This week was actually one of the hardest. Not because of medical issues and problems, but because I'm so anxious for next week! I'm hoping my week 8 report will mention the word discharge associated with an actual day. Fingers crossed!
This week was good though, other than my crazy excitement for the next week or 2.
The big event was the twins leaving the hospital for the first time! They had to go to an eye appointment, about an hour away. They traveled by ambulance, and did wonderful. I met them at the office and got to hold them and take care of them during the appointment. There was a nurse there, just in case, but she mostly just hung out on the side while I took care of the kids. I loved it, in a weird new mom way.
Not many patients show up to the eye doctor like this so we got a lot of looks. The nurses all came over to see the babies. I loved that too, in a new mm kind of way. I haven't gotten to show off my babies so I loved everyone telling me how cute and sweet they are.
The purpose of the appointment was to look for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The nurse dilated their eyes before they left the hospital, then the doctor shined a light in their eyes to look at their retina and see how it's developing. Jack's eyes seem to be doing quite well, which is great since he was on oxygen longer than Amelia. But my poor Mia has between Stage 1 and Stage 2 retinopathy. We go back in 3 weeks. The doctor said 90% of the time, stage 1 and 2 correct themselves as the baby develops. If it doesn't or gets worse, she'll need laser treatment to fix her retinas. I'm hoping they're improving at our next visit, but if not, at least there is a treatment and her case isn't severe enough to lead to blindness. So that's where we stand on the eyes.
Week 7 feeding update: all men who are uncomfortable with breast feeding, this is another paragraph or 2 you want to skip.
We have to get serious with feeding them and have real expectations for them, because they can't go home with an NG tube. So this week, we're giving them bottles. Apparently preemies don't have nipple confusion. So far, they enjoy going to breast but just don't have the strength to really hang on to the nipple. They take a suck of 2 then it pops out. Their latching skills are non existent. Which is fine, and pretty standard. So when I'm there, I will breast feed them for about 10 minutes, then switch over to bottle. They take the bottle fairly well when they want to. The nurses give them the bottles when I'm not there so they get around the clock practice at eating, sucking, swallowing, and breathing. They only have to put a feeding or 2 a day down their NG tubes. So they're getting there. This will definitely be the biggest challenge they need to overcome though before they can go home.
Other random updates: Jack weighs 3lbs 14oz and Mia weighs 4lbs 4oz. They've grown so much, nurses who don't work full time hardly recognize them!
Mia is off of any drugs, supplements, everything except vitamins. She's breathing great, so as soon as she starts to eat well, she'll be ready for home.
Jack still takes a few things, they're going to try to get him off of as many as possible before they send him home, but none of it is something that I can't give him, so none of it should delay him from coming home.
This next week we'll just keep up with the feeding, then start to move on to cold stressing, car seat testing, and finally, get ready for discharge! It's exciting to see the end in sight. They'll have a few more big tests, like a repeat of the head ultrasound to see where Jack's IVH stands. Not really looking forward to that. But hopefully things look better. We shall see. I'm just hoping and praying they continue to grow and stay healthy so I can have my babies home with me soon!
Despite everything, it's been the best 7 weeks of my life, thanks to these 2 cuties :)
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