn't think it was so close. Austin didn't come home on the 21 of March, but he did on the 22nd. That was one of the happiest days of my life. I was petrified bc now I had him home with oxygen and monitors and all the jazz, but i did not have the nurses in case there was an emergency. And there wasn't. We made it through. We all made it through. AUSTIN made it. He is amazing. He is well!<br />
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March 22, 2012 is also the day that he and his big brother Drew met for the first moment. This may be my favorite of all memories ever! I can not even begin to put that moment into words. It was definitely magical, to say the least. Their relationship is amazing and so special! They are so in love with each other! I am truly blessed! <br />
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Today is November 2....at 11:54pm. Today Austin is a very healthy, almost 1 yr old. He has no delays developmentally to date. He is small, but has a good personal growth curve. He still has the diagnosis of Chronic Lung disease, but we hope that his lungs heal enough over the next few years to rid himself of that diagnosis. He is on the right track.<br />
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I will never be able to dream of my sons birth and it be a good dream. It will always be a nightmare.... I do not have that happy moment of birth with him. I had to wait to hold him for days. I did not hear him cry for weeks. I did not have a happy fun filled baptism, but had an emergency baptism at the hospital bc i feared what tomorrow would bring.... BUT YOU KNOW WHAT.....I have so much that so many people will never have. I have a miracle baby that fought tooth and nail to stay alive. I have a baby that taught me how to care about something in such a way that there was no chance for IMPOSSIBLES. I found that I possess a strength that seems so impossible to so many. I found that happy endings happen....even in the worst of situations. I know that GOD does exist. I learned how to fully depend on my God. I found that LOVE helps you in ways you didn't know it could. I learned that my husband and I can make it through anything. I learned that in the darkest of days there is tomorrow and that God will light the way to get there. I learned that having the odds against you doesn't mean they will win....I learned so much. I have gained so much. I am so thankful for this insight....... I love this child so much.... I will always have the pain, but I will continue to heal. I will always wonder if his prematurity will surface with a problem one day.... but I have him here with me. He made it. He beat every odd that was against him..... He decided to breathe again and make it to tomorrow. God blessed him, me, us.<br />
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Some people say "sorry". Don't be. I'm not. I am happy with the way our life ended up. I wouldn't want it any other way!<br />
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOST AMAZING LITTLE MAN, MY MIRACLE, AUSTIN ALLEN KIMMEY. I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK! xoxo<br />
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((there are so many many many more memories..... these, above, are them most vivid and most recently on my mind.... I will never forget so much, but as time is healing, I do have to sit back and really dig into my mind to remember))a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-89226681552885448902012-10-11T10:07:00.000-04:002012-10-11T10:07:33.538-04:00What my son, Austin, has taught me<div style="text-align: left;">
There are so many things that motherhood teaches you. My oldest son, Drew, was born in 2004. He is eight. He has taught me so much... but I too, just as any parent, had lost some of those lessons over the years. Like how folding laundry can wait a minute. Or like how if he forgot to brush his teeth this morning its not the end of the world. BUT Austin has brought back all the lessons learned and taught me even more..... his fragile beginning also gave me a new view on life and the world and on God. And for that, I will be forever thankful for the journey of the NICU and his early arrival. I am not saying that parents with healthy, full term babies don't receive these views or lessons..... but I am saying that its easier to forget these lessons, or not realize how special each and every moment is. I guess I mean that its harder for them to look through a microscope at how infinitely special parenthood is... and that of a preemie, a micro preemie, ever so more!</div>
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So this is what Austin has taught me (*oh my I am tearing up.... what a *almost a* year this has been)!</div>
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Austin has taught me patience. He has taught me that it is okay to fear, but to do so with unlimited HOPE. He has taught me that there is nothing better to rely on than on God and love- and the love of God. He has taught me that this moment, right now, this very second should be the most special in your life, along with the next second and the next and the next. He has taught me that focusing on something that you can not change is not worth your energy. He has taught me that "what ifs" are just that- what ifs... they are nothing because currently they do not exist, so only "worry" about them IF they present themselves. He has taught me that you can not change what is, you can only learn to live and adjust to it, but you can grow from it and some times that growth brings change. He has taught me that special needs isn't always what society believes it is, but that it is something that should be cherished, no matter what definition it holds. He has taught me that angels don't always have wings, aren't always "behind the scenes", but are, at times, right in front of your face, sometimes saving your child's life. He has taught me that tomorrow is not promised, but that when it comes to your health, its still wise to plan for tomorrow. He has taught me that sometimes the smallest of all things is quite the opposite, but the biggest, the strongest, the most relevant. He has taught me that statistics are not always in your favor, and the odds may be breathing down your neck against you- but that there is always the other side of the number- the ones who beat the odds, its possible, it happens, and it did. Austin has taught me that everyone has their own problems, their own lives and that's okay- let them live the way they want to live, and worry about your own. He has taught me that some people may never know what to say, how to react to some situations, so they stay away, and that's okay. He has taught me that "normal" is what you define it as..... not what society tells you it is. I have learned that silence is sometimes the loudest moment of your day. He has taught me that weak moments pass, so let it out and cry, just remember to pick your head up and look to the Lord for guidance, and you can get through anything. He has also taught me that 4 is a perfect number, and that my family is now complete!!!<br />
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I still hear "I do not know how you (did) do it. You're so strong", and I thank people for that... but I also say, I am a mother, this is my child. I will get through anything for them. I handled it the way I did for two reasons, my faith and the help of God, and for my family, my two boys and my husband. Those two reasons alone. It made it easier to know that they were going through it too. It made it easier to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and although the journey may have been long, there was always going to be an end..... we just had to get there and get there with Austin alive and healthy..... and we did!</div>
a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-55715412214007000672012-10-03T12:10:00.000-04:002012-10-03T12:10:57.864-04:00Austin is 11 months old today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I cannot believe it!!!! Austin will be turning one in just a month.... WOW - time flies by when you're having fun! I can honestly say time really does heal, and there are certain things I thought I would never forget- but I'll admit, I have to go back and "look things up". <br />
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Austin has been doing SO MUCH since our last update. He is still saying all his 'da da', 'la la', 'ga ga', squeals, screams and more- still not a consistent 'ma ma'. He has said it, but I think by accident! Oh he is such a JOY in our lives! He and Drew are just so in love with each other. No matter what Drew does, Austin is laughing his hardest watching his brother! I am having a hard time getting the latest videos to pull up on my computer, but I hope to share them soon. Austin is rolling all over the place! I cant keep him still.... not for a diaper change or even a bottle! He began to army crawl last week! He is just doing so well! He is eating finger foods and just banging things around, enjoying life. In fact, he had the BEST high risk appointment last Thursday and is off his meds! I still have him on reflux medicine, bc after a "trial period" of coming off the zantac, he just wasn't quite ready. His lungs sounded THE BEST YET and look GREAT on his xrays. So they're healing well!!!!<br />
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Austin did have a short hospital stay Aug 11-13. He contracted a bad cold and was having some increased work of breathing, so- luckily- I have the equipment still here at home and was able to hook him up to his pulse ox to get a reading of his O2 saturation's. They weren't the greatest and so we went to urgent care. They did a breathing treatment and sent us home with an inhaler... basically were treating him as though he was asthmatic, and reacting to his cold. However, in the wee early hours the following morning, the inhaler wasn't making a difference and his sats were dropping into the mid to upper 80's. Not where he should be. I hooked him back up to his oxygen and figured I'd call doctor in the morning. Well, even with a 1/4L flow, his sats were only as high as 92-93.... So i had the HIGH RISK neonatoligist paged and she suggested a trip to the ER. After close evaluation, they wanted to keep him until his "stuffiness" was cleared enough to be able to be managed at home and NOT need oxygen. Here is a picture of Austin executing his plan of escape from the hospital....<br />
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I was in the bathroom and I walked out to find him "eating" the bars!<br />
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Austin now has five teeth, with two more visible- just not quite through! He is growing so quickly! He now weighs 15 lbs 4 oz and is 25 1/4 inches. He still wears 3-6 month clothing but is closer to getting into 6 month clothes... each day I feel like its a new 3-6 month outfit not fitting him!!!<br />
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Today was Austins developmental evaluation. He was right where he needed to be (at his adjusted age) with most areas, and in a few, he was advanced!!!!! This is such a good feeling! We work A LOT on his developmental "exercises". He is doing great! <br />
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The dreaded RSV and FLU season is just around the corner..... BLAH! We have already begun our "lockdown" period- we will not have visitors IN our home, and we will not be taking Austin to enclosed areas either.... others homes. We still are enjoying the outdoors. I have recently taken him to the park and finally (after a thorough wipe down with clorox wipes)- he has had his first SWING experience! AND HE LOVED IT..... of course!<br />
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Last night was our very first FAMILY dinner outing! We do not want to take him to dine indoors - as these days it seems restaurants tables seem to be closer and closer together, and it becomes harder to keep out 5+ feet distance! SO- it was very nice outside and so we went to a mexican restaurant (IT WAS SO GOOD) and sat on the patio. Austin seemed to enjoy himself, and his older brother was so happy to finally get out TOGETHER! My oldest is playing flag football this fall. Austin and I were able to make it to his game on saturday- it was beautiful outside! So, yeah, we still get out and about before the "quarantine" of Nov- April hits.... but we're using much caution.... all because of his recent hospital stay.<br />
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Obviously so much has been going on in our lives and so many new things that Austin has been doing and Drew has been up to..... this post is really just a "run through" of what all I can think of. Austin still is projectile vomiting from time to time, but not nearly as much as when we were pushing for higher caloric intake. He is currently eating three solid meals a day and drinking about 27+ oz a day at 24 calories per ounce. Ideally, the doctors and nutritionist would like to have him at 28 cals/oz, but his tummy just cant handle the richness of the milk. <br />
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There are still so many milestones and "steps" to be met- but he's doing GREAT. There are still many "things" that only time will tell... but so far, other than his increased work of breathing when playing and his small self, Austin shows minimal effects of his prematurity and long NICU journey. God is good and I thank Him daily for all He blessed me with, and continues to Bless me with. Oh, I did learn a new bit of information during his recent hospital stay .... I did not know this.... when Austin was born it was a resuscitation - I knew this.... they worked LONG and HARD to get bring this baby back to life... I knew this.... What I did not know was that they had to give him TWO epinephrine shots to get his heart started...... TWO. So thankful he responded!!!!!!!<br />
