Well, how big am I?

Today Greyson got a pastoral visit (well I don’t count cause I’m his dad!) from the children’s pastor at our church.  She has been dying to see him and finally made it over.  It’s always fun showing him off!  We visited a friend in the ICN (intermediate care nursery), or simply upstairs as we like to refer to it.  This is where the babies go when they are doing really well and are on the nasal canulas.  They stay there until they are ready to come home.  It was fun to see what it is like up there, and to see Lane.  He is a baby that is basically the same age as Greyson gestationally, but was born about three weeks later (at 27 or 28 weeks we can’t remember exactly).  By staying in the womb an additional 3 or 4 weeks, Lane was quite a bit bigger than Greyson and obviously has moved up to the ICN before him.  The amazing thing was that we learned today that Greyson is actually bigger than Lane is now!  I think maybe Greyson has been sneaking some extra milk from one of the nurses, although I’m not sure which one. 

Speaking of nurses have I ever mentioned how amazing they are?  Greyson is surrounded by some of the best.  I’m not just saying that because I found out some of them may be reading this blog, they really are amazing.  As I think I’ve mentioned before they are extreemly patient with Greyson setting off all the alarms.  Well now that he is on cpap it is even worse.  The problem is his little nose is not big enough for the cpap mask.  So it slides off (or gets pulled off) when Greyson tugs against it.  This sets off a very piercing alarm.  This happens a lot.  Stacy and I do our best to reposition the mask while we are there but ultimately the nurses must be doing that all the time as it just doesn’t stay on that well.  The RT said she might put some stickers on Greyson’s head that have velcrow on them to help secure his cpap hat.  If they can keep it from moving all around it has a better chance of staying on his nose.  I’m always amazed at how kind they are when they come over to shut off an alarm that they have shut off 10 times already in the last half hour.

Well I’d tell you how much he weighs but you can clearly see it in the picture.  Maybe I should offer a prize to the first person who posts what it is in pounds and ounces.  The display is showing grams.  Anyone?

OK on to the best news.  At midnight Greyson’s blood co2 was 53!  Yes I said 53!  His noon gas was a bit higher at 57 but these are still very good numbers.  He continues to look good and does not seem to be laboring to hard to breathe.  He has been off the DEX for almost 48 hours so we are keeping our fingers crossed.  A couple more days should tell us whether or not he will have to go back on the vent. 

That’s it for now.