Day 6 - Update from Mommy

Thought Jim needed a break from his excellent chronicles of our new life...

Erin has had a fairly good day- which means Jim and I have too. After he did the yeomans work of helping to restrain her during her morning procedure of changing the dressing- mostly just sweetie duty if the truth be told, which he relishes, but was admonished for today because it is only supposed to be used for painful procedures. Anyone who knows Jim knows he has already gathered a secret stash for her and is always at the ready to make her happy :).

We were able to spend the morning taking turns holding her and helping her through another series of fevers. It's hard to explain how difficult it is seeing her tremble and turn bright red with a heart rate of up to 225 or more, but seems a little less so when she is in our arms and we can try to comfort her. We're hoping we've seen the last of the fevers for now, as the nice new neonatologist agreed to cut her dosage of the PGE's in half again.

This afternoon she has been enjoying the "big girl bed" that Jim likes to call "jail" and has been sleeping the afternoon away with just a few cries here and there that subside when mommy or daddy gently rock her. Nurse Janet today has even put some clothes on her and suggested that we bring some in now that she's no longer in the heated bed and the PGE's have been reduced. Given the current size of her wardrobe, I'm sure I will be up most of the night trying to decide what to bring.

It doesn't feel like a holiday when you are in the NICU as everyday is really the same - six babies fighting for their lives, a never ending chorus of alarms and bells, large equipment being moved in and out, jockeying for chairs with other guests, constant ambulance sirens, babies crying, too much light, and always, always a nurse with a smiling face tending to a baby, doctor, parent, or guest. Oh, today is different, we've had two helicopter landings two floors above us.

Needless to say, above and beyond all the emotional trauma and the stress of trying to help our precious Erin get well, the stress of the environment can really take a toll. Interestingly, while writing this they have just installed another respirator on the poor baby in the bed next to Erin - that when started, sounds like a Harley and has an alarm that rivals a home security system.