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I know I have said this before.... but I do really intend on updating more. I really truly do! <br />
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Come back to look for the videos!!!! Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers..... you will never know how much it means to me..... xoxo<br />
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a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-83964179849254782152012-07-27T13:55:00.000-04:002012-07-27T13:56:21.206-04:00ALMOST 9 MONTHS OLDI can not believe that in one week Austin will be a 9 month old little baby.... *tears*<br />
He is doing so very well. The last day he was on his O2 was on July 4, 2012. He is doing excellent! His high risk appointment went very well last week. He is now 13 lbs 3 oz and 23 3/4 in. He is just getting so big! Austin now has two teeth and is teething like a mad man now, so I am hoping this next tooth (or teeth) come through soon, because this sweet baby boy of mine is just miserable. He is rolling over, grabbing at his feet, sitting up (with minimal support) and babbling away- using his consonants ~ "da da", "da dee", "ki ki", "la la". He is loving life! <br />
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The past few days he has been vomiting once or twice a day.... He is now strictly on formula as I was unable to supply him breast milk any longer. The thought behind the vomiting is that it is so rich and thick (as he is given extra calories, because he burns about triple the amount of calories of that of a baby with healthy lungs), so his nutritionist and HR team believe he is not agreeing with that change. We have come down a little on his calories and so far it seems to be working... we shall see!<br />
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I still find it hard to believe that he endured so much during his NICU stay, and he has minimal signs of that journey. Yes his lungs are crappy - but getting better everyday.... but he just looks so well! And he is developing on point and advanced! That is so exciting for me! He has a few little "bubble scars" from all of his IV's that as he grows and gets older will eventually be so minimal ... most people do not notice them- but as his mother I know every inch of him!!!! ;o)<br />
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Austin and his brother, Drew, are buddies! It is so neat to watch the two of them together. Drew is almost 8, so its quite an age gap, but you wouldn't know! He always is giving Austin attention and coming around to rub his head and give him a kiss. Austins face lights up when he hears his brother and he searches the room until he finds him... and when he does he kicks his feet and throws his arms around in excitement! Its WONDERFUL!!!<br />
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Austin made it through a couple of colds already. He handled them well. He did not need his oxygen increased, and never had any desats. The most current cold was terrifying for me. He seemed to have such shallow breaths and grunting while exhaling. We did a breathing treatment at the doctors that didn't make much difference and after chest xrays came back clear, we just had to wait it out. He got through it without needing any "intervention", but none of us slept that week. <br />
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His lungs are growing and becoming stronger and stronger each day. I can tell a difference almost daily. His normal base line of breathing while playing and being very active is still pretty "heavy" breathing, but that is just his norm. Bless his little heart. God is watching over us and we can feel His presence always!!!<br />
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Austin has met many friends and family this summer. We are still very cautious and do not let the younger kids all over him. We still do not allow kids running in and out of the house. He still needs to avoid the humidity and poor air quality - so most of our summer has been spent in doors in the AC!!! Come November, RSV and FLU season returns and we will resume the "lock down" way of life again.....<br />
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Here is a little peek of life with Austin lately!!!! I hope you enjoy. I would like to get back to update on here more often.... I hope I can make it happen! God Bless.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sweet baby boy! <br />
7 months old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG50oQJVXVxuqe4C1MPDBUUejkdN8mFQEN8udYLdWoHZD2jtBCtGwhF5cdwu33aAz4tmWQCs3WD9GHof4a7-n7vwbh6uHZNZoTp2mf4cOKl2W9IbV9J2uNOIfoKC_Mfa1f_S4bX8qEihE/s1600/103_0476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG50oQJVXVxuqe4C1MPDBUUejkdN8mFQEN8udYLdWoHZD2jtBCtGwhF5cdwu33aAz4tmWQCs3WD9GHof4a7-n7vwbh6uHZNZoTp2mf4cOKl2W9IbV9J2uNOIfoKC_Mfa1f_S4bX8qEihE/s320/103_0476.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mommy and Austin<br />
8 months old</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Heidi meets Austin<br />
8 months old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZoG24_zV4ciyyydVdaVRLgX4J80jjWOypy5WcB9a13bBJj2IZmfaRyBILGQRpP7KEsjDFMgTsMvN_BlXUPy_xlmEzTO6INgMSK-XJA2qhN9BqfWIOJDyGgl5eZFg4SrQGwIg4mCYgqI/s1600/103_0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZoG24_zV4ciyyydVdaVRLgX4J80jjWOypy5WcB9a13bBJj2IZmfaRyBILGQRpP7KEsjDFMgTsMvN_BlXUPy_xlmEzTO6INgMSK-XJA2qhN9BqfWIOJDyGgl5eZFg4SrQGwIg4mCYgqI/s320/103_0379.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drew "teaching" Austin how to play DS</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austins first food - chicken!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnk551p-XYbkHUGji_drGqmVrouja2y_h81IN0E23Q3zh6980FPZbU7M9VNpCVStahNgCbioeuh0x0qNrx9dpCNIzjmNSdiTY9pOepa3osO2kI20jlAjlNePl7FcZ_tEu31ZoojfJTC4/s1600/103_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnk551p-XYbkHUGji_drGqmVrouja2y_h81IN0E23Q3zh6980FPZbU7M9VNpCVStahNgCbioeuh0x0qNrx9dpCNIzjmNSdiTY9pOepa3osO2kI20jlAjlNePl7FcZ_tEu31ZoojfJTC4/s320/103_0513.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun times!<br />
(notice he is standing on a box - so short- haha)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-68163928180956619862012-05-18T16:56:00.001-04:002012-05-18T16:56:17.040-04:006 months old and so many FIRSTS!!!Austin has been doing wonderful! I have finally let go of the stress focused on him eating, and am able to just enjoy Austin! Life is good!!!<br />
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Austin turned 6 months old on the third. We did a little photo shoot... just the two of us. It was fun! I can't wait until he can sit on his own, bc I have so many fun ideas for pictures!!!! I will post a few at the end of this post.... so continue reading!<br />
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Austin and I went on our first walk ever, out doors last Friday, the 11th. It was so beautiful outside. Low humidity and good air quality... I called the doctors and was given the "go ahead" for a walk. Something we both needed and really enjoyed!!! We have only taken one other walk, the humidity levels have been too high for his little lungs. That's okay... we are working on a lot these days anyway!<br />
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Austin had his developmental evaluation on Monday. He did FANTASTIC!!! He is right where he needs to be and even "advanced" in a few areas. He then rolled over from belly to back on Tuesday, and Thursday he rolled from his back to belly! I cant believe it.... he is only considered a 3 month old... per development. SO HE IS SO AHEAD!!!! YAY AUSTIN!!!!!! He slept a lot this week.... Signs he's growing and hitting milestones! Today he chuckled out loud. I was tickling him and playing with him and he chuckled!!!! He is so fun! I am so proud of this little man! He is wonderful! Although he never had brain bleeds, he did have MANY episodes and was deprived of oxygen during those moments.... thus leaving me a little bit concerned.... but his activity level and the milestones he's already reached... i don't feel as worried any longer!!! It feels so good to be so stress free! Its been a long time! <br />
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My older son has really been enjoying his little brother! It is so fun to watch! Austin and Drew will be life long buddies!<br />
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Austin has met my dad too. That was exciting for me! and for my Dad! <br />
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I am just bouncing around, I know it.... but I am trying to get everything that's happened out there...<br />
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Austin is also sleeping in his crib - no longer the bassinet.... and he is sleeping through the night. I lay him in bed by 10 every night and he falls asleep with out fussing within 15 minutes. He is wonderful! He has been sleeping until about 6:30. Its great! I do feed him around 11:30 at night... a little night cap! :o)<br />
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Well we continue to pray for Austin and for each others strength and understanding through out this journey. He is still on oxygen, but breathing better. I notice that his retractions seem to be much better. I take him off the O2 for one hour a day... in which he has never failed! The Sats have not dropped below 95. Another good sign he is doing well. I do not anticipate him coming off oxygen (so many ask me WHEN)... but perhaps we'll start weening some of his day time use of the oxygen. We go to HR next week. <br />
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Austin has been steadily gaining weight. He is slowly gaining, but his pediatrician is happy with his progress. He currently weighs 12 lbs. He is int he 25 percentile for 3 month old babies *he is followed by his adjusted age- which is based off of his due date*. I am happy with that! My husband, my older son and i are all small... Austin is too!!!! <br />
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I hope to be able to sit down to update more often then I have been.... I think letting go of so much stress and now having a routine will help a lot!!! Thanks for keeping up with Austin!!!!<br />
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Isn't he so sweet!!!!a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-26559307145066858182012-04-30T14:33:00.001-04:002012-04-30T14:33:21.977-04:00March for Babies, 4/29/2012What a wonderful event to be a part of! I had a great team of 17, walking in honor of my sweet little Austin! We raised $3009!!!!!!! Woo Hoo! Not bad for our first walk! I can not wait until next years walk!!!! We are team Twenty-six (+2)..... Austins gestational age at birth! It was a great time! It was very heart warming to see so many thousands of people walking for such a wonderful, (and close to my heart), cause! There were many shirts with birth and death dates, angel wings.. young kids in wheelchairs or with feeding tubes.... It really shook me to my core... I have been so very blessed!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mommy and Big Brother</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twenty-six (+2).... I walk for Austin<br />
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Thousands getting ready to WALK for BABIES<br />
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My days with Austin home are becoming much easier everyday. He still doesn't eat very well, but it seems to be getting a little bit better. He slept great last night.... which in turn means I slept great last night! I did an oxygen test today - which means, I took him off of his oxygen support for one hour to see how he does. The doctors do not want his sats to drop below 85. Well, good news. He did GREAT. His sats did not go below 95. This does not mean he will be coming off oxygen soon. Its just something to check to see how he is doing. He did not start to act uncomfortable or seem to be working harder, so that is all very good. I do believe he still works hard to breath while eating, crying, and after baths. He actually holds very good sats while sleeping and on his back, which according to the doctor is when babies seem to need a little more support. I cant wait for all the tuning and wires to be gone, but I do not want him rushed, or pushed to get off of them too soon. </div>
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Austin is over his cold and he did very well with it. I am so glad he handled it well!!! My older son seems to be getting over his cough, he still has the sniffles... but what 1st grader doesn't!!! </div>
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I finally caved and asked for help..... Everyone offers, "if you need anything"..... SO I ASKED..... I asked for help with pulling weeds in my flower beds, since I cannot go outside with Austin.... LOL Thank you to my fabulous sister, I no longer have dandelions growing all over the front of my house!!!!!!</div>
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I again thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I am feeling much better since my last post. I do still find it hard to see some of the exciting on goings around me, but what do you expect... I am stuck inside 24/7 - although I wouldn't trade having Austin here for anything in the world!!!!!</div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-4167703167824382112012-04-20T14:35:00.001-04:002012-04-20T14:35:23.208-04:00High Risk Appt.....Austin had his first high risk appointment yesterday. The doctor said he looks pretty good. We were, overall, pleased with the visit... even though we were there for just under 4 hours. YEP 4 hours!!!! They did assure us that not all visits are that long. I was impressed with Austin during this time. He was awake and alert and did not fuss-- until, of course, they had to draw blood for some labs. <br />
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Austin is doing well with his development in most areas. As far as the doctor and OT see things, he is on point and doing great in that area. He still is not doing great with feeds. We have now begun Zantac and beneprotein. He did gain weight, but not as much as they would have liked to see, and are <span style="background-color: yellow;">wondering</span> if his reflux is playing a part in him not taking good, full feeds. Although he gets volume on the day, he is fighting a lot when eating, thus burning the calories. Hoping some of the tips given to me help to straighten this out The beneprotein is to give him a boost on growth - weight and length.<br />
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Although Austins airways sound great, he is still working pretty hard to breath, thus anticipating oxygen for a while longer. I didn't expect them to say anything different on that end. I know he's not ready to begin to ween. He just works so hard to breath during feeds, after baths, if he's just cried... quite sad.<br />
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Over all, I am very happy with where Austin is. He is communicating with us so much. He is so full of personality. Always smiling and babbling with us! He has begun to try to control his movements, and this is so fun! I call it the herky jerky's. LOL<br />
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I have had a rough few days emotionally. I don't really know why. I just feel so sad for him sometimes. I just wish it were easier for him. I mean, the feedings are not enjoyable 75% of the time. And add in a hard time breathing.... It just breaks my heart so. I am also having a lot of "not fair" feelings lately. I am just surrounded by so many others with babies born around the same time Austin was or was due. Its hard to see it so easy for them, sometimes. And its hard not to compare.... "So so is doing this....." .... Although Austin is almost 6 months old, he's developmentally only 2 1/2 months old, and sometimes it is hard to remember this. I know I cannot compare him to a full term baby, but when its in my face all the time, I cant help it. <br />
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I also get tired of hearing, "oh its probably just like having a newborn home". No. No its not. Its much more worrisome and stressful. I have to administer meds, measure every feed, track each and everything he does. I do not ever have a moment of ease from this situation. I worry more so than a new mom. I worry about each cough... is it his normal pulmonary cough, or is it a cold. I have to check his respiratory rate throughout the day to be sure he isn't in respiratory distress. I can not feed him when he is started to cry, i have to get to him before hand because other wise he will choke, bc he is breathing too quick to swallow. I have to hold him and the bottle at certain angles when feeding him, bc his prematurity has caused a "hit" to his suck, swallow, breath development. IT IS NOTHING LIKE HAVING A NEWBORN HOME. <br />
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I sometimes just cant smile when I see a full term baby doing all these great things. It honestly makes me mad. I know that this is completely and totally not right. I know I should be happy for them. I know this. But I don't feel it. <br />
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I am so elated to have Austin home, and we have so much fun! I am so excited with the new things he seems to be doing each day. I hope we get this feeding thing figured out! We will!!!!<br />
<br />a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-23209035343986628112012-04-09T09:46:00.001-04:002012-04-09T09:46:41.458-04:00Happy Easter...from Austin the Bunny!I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter... the day Jesus rose from the dead.... just as He said he would! Hallelujah!<br />
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We were confined to the indoors... with Austin having his CLD and such premature age, we will not be taking him out of the house other than for appointments... so whats this mean? Mommy plays dress up with Austin!!!!! We came across some adorable bunny ears in my older son's room and I found a onesie before Austin came home for his 1st Easter!<br />
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HA HA!!! I love it!!!!! <br />
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We have all really adjusted to the "new" way of things. The big adjustment is just around the corner.... Drew's baseball games begin.... My husband and I will have to take turns going to the games, as we can not take Austin out. The doctors suggest that since our older son Drew has allergies, its more likely that Austin will, so that its best to stay in doors. Bummer! ~~ Then again, anything that will help his journey be easier is such a small sacrifice! <br />
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Drew is so adorable with his baby brother. He loves to help out, well most of the time. He talks to him constantly... he randomly stops what he's doing to just walk over and give him a kiss... finger puppet shows. Its so awesome.<br />
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Today Austin gets his synagis shot for April. I will admit, I am a little bit nervous, as history shows, Austin does not like shots, and seems to have episodes... Ey, ey,ey. Thoughts and prayers for us today.... :o/<br />
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My sister Holly came to visit and help out the last weekend of March. My husband went to the Final Four games and we were delighted that she was able to come and visit. This was her first time meeting Austin! She loves him so! I will post pics in the future... I haven't had a chance to download the pictures. Austin had his eye exam last week. It is still the same. Vessels are mature and fine in his right eye, most have fully matured in left eye, but there is still a small notch on the exterior... if this does not progress, it may affect his peripheral vision. The docs are keeping an eye on it! <br />
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I hope that everyone is doing well!!!! Thanks, as always, for your continued prayers and support! xoxoa.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-79596132672741663452012-03-28T12:53:00.000-04:002012-03-28T12:53:07.557-04:00HOMECOMING 3/22/12AUSTIN MADE IT HOME!!!!!!<br />
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I haven't had the time to get on here... Austin made it home on Thursday!! What a journey! So a recap of the past few days... I finally finished everything around the house! Spring cleaning at its finest! Austin's room turned out EXACTLY as I in visioned it! (I will post pictures soon). Wednesday evening, Scotty and I did our CPR class and our "sleep in" with Austin. The two of them slept great, I, on the other hand- not so much. We did well with Austin in room. Thursday morning, we sat in on rounds, where they let us know that we do not have to stick to a strict feeding schedule. He is an older baby now, and we should let him eat when he is hungry, at any length of time. (We had been not letting him go longer than 4 hours-even at night) Austins length and circumference are proportionate with one another, his weight is much higher than his length average. With that being said, if he goes through a little bit of an adjustment period and doesn't eat really well when first home, not to worry, as long as he is still having a good urine out put. I am glad they told me that!!! Austin has not been eating well, until this evening. He was only taking about 1/2-1 oz each feeding. He had terrible gas cramps. I finally worked him through the gas and he began to eat better!!!<br />
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When we brought home Austin, Thursday, we had a lot of oxygen "training". It was a long morning learning the travel tank at the hospital and then about 1 hour after we made it home, it was about three hours of more info on the back up tank, the main system, the fill up system and all the "bells and whistles" (tubing, etc). On Friday the home health care nurse came over and did an evaluation on Austin. She said she only anticipates the one visit, since we really have a grasp on his health issues. They will come out one other time for his synagis shot (RSV) in April, and then that should be it, unless we request a visit. I have a binder full of information about his oxygen therapy... I am also keeping a binder myself, all of important information from discharge, and I will continue to put in the continued information on his medical history. I am keeping a log of his medicines (dose and times) so that I do not forget anything. I am keeping a log, for now, of his feeds and diapers. I am trying to sleep well. My husband has been great about having me go lay down. Luckily, Austin is older so he sleeps a good 5 + hours stretch... and yes its at night!!! (usually just after 1:00am - 6:00am or so).<br />
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I was pretty stressed today about him not taking in much volume of his milk. (He is on my breast milk with fortified powder) I called the doctor from the NICU who reassured me that as long as he is not "acting like a sick baby" and still putting out urine, to hang in there. Scotty reminded me to go with my instincts as a mother, and forget being the Nurse Mom. He is strong and doing well, otherwise he would not be home. He is right. Once I was able to take a step back, I realized I was trying to make him eat every 3-4hours and when he was fussy just immediately thought, he needs to eat. I went ahead and rubbed his belly and did the "bicycle" with his legs and helped him release the gas. He then ate excellent, and in turn, made me feel better!!! <br />
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All and all, we are doing very well!<br />
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DREW MEETS AUSTIN!!!! Oh my gosh! I never knew the happiness, joy and heart warming feeling that that moment could bring! It was amazing! Drew arrived home from school with the biggest, warmest smile EVER! He was so enchanted with the moment! Drew walked in and looked and smiled and said "I am going to change my clothes and wash my hands, then can I hold him?" ABSOLUTELY!!!! It was then that I realized, not only had this moment been one I have so longed for.... but Drew was longing for this moment too. He, too, was more than elated to meet his brother!!! <br />
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Drew held him and said over and over again... "his eyes are so blue... like mine". Drew asked if we had shown him around the house, which we had not because we were waiting for Drew to get home (and dealing with the oxygen RT setting up and explaining everything to us). Drew asked that I carry Austin and he will tell him each room. It was very sweet. As we were walking back into the family room, I said to Scotty, "lets put him down so we can get this stuff all organized" and Drew immediately said, "how about I can hold Austin, we can put on cartoons. I will watch a baby one, like Elmo or something with him". ((Awe, my heart melts again as I am writing this!!)) <br />
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We have sat down and explained the equipment with Drew and have practiced calling 911 with our pedimed number, etc. He lays next to Austin and interacts with him often. He does have his periods of time when he's "had enough" and just wants to do his own thing, too. He's 7!! Last night Drew did give Austin a finger puppet show! Too cute! We all sat in Austin's room last night with the lights off and the Twilight Turtle on (sprays lights of stars and the moon on the ceiling and walls) and we sang twinkle twinkle little star! I can honestly say I never imagined in a million years that my heart could be filled with love to this magnitude. I really really have so much love in my heart. Pure joy and happiness. <br />
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PICTURE TIME!!!!!!!!!! (i am posting a lot... i am a very proud momma!!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin is READY to leave the NICU!<br />
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ANGEL<br />
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Happy Baby<br />
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Too Cool!!!<br />
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Nakey boy!<br />
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Oh, gosh he is soooo cute!<br />
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Peace!<br />
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Drew meets his baby brother!<br />
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Brothers, just hanging out!<br />
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Finger Puppet Show<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">zonked from tummy time<br />
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YAWN!!!!<br />
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Thank you to all of you for your love and support!! This is the best life I could have ever imagined! Although for Austins sake, and his sake alone, I wish he could have had more time in utero and I wish he didn't have some of the problems he has, and I wish some of the scary moments didn't have to happen.... I am so very happy with where we all are in our lives as a wonderful family of four! I wouldn't change my today for anything!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" -Romans 15:13</span></strong><br />
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a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-39024245225957936012012-03-18T22:08:00.001-04:002012-03-18T22:08:50.405-04:00An end to our NICU stay is upon the horizonIts been longer than I like since my last post, but I have been busy! I am trying to get Austin's room finished, along with making sure everything is in "order" with every other part of my life. I have been doing this while trying to deal with very high anxiety. Not an easy thing!!!! :O)<br />
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Austin is doing super well!!! The doctor had said to me on Thursday, "...would be a good time to sit down with the discharge nurse and began discharge preparations...". Since that day Austin has really begun to "take off". He is now at a 1L flow at 100% FIO2's to get him weened to home settings. He is feeding well. Yesterday Austin pulled out his NG tube and the doctor suggested giving him a trial (16 hours) of PO Demand feeds. Meaning, he eats as much as he wants at what ever times he wants, as long as no longer than 4 hours between. He did very well. I am still waiting to hear from the doctor as to if they will keep his feeding tube out and let him continue on the demand feeds. I am a little questionable as to exactly how they determine what a good amount is. I am sure they set a bottom line of ml's of milk a day... I know he must continue to gain weight. I anticipate they will allow him to continue this route for at least a full 24 hours to determine if he gets a good amount over the 24 hours.<br />
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SOOOO..... I had to stop this post and go to get groceries....and a lot of news since then..... Instead of erasing and starting over, I am just going to go from here......<br />
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The doctor called to give the update after rounds... some changes!!!! Austin's flow was adjusted to 3/4L and he is doing great.... he is doing well with his on demand feeds too! Doctor said "we'd like to see him go home this weds or Thurs"....... Oh My Gosh!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, I have so much to do and was counting on at least a week.... lol....... but we are ready to get him home!!!! A thorough cleaning and setup of his room.... we will get it all done! CPR class on weds, so most likely Thursday or Friday. Holy Cow! I never thought this day would come.... I mean of course I knew he'd come home soon.... but it happened so fast. <br />
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I am so elated. I cannot even express how happy I am. We have come so incredible far. Austin has made such amazing progress. What a fighter he is! I am so thankful to all of you for your constant thoughts and prayers!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!<br />
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I am so thankful to have an amazing GOD! He is so amazing!!!!!!<br />
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I am so thankful for my family and friends. My long conversations with my mom, dad, sisters and brothers... many filled with hyperventilating and tears... talks of nothing but medical terms.... each time they listened and never didn't answer, or acted as though they didn't have time.... THANK YOU!<br />
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I am so thankful for my husband and older son. Patience and understanding from the two of them, amazing. The opened doors of communication between my husband and I. We grew a new kind of closeness during this hard time. My older son has been amazing.... a 7 year old. His life was changed in many ways too. He did so well....ever since the day I was on bed rest. He is an awesome kid!!!<br />
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I cannot believe Austin's homecoming is right here..... its just a few days away!!!! I will post so many pictures!!!!<br />
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I must log off and get into his room and finish a few things!!!! YAY!!!!!<br />
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THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!!!!!a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-37733244955483528622012-03-08T11:18:00.000-05:002012-03-08T11:18:11.203-05:00Breathing treatmentAustin is still doing well!!! This is very exciting to me, of course it always is... but this week has been a "busy" week for Austin. History shows he does not handle his immunizations very well, so I asked to have them spaced out through out the week... He received a shot on Sunday, Monday, an eye exam (which looks good) on Tuesday and then yesterday did a breathing treatment of albuterol (I'll get back to this) and another (negative) RSV wash, today he will get his last immunization (for the month) and then Friday he gets another synagis for RSV and a repeat echocardiogram. WOW!!! That's a lot. So far so good!!! <br />
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Yesterday Austin was sounding quite wheezy on his exhales, (he has had it intermittently for the past few weeks), and so the attending felt it may benefit him and help to open his airways a bit if we do an Albuterol breathing treatment. He wasn't too crazy about having the mist blowing into his face, but he did okay. She said he sounded much more clear and he wasn't wheezing , so that's good. Before she orders it as once daily, she is ordering a repeat echocardiogram to assure that it is not cardiac related. Apparently some wheezing can be caused by shunting of the blood by the heart... this would be new, he has not had heart problems, so prayers please. If this is happening we will not continue the breathing treatments, as albuterol speeds the heart rate a little.<br />
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Austin is eating three bottles of breast milk a day and doing well. He did not take to the breast very well. He was latching fine, but once he lost his latch it was over. I gave it try for five days and it was the same reactions from him. Stressed out and refusing the breast. I decided to continue pumping this next year to give him my breast milk and to build a larger supply in my freezer. He does not take to change well and really does well with the bottle, and I think that was his "problem". He likes the bottle nipple better. I was a little bummed because I was looking forward to this mother son time, however, the important part of this equation is the breast milk itself, and I can still ensure that he gets it!! <br />
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Austin is now 9 lbs 15.5oz. He did hit the ten pound mark on Monday, but he lost a little bit as they weight adjusted the diurel. He is getting longer too! 20 inches! You can really tell he is growing length just by sight. This experience has been crazy. Very neat in many ways. Austin is so awake and alert these days. The doctors love when they go bedside for daily rounds. They say even if he's sleeping, as they approach he wakes up and sits through the rounds everyday to hear his daily updates. Quietly observing and taking it all in... perhaps he'll grow up to be a doctor!! He is very nosey. Everytime he hears a new voice in the room he is looking to see who it is, with his brow curled as to be thinking "that's a new one". As someone walks by he is following them. He is so attentive to me as I talk to him. He is starting to push his tongue out and open and close his mouth as I talk to him, as to mimic me. This is all so very encouraging to me. Helps me to stay hopeful that all though he has had several episodes where he was deprived good oxygen, he may have been unaffected. I pray and hope for that!!!!<br />
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Many days I wake up and still cannot believe how strong of a little guy Austin is... I mean, I am not surprised, as I have seen him over come so much... but to see that a small little (less than 2 pounds) baby can overcome and get through more than I think an average adult can.... Just amazing. God's work. I cant express enough that without FAITH, I would not have made it through this journey. I would not have been able to. There were too many times I was knocked back... TOO MANY... but God lifted me and kept me strong. He has walked with me, with Austin, with my husband and other son, HAND in HAND. It warms my heart each time I think about this.... that warmth reminds me that HE wouldn't have it any other way. <br />
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I am very hopeful that Austin will be coming home in the next 2-3 weeks. He is just so comfortable, seems so "organized" and well. He is well! Feels so good. Another encouraging "event"... yesterday as I was talking to our FAVORITE fellow, Austin's nasal cannula came untaped (he ripped it off) and the cannula was close to his nose, but not in his nose... he kept sats in the 90's. Dr. said he was so encouraged by that, because it shows the "flow" doesn't seem to be a factor. I wouldn't be surprised if the go down on his flow today. YAY!!!<br />
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I am feeling good about where Austin is currently, as for progress. He is doing so well. He has had a couple brady's the past week, but we are all pretty confident it has to do with reflux. Other than that, he is good. GREAT! <br />
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I will always keep you all posted and updated on things... and I cannot wait to announce that we hit our "5 day count down"..... hopeful he's home by Easter!!!<br />
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Thank you for all of your support and prayers for Austin. He is amazing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally Spoiled</td></tr>
</tbody></table>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-68461364995047570082012-03-03T13:52:00.000-05:002012-03-03T13:52:50.438-05:00AUSTIN IS 4 MONTHS OLD!!!!!! (bottles, RSV yikes)<br />
Austin is doing well. He started bottle feeds on Monday. He finished the entire bottle on his first feed ever!!! He has finished EVERY bottle, but one (choked and brady'd so we didn't continue). I am so excited to see him do so well with the bottle. This is a HUGE step towards coming home. We will start to really concentrate on his feeds and getting his O2 flow down. He will be coming home on oxygen, that's pretty much a "given" so we just need to comfortably get him to adjust to a lighter flow. I can not believe how long we have been in the NICU. Its insane to me! Austin is 4 months old today! He is such a doll! I love him so. He is really alert and interactive these days! It is so fun! Austin's current weigh in is 9 lbs 10 oz. Chub-a--wub!!!<br />
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Austin did have a couple episodes two nights ago. He had yanked out his NG tube (feeding tube in his nose). When his nurse replaced it, he clamped down and brady'd to 78 and sats dropped into the 40's. He did have to be bagged, but did recover well. They call these type of episodes "caused" or mechanical, meaning it was his body reacting to something they were doing, something unnatural for his body. However, while he was sleeping, a few hours later, he had another episode, same stats and was again bagged. The second one raises a few questions because it is very uncommon for Austin. A few babies started to have a's and b's and began to act a little off. The doctors decided to pull an RSV wash on all babies. BINGO. Thank God, Austin pulled negative twice.... but there were several babies that tested positive. To a baby with lung issues, RSV could be fatal, and will always be major steps backward. WE DO NOT WANT AUSTIN GETTING RSV!!! THIS IS WHY ITS IMPORTANT HE STAY SECLUDED FROM THE WORLD FOR A WHILE! I was a nervous wreck. He has come so far and is finally making some huge, major progress. We do not want to go backwards!!! There are so many babies with RSV that they have now opened one pod to just RSV babies. The unit has cut off all visitors other than parents and make sure that hand washing is being done properly (kind of sad you have to remind an adult to wash their hands before entering an unit full of sick babies). God has once again blessed us and Austin is back on track again today, sucking down his bottles in no time at all! <br />
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I am also participating in MARCH for BABIES, (March of Dimes). I am fundraising for research to help prevent preterm labor. If anyone is interested in participating and/or donating, (any amount helps), here is my website: <a href="http://www.marchforbabies.org/akimmey">www.marchforbabies.org/akimmey</a> I hope to raise $500 myself, $2800.00 as a team. I think that I have found a new passion. I really feel that there is a major lack of premature birth awareness. I also feel that most people have an unclear view as to why premature births happen. I feel most people think its caused, whether it be lack of prenatal care or drug abuse, etc. That is not the cause, most of the time. I hope you all will support me in spreading the word. <br />
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Another fabulous story.... The Cincinnati Reds, major league baseball team, sent us an amazing package. The story behind this.... Last season my husband ordered a multi-game deal. Sales called this year to offer the package, he just let her know he wasn't interested, she started into her sales pitch, he simply stated "its not that we don't want to, we simply cannot this year. We have a premature son in the NICU and we do not know when he'll be home". She thanked him and that was that. Twenty minutes later she called back and asked if there were anything they could do for us. She asked if she could send our older son something, anything. He told her that would be fine and sent her our address. We both had forgotten about it. Last week the Reds organization sent a box FULL of stuff for all of us. Here is a picture.<br />
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Austin has also been featured by a basketball organization here in Cincinnati, too. <a href="http://www.sherwinstars.com/">www.sherwinstars.com</a> I wrote a short version of Austin's battle and included a few pictures. Prayers from every where... its so cool!!! He is so inspiring to so many people. It warms my heart. I have also been in contact with our local Parents magazine about raising premature birth awareness, feeling with March for Babies right around the corner this to be a perfect time of year. I have been contacted and we will be doing a story on Austin and the March for Babies. I am so excited!!!</div>
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NOW TIME FOR PICTURES!!!!!!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Drew reading a book to Austin via FaceTime.... its so sweet!!!! He says his bed time prayers to him too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First bottle feed!!<br />
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Big boy bib!!<br />
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Again, thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!!!!! GOD is GOOD!!</td></tr>
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</div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-1557849662024714422012-02-26T22:52:00.000-05:002012-02-26T22:52:30.283-05:00March for Babies (March of Dimes)I have created a TEAM for Austin to walk in the March for Babies to help to raise money for research to help prevent premature birth. I am asking for a small donation from all who are supporting my fight! I know personally the emotional battle of watching your sweet little baby struggle just to keep on going. It is not easy, and if I can help to prevent one family from having to go through this, I have moved mountains! I am investing whole heartedly into helping to raise awareness! <br />
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If you're interested in donating, please visit my teams page..... any amount helps!<br />
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<a href="http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1800140">http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1800140</a><br />
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When I say I have invested whole heartedly, I mean it. I will get more awareness out there!!!! I am one of the pregnancies that had problems, and when asked, "why" the answer has always been "by chance". If there was something out there that could have pormised Austin more time in utero.... if. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity. Many thanks from my enitre family!!!!a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-72959891064173988282012-02-23T19:22:00.001-05:002012-02-23T19:22:59.925-05:0016 weeks old.... 9 poundsAustin is doing so well. I loved hanging out with him today. He is so content. He loves to just hang out and watch his mobile or watch what every one else is running around doing. He's a little nosey! :O)<br />
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He is 16 weeks old today. That is so crazy to me! 16 weeks. WOW. His weigh in is 9 pounds! ha ha! He is so big he has out grown the NICU's largest blood pressure cuff. They needed to get one from Children's Hospital. He is so chubby!!!! I love his chubby rolls! <br />
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Austin has sure done a number on his face.... he is constantly trying to "rip" everything off of his face. He has had enough, however he requires those tubes to be taped to his cheeks for food and for oxygen... if only he understood that. I clipped his nails today, but still had to put on mittens to keep him from scratching his poor cheeks. Chunks of skin, just digging underneath and pulling..... :o(<br />
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My little, chunky love is doing so well. I feel like his time has come!!! He is very comfortable at 3L flow and they will try to move him to 2L either tomorrow if he has a great night, or early Saturday morning. As long as he takes well to the change, we will introduce him to the breast this weekend!!!! That is HUGE!!! I am so excited, yet nervous as well. We start with a "dry" breast (pump first) and let him just get used to it and learn to latch. I hope he does well!!!! These are such HUGE milestones we are coming up on. I have been waiting for this moment!!!!<br />
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Last night, my older son, Drew, and I face timed with my husband and Austin. This is the first time Drew was really able to see and talk to Austin awake. He read him a book. It was cute. He would read a page and then lift up the book to show Austin the pictures. He also said Austin's bed time prayers with him before the chat ended. After wards he commented that he "thinks Austin liked the book!" AND I AGREE!! He was very interested in this "new" voice! It was a very special moment!!!!!!<br />
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I still cannot believe he is 9 pounds. So funny....<br />
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Many "thanks" to all of you for your continued thoughts and prayers!!!<br />
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xoa.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-45882309119328625672012-02-21T15:20:00.001-05:002012-02-21T15:20:44.866-05:00EchocardiogramAustins echocardiogram was yesterday, 2/20/12. I sat in on the echo, and he was a little bit irritated. We were able to get him calmed down for about 5-10 minutes before he'd squirm and become irritated again, and then another 5-10 minutes. This is not an invasive procedure. It is simply an ultrasound of the heart. The echo, this time around, was only about 30 minutes long. <br />
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I received the results while at my older sons basketball practice. His last echocardiogram showed his pulmonary hypertension at 36% and this time around it had risen to 60%. The resident I was talking to didn't have very much information for me about this. I was extremely nervous, upset and really, confused. I wasn't getting my questions answered enough to feel good, or bad for that matter. Feeling unsure is just as much of a panicked feeling as any. I sent my husband down to the hospital with loads of questions and stayed through my sons practice, trying to keep face. <br />
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I knew that last time the doctors had told me they were impressed that Austin was only at 36%, with his CLD (chronic lung disease) and that it was not a number in which they would want to intervene. He said that they have babies in the 60's 70's and 80's and those are numbers in which they would intervene. So my immediate thought was OH NO. His number was 60% now. (All in all what this means is that when you have pulmonary hypertension -high blood pressure of the vessels surrounding the lungs- that your right side of your heart is working harder the the left, as the right side is in control of your lungs, and may become enlarged) I was so upset. Does this mean his heart is enlarged?? Does this mean we have to STOP the weening process to get him off of the oxygen? Does this mean my child is in immediate danger of respiratory or heart failure? Does this mean his chance of survival has changed???PLEASE TELL ME... what does this mean? My only answer was that it would be discussed in the morning rounds. GREAT, now I have to go all night without knowing.<br />
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My husband called me as soon as he talked with a doctor. He was able to get some "on the surface" answers, but I needed to dig deeper. She told him last night that its not the direction they want to see the numbers go, but that its not emergent that they react. She said the attending would evaluate Austin and decide a route from there. The medicine that they would administer is <strong>Sildenafil (Viagra). </strong>It relaxes the blood vessels. The side effects are eye and vision problems, and some swelling. I do feel better once I talked to my husband, but I need to get to rounds in the morning.<br />
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Fast forward past the negative thoughts, flood of tears and discouraged feelings, and restless night.... I get to rounds as Dr. A is explaining to my husband that the numbers are just numbers. He said he would NEVER hang his hat up on numbers alone. THE BABY MUST BE SYMPTOMATIC TO REACT. Bottom line. After consulting with a neonatal cardiologist to make sure he is correct, he explained that the percent of pulmonary hypertension isn't always so cut and dry. There can be many factors in the number. For instance, his HR was higher this time around bc the last one he was zonked out asleep, and this time around he was irritated. He is older and more alert now, ETC. He said that Austin's pulmonary hypertension's cause is because he has CLD. This isn't a situation where they do not know the cause. AND, since CLD causes pulmonary hypertension, they treat the CLD. With time, growth and lung maturation, the CLD will improve and so will the PH. He just needs time. Other than the PH, he has a great heart. All valves are closed and there is no shunting.... his heart is not enlarged and its doing just fine. He said we would not administer a medicine we know for sure has this and that side effects, but we do not know for sure, confidently that it helps with PH alone. So, unless he becomes symptomatic, and shows us he needs something to "change", we're not going to fix something that isn't broken. In the next few years when his CLD is getting better, so will the PH. And if not, we can explore treatment options then. Unless he shows us something just isn't right, we will continue on the path we are on. He is weaned to 3L today, and as of lunch time, is handling it well.<br />
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I felt 100% better after rounds today. I feel so confident in his doctors! I am happy with that. When they say he needs time, they mean years. Austin will get there! I have seen him make strides of progress since the day he was born! He is a miracle and I have to remember ALWAYS, GOD IS GOOD. He is a rewarding GOD. He is a loving GOD. He is AMAZING!!! He will always take care of Austin, and He will allow Austin to heal in the time he needs to do so. I just need to sit back and be patient and continue to turn to my FAITH when I am feeling so bad. I have to remember this.... as it is my favorite.... <span class="caption"><strong><u>"And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." ~Luke 2:40 </u></strong></span><br />
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<span class="caption">GOD knows what Austin needs and he has put him in the hands of the right doctors to relay to us what exactly that is. TIME. </span><br />
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<span class="caption">Again, from every depth of my heart, I thank you all for your continued PRAYERS. I can honestly say, if I don't look 10 years older than I am, I feel it. I am worn out. Exhausted. BUT I have so much left in me. I will be good. Austin will be good. My family will be good.... because, all in all, GOD IS GOOD. </span>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-14835818563285840572012-02-19T19:06:00.003-05:002012-02-19T19:06:36.491-05:00The Latest...Austin is doing well, although he may have a minor virus. He has always had a little bit of a gag and cough from his own saliva, but I noticed the other day he was just coughing. I had several different RT's and doctors take a look at him. They all said his lungs and airways sounded clear and opened. They did agree that he had a small, wet cough- did an RSV wash on Austin and it came back negative. Since Friday, he has been very calm and looks well. His cough isn't as frequent so that is good. He is not having any A's and B's and his FIO2's are not going up, so not too worried, just keeping an eye on things. <br />
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Austin has his repeat echocardiogram tomorrow. They will be checking to see if his pulmonary hypertension has increased or stayed about the same. Very happy with the last echocardiogram results, so we're praying for great results again!<br />
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Other than the "cold" and echo, not much has changed. Austin still loves his bath! He loves his mobile and bouncy chair. He LOVES LOVES LOVES when daddy holds him. He really does love his daddy so much! Its neat to see! Austin is still on the HFC at 4L and a steady 25%-28%. He weighs 8 lbs 10 oz and is so chunky that the NICU doesn't have a big enough sized blood pressure cuff and is getting some from the Children's Hospital! He is a chunker!<br />
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I have adjusted my goal, because he just will not be ready the first week of March. My new goal is to have him home by Easter. That is 6 weeks from today. I think he can make it by then!!! Until then, I continue to pray.<br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Dear Lord,</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: xx-small;">Thank you for the blessings You have given to me in my life. I am so happy and thankful. I pray that You continue to keep Your healing hands upon my sweet Austin and that You continue to give the doctors and nurses that care for Austin the knowledge and wisdom of the best care for Austin. Please have mercy on him and keep him from any pain and any harm. Help me, my husband and my son, Drew, to continue to have patience and positivity for the remainder of our journey. Give us the knowledge to know when we are in need to draw near to You. Give us all the confidence we need to continue our stay at the NICU and the confiedence when it is time to bring him home. Lord, let Your WIll be done in our lives, and help us to see all the is Righteous. Lord, i praise You for Your glory! In Christ's name, I pray.... AMEN.</span>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-56381475310121711772012-02-13T10:25:00.000-05:002012-02-13T10:25:08.348-05:00My sweet 8 lb. preemie!!!!!Yes! You read correctly! 8 pounds!!!! LOL I never thought I would see this day-- in the NICU!!!! He is my big boy! I love him so! <br />
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Austin is doing FABULOUS!!! He really has adapted to the high flow cannula well this time around. He is currently at 5 L flow, and although the doctors haven't done rounds yet this morning, we have talked on Saturday about going down to 4 L flow today... so we will see! He really is like a new baby! He is so comfortable, other than when his belly is full of gas! He really did not like the CPAP at all!!!!!<br />
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Not much has changed in the past week. Other than getting some Mylicon drops for his gassy belly, I think everything is just about the same. He is up on his feeds a little more too...56 ml's ... which will probably go up today as well. They have talked about reducing his caloric intake, they have been fortifying him with extra calories for some time now to fatten him up- which they've succeeded! They would like to see him gaining steadily, yes, but about 20-30 grams per day. He gains about 70+ grams a day. At this rate he's going to be 10 lbs when he comes home! <br />
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My older son Drew is still very anxious about getting his brother home. Last night, while laying in bed, he asked again, "when is Austin coming home?" I tell him the truth. He knows his brother has crummy lungs and that he just needs some more "healing time" for them before he comes home. I explained the high flow cannula to him and how it works vs. the cpap. I explained where he is on the flow and where he needs to be to start to learn to feed (2L) and he needs to be to come home on oxygen, and where he would need to be to come home with out oxygen. I think he "gets it" to an extent. He doesn't understand why they just don't take all the "tubes" off of Austin and see if he can do it on his own... :o) I always encourage Drew to ask questions about Austins care, that way he doesn't feel like he's left in the dark about any of it.<br />
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Here are some new pictures of Austin.... ENJOYING LIFE!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzv9q4ZtjH63t4tohEeYFUhweowB_ZMw9egFdXkYVuuHG6_yApDZW-kbKGy4RvDb8efAYwhwPu-4BdZ6-u5eYHMa-et-HHFlkUmyxV4ebXR-F8dxn09EMuicf6G-xr6QqWC1eNxaywgk/s1600/sweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzv9q4ZtjH63t4tohEeYFUhweowB_ZMw9egFdXkYVuuHG6_yApDZW-kbKGy4RvDb8efAYwhwPu-4BdZ6-u5eYHMa-et-HHFlkUmyxV4ebXR-F8dxn09EMuicf6G-xr6QqWC1eNxaywgk/s400/sweet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little AUSTIN!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM414kTRX7vD1RkiSW0ygr2qV5C56caNl5FRD4wdG1jQh9Lkk9-BbLQkxxVUJ24RRnNSgtztktOs2VPP4XgcaZUs_D4iSiTO2nBWmlDD6pyE8h7rL3WaG4x2enEziQ2NqWotBLbs5H6m4/s1600/instaAustin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM414kTRX7vD1RkiSW0ygr2qV5C56caNl5FRD4wdG1jQh9Lkk9-BbLQkxxVUJ24RRnNSgtztktOs2VPP4XgcaZUs_D4iSiTO2nBWmlDD6pyE8h7rL3WaG4x2enEziQ2NqWotBLbs5H6m4/s400/instaAustin.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleeping soundly!!!<br />
L.O.V.E<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-bgvKSdO8kcHfwxNuPbv3-iiiO6XJ2UUchXKvdReH5Xeskb-4MQlmbD-krP2Ny61yMk1LMdKZlUlpKsERjQAEikeXGXG36cdXN7_RqBAMdv8k6UvsYY82wzY3Xv-SnXZc12ooIVNVcU/s1600/snuggle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-bgvKSdO8kcHfwxNuPbv3-iiiO6XJ2UUchXKvdReH5Xeskb-4MQlmbD-krP2Ny61yMk1LMdKZlUlpKsERjQAEikeXGXG36cdXN7_RqBAMdv8k6UvsYY82wzY3Xv-SnXZc12ooIVNVcU/s400/snuggle.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snuggled up! (arm rolls)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlP6GCm8G5hibXdk7CVaejFfpDFKHtrWzjm4uVHogBpzO-IPwEgQky20SUkIy-ALE_dBzEXRnZ7eLN95sWFsLuOUYS5wsD1_4ccRENItdaAj1KOCFGDXpov60CtNB-g90rh83e6tGHGVs/s1600/insta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlP6GCm8G5hibXdk7CVaejFfpDFKHtrWzjm4uVHogBpzO-IPwEgQky20SUkIy-ALE_dBzEXRnZ7eLN95sWFsLuOUYS5wsD1_4ccRENItdaAj1KOCFGDXpov60CtNB-g90rh83e6tGHGVs/s400/insta2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with MOMMY!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArs6lhgA_3hGhyphenhyphenpJu65vRprB_kAu8wnu2gNwHvupDZR_Z0YeqUEFxLGJX76IVedeAjHOW3sSrdkTNmg1yW9DjX56mBcvVaHrzfqNZDjQ5wGxSps9kUhzx7XD02v-_7RhD1xAS7fF2HeM/s1600/littlebro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArs6lhgA_3hGhyphenhyphenpJu65vRprB_kAu8wnu2gNwHvupDZR_Z0YeqUEFxLGJX76IVedeAjHOW3sSrdkTNmg1yW9DjX56mBcvVaHrzfqNZDjQ5wGxSps9kUhzx7XD02v-_7RhD1xAS7fF2HeM/s400/littlebro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I am the LITTLE BROTHER! <br />
My big brother ROCKS!!!<br />
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I hope everyone has a very HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY tomorrow and remembers to hug and kiss all your loves! I know I will!!!! xoxoxo</div>
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Thank you all, for this NICU journey is still going, I am thankful to have had the support I have and continue to gain each day! Our little boy will be home before we know it... and you all helped us to stay sane! You're prayers helped Austin, Drew, Scott, and myself, and we cannot thank you enough! </div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-50817648941931858012012-02-09T10:22:00.000-05:002012-02-09T10:47:35.499-05:002/7/2012.... My due date...Tuesday was my due date. Meaning Austin's adjusted age is 2 days old. WEIRD!!!! He is a strong 2 day old baby!!! LOL<br />
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I wasn't really sure how I would feel on Tuesday. So.... I had a spa day! Four hours at the spa!!!! It was fabulous! I had a massage, facial and pedicure. I went home, ate and took a nap. I then headed up to spend the evening with my sweet baby boy! He had a spa treatment as well. We gave him a nice and long WARM bath and then I gave him his relaxation massage and stretches before snuggling him into bed for the night. HE LOVED IT!!!!!<br />
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Austin is doing so fabulous! He is doing great on his high flow cannula at 6 L, and will be weened in a day or two to 5L. He is now a whopping 7lbs 14oz and with that being said, the nutritionist believes she can come down on his extra caloric intake- as he is doing well at gaining - OBVIOUSLY!!! He has steadily been at 25%-28% FIO2's and hasn't had any A's and B's or any major desats since he started the HFC. He still works pretty hard to breath, but not any more than his normal. He had his eye exam yesterday and he did well. His right eye is zone 3 stage 1 (good) and his right eye is zone 2 stage 2 with a notch, so they are keeping an eye on this eye with weekly exams. If his vessels do not grow out into zone 3, he may not have his peripheral vision in his left eye and if the notch grows and begins to apply pressure to his retina, he will require surgery (laser) to fix this. <br />
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Austin is such a gassy boy... its so sad, bc with the underdevelopment of a preemie, he just doesn't have the muscle mass to help to get things moving along in his belly- thus he suffers with gas bubbles. He squirms and grunts and then a small little "puff". Its sad..but I get the best pictures ever......<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd1yMETuWT8HLI14l9QPbFzxs4xhQMPEvkxWEhUy48pmfG2Kd2tEh-I69KhKgVSyYSk3ZbbXINH1xkAUu3_pMhmgQ8UR8Udz0vLvw27kXPdVxizo2qk48gd7lZ2zUfZnCPOOsweuaVcg/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd1yMETuWT8HLI14l9QPbFzxs4xhQMPEvkxWEhUy48pmfG2Kd2tEh-I69KhKgVSyYSk3ZbbXINH1xkAUu3_pMhmgQ8UR8Udz0vLvw27kXPdVxizo2qk48gd7lZ2zUfZnCPOOsweuaVcg/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas smiles.....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6Ip3m9OMsLBmB6xXp1805GQKW36cZ0NCzDzFp7t5CBSVPRbiXS36pFBSyXMACMNOTWjdadbg-7GGwz_rr84eVoKYIjyYWNcqfl5qnjOZzJ3xjbPoYwNijSAQfqiMAYkg2-eNUZtc0lM/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6Ip3m9OMsLBmB6xXp1805GQKW36cZ0NCzDzFp7t5CBSVPRbiXS36pFBSyXMACMNOTWjdadbg-7GGwz_rr84eVoKYIjyYWNcqfl5qnjOZzJ3xjbPoYwNijSAQfqiMAYkg2-eNUZtc0lM/s320/2.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but I say its bc he knows his momma's bedside<br />
and it makes him smile to know he's loved!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaHSXVFe36TIkk8uzvvpO8nFZM-emq-K5ffWBFnur2f_agox2MgnzcFttWvwD6bhoaSgdYnEHHg5qBk_xWm7i9pjOZOXCOLQNA1MXhlLbPPBzjhZiyv-uLw95eP5ebWxs5BvgzbwgIqE/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaHSXVFe36TIkk8uzvvpO8nFZM-emq-K5ffWBFnur2f_agox2MgnzcFttWvwD6bhoaSgdYnEHHg5qBk_xWm7i9pjOZOXCOLQNA1MXhlLbPPBzjhZiyv-uLw95eP5ebWxs5BvgzbwgIqE/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HI EVERYONE!!!</td></tr>
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I still cannot believe how big he is! I just never imagined him getting to be so big this early. I really had thought I'd be bringing home a 4 or 5 pound baby. LOL My chubawub!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My chubawub with his wubanub!<br />
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Here he is during his due date spa treatment!!!!!!!!!! He loves taking a bath... LOVES IT!!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rub-a-dub... chub-in-a-tub<br />
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Cozy - all snuggled up in bed!!!!!<br />
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THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. I continue to see God's work every day. Just as I start to become discouraged, Austin shows me that God has a plan for us all... and that Austin is doing just fine!!! xoxoxoxo</div>
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<br /></div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-28584928814935430102012-02-06T20:13:00.001-05:002012-02-06T20:13:15.037-05:00Rough weekend... and a bounce back!Austin is 7 lbs 4 oz. He is now 19 inches long. He will be 40 weeks gestation tomorrow. Yes, my due date is tomorrow. I feel okay about it. I did schedule a spa day tomorrow... I have been having tension headaches and I think tomorrow might be a little bitter sweet. I see this sweet boy smiling back at me and it makes my heart melt! Keeps me positive and keeps me "ticking".....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL5sUYTtgCa8mdHz1K8y7YaTnsbWsHMMnqSuEpDBL8-dUttlJwUl-rE-F0Ltkh0QGfTWQFeYIyfbSavpBgTQ-CvR8dFMHSwVBT-C73oEBjSCKi7Fm1W8QUBq1KZNEU31dTTWtw_bKY5g/s1600/bigsmile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL5sUYTtgCa8mdHz1K8y7YaTnsbWsHMMnqSuEpDBL8-dUttlJwUl-rE-F0Ltkh0QGfTWQFeYIyfbSavpBgTQ-CvR8dFMHSwVBT-C73oEBjSCKi7Fm1W8QUBq1KZNEU31dTTWtw_bKY5g/s400/bigsmile.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BIG SMILES!!!<br />
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Austin had four episodes in a 24 hour period this weekend. Very weird... he hasn't had these A's and B's in so very long. It really difficult when you ask a doctor WHY and the answer is "WE DON'T KNOW" and when you ask WHAT IS THE PLAN and they answer is "We're trying to figure that out too". I love Austin's doctors though. They have established a good plan of action for him for the time being. He is back on the high flow cannula 24/7. Hoping and praying that he takes to this well. He needs to get off of the Cpap.... he is getting too old for that dependency. They also checked his hematicrit and retic and the numbers were trending in the right direction, no need for a trasfusion. (good news)</div>
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Austin's baseline for his respiratory rate and his work to breath is higher than most babies. He has some crummy lungs and was so extremely premature that they really need some time to heal. AND this type of healing doesn't happen over night. Patience is hard once you're at the 3 month mark. But he is doing well. He is such a fighter! I can't wait to share with him stories of his strength. I am so proud of him! My older son Drew is already protective of his baby brother. The brother he has yet to meet, and its so heart warming to me! I say stuff like "look at his fat cheeks" and Drew immediately says "don't make fun of my brother!!!!". :o)</div>
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My husband and I are really becoming anxious for Austin to get well and come home, but are trying to stay in the now as we always have. He needs more time! and that's just fine! </div>
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Many thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Without all of you and your prayers, I'm just not sure what I would do! THANK YOU from every depth of my heart!!!!!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXQfN31PsUspweaWTHLGCOa2mEaKQGD2ooWed6GkgevLLHWQmqMg1GuxtnTVclcYxQbDnacoF08wPc1NV3USxqOs5aGZpodEspyM18hgveWLQfX5tned_z99LXoBj7Af42Wgsrx7PHqE/s1600/fam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXQfN31PsUspweaWTHLGCOa2mEaKQGD2ooWed6GkgevLLHWQmqMg1GuxtnTVclcYxQbDnacoF08wPc1NV3USxqOs5aGZpodEspyM18hgveWLQfX5tned_z99LXoBj7Af42Wgsrx7PHqE/s400/fam.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 months old</td></tr>
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<br /></div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-61986043400312239762012-02-03T08:21:00.001-05:002012-02-03T08:21:47.196-05:00Splish splash.... give me a bath (3 months old)AUSTIN IS THREE MONTHS OLD TODAY....FEB. 3, 2012 CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? <br />
(comparison picture at the end of this post)<br />
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Austin is doing Excellent!!! He is now windowing a few times a day. t He started at three hours on the nasal cannula and six hours on cpap. He handled it very well- steadily between 25%-28%. I really feel like his time is coming! He really deserves it! I was so lucky and was able to give him his first " in tub" bath on Saturday evening January 28. He was irritable all afternoon and so we weren't sure how he'd like going into a baby tub... but he LOVED it!!! So did mommy!! Such a special memory!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginQh1h7KsG6_D_x219QLfFDkBhxB5srYRGnxFg3VGQZJjoDHUNYqu1iZ-QHnaJBaejSfyoz_ZGQMFVbz4Nga6BzN4B0xtU-2NwvLBLYOuiip8yUyBW8fRP50hZIeJMuNVSAYdhujmDII/s1600/splishSplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginQh1h7KsG6_D_x219QLfFDkBhxB5srYRGnxFg3VGQZJjoDHUNYqu1iZ-QHnaJBaejSfyoz_ZGQMFVbz4Nga6BzN4B0xtU-2NwvLBLYOuiip8yUyBW8fRP50hZIeJMuNVSAYdhujmDII/s400/splishSplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin LOVES his bath!</td></tr>
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Austin finally hit the 7 lb mark. I never thought it to be true! Two days ago. Seven pounds even! I never in a million years thought he'd hit that mark! YAY, baby Austin! He has been put on an extra protein supplement, to help him grow in length. He is 17 3/4" long... short and chubby. Haha.<br />
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Austin has grown so much. He knows what he likes and does not like. He lets us all know immediately that "yes this is working" or "nope, try again". He isn't shy in that sense one bit! He loves his bouncy seat on vibrate and would love to spend the entire day in it! He loves to here music on his mobile and he loves his soothing sounds lamb. He also loves to hear his mommy and daddy talking. As soon as he here's us he is looking to see that its indeed us! LOL <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SnuggleBug<br />
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Austin's window time was lengthened yesterday to 6 hours on cannula 6 hours on Cpap. His first "session" he made it to 5 hours before they decided to put him back on Cpap. He was pulling and working a little more than they felt necessary. However, his next session went GREAT. SO that is excellent news! I'll be heading up to see him shortly! My little buggaboo! He is such a doll. My homecoming goal still remains at the first week of March, and I think he will make it! </div>
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His hematicrit count (red blood cell count) was good on Monday... 29.5 and his retic count (immature cells maturing) was 5.8 EXCELLENT! His body is doing what its supposed to be doing. All good signs!</div>
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Here is a very sweet sweet picture of our Austin. He is cuddling with Daddy during his window session. Such a gorgeous baby, he is!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFc9vAOCxhx-h4LQKMQEyVpYGWxiFrVwnFVf1AO5dyH0QyW0vK55PcvxL1BdRT5QakyMsqEZ_l4shayATYPY9EILaTI-3f2YvNu6Dw7CyV2_x0XHP7w3T95u4EysZAhE3nvmKVoFWTKs/s1600/smilesAustin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFc9vAOCxhx-h4LQKMQEyVpYGWxiFrVwnFVf1AO5dyH0QyW0vK55PcvxL1BdRT5QakyMsqEZ_l4shayATYPY9EILaTI-3f2YvNu6Dw7CyV2_x0XHP7w3T95u4EysZAhE3nvmKVoFWTKs/s400/smilesAustin.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at MR. AWESOME<br />
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OKAY OKAY.... its "look how much I've grown" time.....</div>
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Remember when..... he was born at 828g = 1lb 14oz..... so frail, and so tiny...? I remember the experience, yes, but I cannot visualize it until I see the pictures. So many small babies are born and I think "oh my, they're so little" and they weighed more than my Austin. TRUE. I forget how incredibly small.... 13 inches head to toe...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpziD-XE1ysnMT7b5BwFIsXQZ4hrk96wDxGsQsPKvPEbOn9J-dBxksQsSagFV3Y5YV-kfT8IOP-BCHlZrkGEwpVLiGDGLE6CSlkBYLrEnmTFR7aqGwL5edO2K8sKMbBtDFEk8jn7UmCk/s1600/3day3month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="367" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpziD-XE1ysnMT7b5BwFIsXQZ4hrk96wDxGsQsPKvPEbOn9J-dBxksQsSagFV3Y5YV-kfT8IOP-BCHlZrkGEwpVLiGDGLE6CSlkBYLrEnmTFR7aqGwL5edO2K8sKMbBtDFEk8jn7UmCk/s400/3day3month.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 days old 3 months old</td></tr>
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EVERYONE HAVE A WONDERFUL BLESSED DAY! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, AS ALWAYS! YOU ALL HOLD A SPECIAL SPOT IN OUR HEARTS.... EVERYONE PRAYING FOR AUSTIN AND CHEERING HIM ON IS SO COOL!!!!</div>
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XOXO</div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-17888267823429042032012-01-28T17:46:00.000-05:002012-01-28T17:46:02.173-05:00Echocardiogram and windows<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7w8RFjRiNeMW3_xE_RabDrgsVAmDivr_vawqYVkczNhYI9K8EfU5calD4ikGKG4TC1AWfFKjyG17mWoXgtdSr7J4plJBVnre8KJjgtBf7gKqRvjAwIOl70t0n_-5DlFuminHnIErabA/s1600/austinFAV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7w8RFjRiNeMW3_xE_RabDrgsVAmDivr_vawqYVkczNhYI9K8EfU5calD4ikGKG4TC1AWfFKjyG17mWoXgtdSr7J4plJBVnre8KJjgtBf7gKqRvjAwIOl70t0n_-5DlFuminHnIErabA/s400/austinFAV.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE THIS PICTURE SO VERY MUCH!!!<br />
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Austin is doing well! He had an echocardiogram on Thursday January 26, 2011. The doctors concern was possible pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure around the lungs). They check this by an echo-- if the right side of his heart is over working they will intervene via medicine (Viagra - actually)... The echo went well. He was very calm and collect and let them do what they needed with out giving much of a fuss. What the saw on the echo was good. His heart is good and all the valves are closed, etc. Doctors do expect to see some degree of pulmonary hypertension because he has CLD, but to what severity is the question. (Back up.... the reason they decided to do the echo was because Austins progression has plateaued... he's just kind of "stuck" so to say) The number of a normal, healthy, full term baby's heart is 20%. Austin's is slightly elevated to 36%. The doctors are impressed by this number. It is not high enough to require any treatment (Viagra)! All he needs is growth and nutrition. Another words... same course we've been on! YAY!!!!! </div>
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Austin also had another eye exam on Weds, Jan. 25, 2011. It is still showing that his eyes are maturing well. Minor abnormalities.... nothing to require treatment/surgery at this time. </div>
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Austin is up to 45 ml's (1 1/2oz) per feeding - every three hours! He is now fortified with Neo Sure and doing well with it... they have stopped his once daily prune juice as he is stooling well .... he actually has the worst diaper rash ever... breaks my heart..... ;( He is still getting potassium 3 times a day, diurel once a day, and his daily multivitamin. He is still on a Cpap with a peep of 5 and btwn 25%- 30%. He is still windowing and is up to 3 hours twice a day at 1.5L flow, and 28%-30% O2. </div>
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He loves his bouncy seat and his baby lamb that plays soothing sounds. I need to go buy him a good mobile with flashy lights, music and movement. The nurses and I have come to the conclusion he is just so bored! LOL Poor buddy! He has been doing the same routine over and over and over again for 12 1/2 weeks now!!! I'd be bored too! He is finally at the age to be able to handle a little more stimulation! TARGET here we come!!!!!!! </div>
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I hope everyone is reading this with a smile from ear to ear! I am smiling as I write this today! He is doing so wonderful! I love him soooooo! I put together a picture album today with all his pictures from birth to the present... very crazy! He has come so far! My older son Drew has shown more emotions lately concerning Austin and when will he be coming home. I wish I had an exact date to give him so that we could do some kind of count down... that would be fun.... I just tell him... soon. I am honest with him. I tell him the few steps he needs to conquer and I estimate it to be in March. He's okay with it, but would much rather have him here NOW! :o)</div>
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Thank you all again for all your love and support! Your prayers mean the world to me and my family! </div>
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MANY BLESSINGS!!!!</div>
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xoxo</div>a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-42078461384517946172012-01-23T08:49:00.001-05:002012-01-23T08:49:50.240-05:00On an upswingIts been about a week since I have updated. I have been busy... meeting up with friends and getting all of my errands finished. I only have an X amount of time until Austin will be home. <br />
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Austin is doing FABULOUS. He looks great and he is doing even better. His FIO2's are consistently at 25% -- they have even had him down to room air (21%) but most consistently and comfortably at 25%. He has started back with the windowing process, in which he is doing fantastic. He is still on one hour windows twice a day and doing well. They will go up to two hours twice a day here soon, but we are all on the same page with the fact that we do not want to push him along too quickly. He needs his time and likes to go at his own pace (stuborn like his mother). My new goal to have Austin home (with the small setback we had last week) is for the first week of March. I think that is a good goal to have.<br />
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Austin is on 40 ml's of food (1 1/3 ounces) and have switched the fortification from the Elacare(basically baby creatin) to a formula fortifier. The doctors wanted to see that his intestines could digest it correctly, and to check to see if he had matured enough to handle the dairy, (I was also asked to reintroduce dairy into my diet). He seems to be doing well with it. They put him back to "gravity" feeds, rather than on a pump over an hour. He is doing well with that as well. I think the pump was more cautionary and perhaps for MY comfort- considering the bad choking episode last week. <br />
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Austin has been introduced to a few new things this past week. A mobile that plays music (he really likes music), his soft sound machine LAMB (it plays the ocean, heartbeat, rain and whale sounds), and the vibrating bouncy seat (in which he LOVES). Having these items and seeing him enjoy them really makes me realize how very far he has come. When he was first born the stimulation factor was null and void. DO NOT TOUCH BABY OTHER THAN A FIRM TOUCH- NO STROKING, NO TAPPING. TALK QUIETLY- BABY CANNOT HANDLE A LOT OF NOISE. NO ROCKING WHEN HOLDING HIM. NO LIGHTS, NO MUSIC, NO VISUAL STIMULATION - BABY'S BRAIN CANNOT HANDLE THE STIM. IT WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO DEVELOPMENT IF INTRODUCED TOO EARLY... HIS BRAIN NEEDS TO FOCUS ON GROWING AND MATURING BODY...NOT ON FIGURING OUT WHAT THIS or THAT IS. I felt like there were so many rules. So many DO NOT's and not enough DO's.....Well he has outgrown the rules!!!!!!!!! Play time here we come!<br />
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Austin is 6lbs today! Some of that is some water weight, as they just adjusted his diurel dose a few days ago and it will take a few days to show its working. He is such a chunk .... so funny!!! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeS0m2nxT5qSCH3OOjOl7_D9JznkQsIjzGQdtIiO-YHIHBZV5BMGRe1hL7oqr7506W2m9JI2fTm9tpD-2HUM8UAyrWHc9Q6pe8mmuQ2IRXcO8QO-sAlcKMKr5LZxLIXe9aVKUelroePk/s1600/mcCHUBS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeS0m2nxT5qSCH3OOjOl7_D9JznkQsIjzGQdtIiO-YHIHBZV5BMGRe1hL7oqr7506W2m9JI2fTm9tpD-2HUM8UAyrWHc9Q6pe8mmuQ2IRXcO8QO-sAlcKMKr5LZxLIXe9aVKUelroePk/s400/mcCHUBS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this because it shows how incredibly chubby his cheeks are!!!<br />
I call this picture McChubs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXKByDIhch2UmabH1Qh651gltRuALAVAHyaEXXEQXvjB-VOISgJY3Qm59AhjWRCrWtUFaEIAXgGw4K9ZybUcfEerEsgFWtKEPA9TwYI1PTD9h-hVpjTUpATSSSxGIoCbNRFc4MlWUQqE/s1600/bouncyBABY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXKByDIhch2UmabH1Qh651gltRuALAVAHyaEXXEQXvjB-VOISgJY3Qm59AhjWRCrWtUFaEIAXgGw4K9ZybUcfEerEsgFWtKEPA9TwYI1PTD9h-hVpjTUpATSSSxGIoCbNRFc4MlWUQqE/s400/bouncyBABY.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I walked in and had to giggle..... He is so short (17 1/4"). LOL He LOVES this bouncer.<br />
This is also during his windowed period on the nasal cannula.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMGosh..... When he is 25 he's going to kill me for this picture!!!!! LOL<br />
I pulled off his blanket and this is what he was showing us! My in laws were visiting and we had a good laugh!<br />
I assume these pants were a smidgen too short. The pants had feet, so each time he stretched out the little crack would hang out. I would pull them up, he'd squirm and stretch and there came his crack. LOL. I love it!<br />
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Again, I thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. This journey has been indescribable. But none the less, the most amazing journey ever! I am so BLESSED for the family GOD has given to me! I couldn't be happier!</div>
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(*side note*... its been brought to my attention that my blog brings so many tears, happy and sad, alike. This is not my intention to make you cry... BUT I want you to know that many times while writing I am crying too. This blog is written from my heart. It is 100% raw emotion behind each and every post. I hope you're able to realize that even though I have my bad days... the positivity in my heart has never subsided. I have not one inch of guilt, blame, pity or shame in me from this experience. I am extremely happy on so many levels. I know that I would never wish some of these experiences on another, I have seen some things no mother should see.... how ever, I wouldn't change this experience, either. I have grown and my husband and I have grown, my older son has grown. We have grown as a family... stronger, in many ways. I never knew how much strength I possessed internally. *)</div>
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CHECK BACK SOON FOR MORE PICTURES! I SHOULD FINISH PAINTING HIS ROOM THIS WEEK..... I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!<br />a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-49561909511785097772012-01-16T12:05:00.000-05:002012-01-16T12:05:55.538-05:00Time is slowing downI feel like time is now moving in slow motion....<br />
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Friday, January 13, 2012<br />
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Austin was switched to a high flow nasal cannula from the CPap. This was done for more comfort and it helps in a lot of cases of CLD when weaning the babies off of "pressure/flow" support. I was not real keen on the idea, because he does not like change too well, and because he was doing great just the way they were doing things, but because of some miscommunication on the hospitals end, when I had arrived to talk about this possible switch, voice my opinions and ask my questions, the switch had already been made to high flow. Can't go backwards and although I was not happy about being overstepped, I can only hope he does well... and the concept makes since and seems like he would do well, and I get to see his face all the time and pick him up whenever I want!<br />
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Austin seemed to be doing so well. He was alert and happy. I had a great day with him. AND THEN... as I was feeding him (still through feeding tube) and chatting with his nurse T, he refluxed and choked on it. He was choking and trying so hard to get it down and breath. BUT because he is just at the gestational age for when they develop this skill (suck, swallow, breath), he didn't do so well, and could not correct this "problem" on his own. Nurse T was suctioning out his nose and mouth ... nothing. His oxygen sats were dropping and his HR was dropping... he was choking.... The RT rushed over to help... giving breaths to him (bagging him). I was pinching his feet and T was working at sucking out the feed so he didn't spit up and aspirate into his lungs..... His numbers weren't coming up. He was turning the darkest blue/purple I'd ever seen. His feet.... I couldn't stop looking at how purple his feet were, and then he went limp, and his bowels released.... "Get the doctors!!!"... the RT says. His HR was at 52 and not moving... his O2's were at 1. The RT gave two chest compressions and his HR shot up in the 60's and started to climb... he was coming back up but he needed to take that breath. Nurse T whacked him one and he took that breath. His color started to come back, yet paler than his norm. I picked him up and started rocking him and talking to him.... comforting him. I was calm and praying the entire episode. I think its from a mix of shock and - what good will it do them if I'm freaking out. I can say that this is something NO ONE should ever have to witness. EVER. I still haven't fallen asleep without that image in my head. He's fine now. Immediately after the episode, he was fine. I was sick to my stomach and shaken to my core. I asked nurse T, "how long do you allow that to go before you call in a crash cart (jump start his heart cart)... she said she was about 5 seconds away from calling one in. ............... ............... .......... I literally was watching my baby choke to death... but GOD has plans for him, and that is not one of them. I couldn't leave for hours after the ordeal... until he opened his eyes and stared into mine as to say, "I'm okay mommy". I will not go into how emotional and what type of thoughts this had brought about, because my husband is right. HE IS FINE now and I can not take that episode away, no, but I need to refocus on the present and the future. He is fine. Austin is good.<br />
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Saturday, a day of rest and rest alone for Austin. I didn't sleep the night before and tried my hardest to stay in bed as late as I could, but rest- it wasn't going to happen for me. <br />
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Sunday, Austin is back on the CPap. He started to breath very heavy too often, just working too hard to breath--so he is back to the CPap. The thing about this that frustrates me is this.... we are now back at square one with the windowing process. If you add up the time he windowed, the time he was on high flow, and the time of rest before we start back up... we've lost like 9 or so days..... I cant help but feel like if they would have waited to talk to me and heard me out, this set back wouldn't have presented itself, because he wouldn't have been switched unless needed. BUT again, one of those things you can not go back in time and fix.... so refocus.... PRESENT and FUTURE.<br />
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I'm not going to lie. I am spent. One word sums it all up for me.... emotionally, physically, mentally...... I am purely EXHAUSTED. We have been here for 10 1/2 weeks. And the end is not as close as I would like it to be. Window process takes so much time and he still needs to learn to eat... with out the set back we were aiming to get him home by the end of Feb. With the set back that date may have bumped back to sometime in March. I do not want him to come home until HE is ready....but....... I don't know. I know Austin and his little body and his immature and damaged lungs will go at the pace they need, not the pace we want. He is in control, and I am okay with that. I just really want to lay in bed and stare at him all day long.<br />
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Many blessings everyday.... time is all this sweet baby needs.... time.... to develop and grow.... time .<br />
and he is okay. he is fine. he will continue to be fine. he is alive and breathing and doing great. austin is great.<br />
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Austin is 2460grams = 5lbs 6oz.... 17 1/4 inches long. He is satting in the low 90's and has been between 25%-30% over night and this morning. My husband is down there with him now, and my older son and I are cleaning the house, and then off to the movies. Much needed mommy son time!<br />
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Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.a.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324504168141693283.post-54857491190807472512012-01-12T23:45:00.002-05:002012-01-12T23:45:34.027-05:00Windows (and too much rambling from me)Austin has been doing very well with his windows on the nasal cannula. He is doing two hour windows, twice a day, and so far so good! I love this time with him. I get to look at his entire face, with nothing blocking any part of his face! Its so fabulous. He is so alert and awake anymore. I love it. <br />
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Its very hard for me to think about him being just this way, but in utero. He has developed and grown so much. It's crazy to think he should still be inside of me.... so weird. He doesn't learn to eat until after he is well on the cannula full time, so we have some time, but I think he'll do well. He sucks away on the pacifier!!! When he is hungry he is rooting towards anything that comes close to his face, and if I'm holding him, my chest. Its funny. He also starts the sucking motions. <br />
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OH I LOVE HIM SO!!!<br />
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Today I just stared at him forever. I got to hold him for the entire two hour period. I'm sure this is foreign to most parents.... but I am so excited about holding him for that length of time. You have to understand, I still have to ask if its okay to hold my baby.... I still need "help" getting him out of the crib.... I still have to wait for care time to change his diaper.... I still have to keep him from turning his head when he wants to because he has an apparatus sticking out of his nose.... UNTIL now, my time for holding him was limited. YES- TIME LIMITS to hold my own baby. So yes, two hours means the world to me. (my time is still limited since his care is every three hours... but I can hold him the hours in between) This means FULL TIME is coming soon, though! He is making moves in the right direction!!!! I hope and pray he continues to do well. <br />
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I stare and stare and stare at him.... always so amazed. Today I just began to tear up while staring at this beautiful child. He has been through so much. I have yet to have felt sorry for myself in this situation... I am not sad for myself one bit.... BUT I do feel so bad for him. He has to work so hard just to breath. I cant imagine how miserable it is to have the CPAP on him constantly. I cant imagine having to be "handled" by some many different people, all the time. I cant imagine having to have my mouth and nose suctioned out every three hours. Getting heel sticks ever so often.... having my blood pressure and temperature taken every three hours... and when he accidentally forgets to to take a breath for a few seconds, he gets his feet pinched or his back beaten (basically). I just couldn't imagine having to go through so much, just to live. These thoughts make me sad for him. Life is supposed to be so easy when you're a baby. Its not supposed to get difficult until your first heart break (whats that age 15 - lol).... but sweet little Austin... his life has been difficult since day one. He has had to fight day in and day out. It just hurts my heart sometimes. Here is this innocent, most perfect little baby, and he struggles and fights everyday to keep on going. Its amazing, yes... but sometimes it breaks my heart. He loves life so much already, that he keeps on fighting. I hope this world is good to him. <br />
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He is so beautiful. I lay my head on the edge of his crib with the side down, eye level with him and just stare. He has breath takingly beautiful LONG eyelashes. His little nose. A perfect profile. He is angelic. More so than any baby I have ever seen. When he is awake, he is searching his surroundings. He hears my voice and follows it until he's found me. I know every newborn does this, but with him, its just.....i dunno.... I cant describe this feeling... I know he should live a normal life, bc thus far there is no reason for any of us to believe he should have any problems, considering the brain scans are all normal... and this little act of following and recognizing my voice, helps me to know that those scans are right. He doesn't seem empty at all... he is so full of so much life..... and he came so early. I love him.<br />
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I know bringing home seems so far away, but its also right around the corner. I anticipate he'll come home with some "extra care", like on oxygen. That's okay. I can handle that. I just don't want him to have an episode here at home. I cant imagine having to give my baby CPR. That is what I have high anxiety over. I know they wouldn't release him if they believe he could have an episode like that... I have to stop thinking about that. He's going to be perfect... he already is. <br />
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I really wish I could capture my view of him and his profile.... I keep trying to get a picture of it, the perfect angel and all.... I just haven't been able to. I will keep trying though, I think his beauty would bring you all to tears. <br />
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I cant believe I've used this blog to ramble so much.... Maybe I needed to... Well, Austin is still doing awesome! He makes my world go round... along with his older brother and his pretty awesome daddy! Life is good!<br />
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Thanks for all your love, support and prayers. As always!<br />
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xoxoa.kimmeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03143304526155697031noreply@blogger.com2