Nora vigorously sucks her pacifier while holding it with 2 hands, just in case it falls out. Reminds me of the baby on the Simpsons:
Today Andy and I met with a pediatrician, Dr. Baumgartner. She is in an office close to our house and seemed ready to help us with Nora. Plus, I called the office yesterday afternoon and she was able to meet us this morning. I called another office in town and they said they weren't available until January 13. So, I think we will go with the more accomodating one.
While we were meeting with Dr. Baumgartner, Andy's mom was at the hospital with Nora helping her with her 9 am feeding. She did well. 30-something/54 ml. At noon she drank all 54! Part breastfeeding, part from the bottle. She even downed the bottle after they dumped her nasty smelling vitamins in it. Polyvisol I think it is called. Turns the milk a putried green color and stinks. She didn't seem to mind though.
At 3 pm I gave Nora her first bath! Should have taken a picture but there was no time. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. She didn't enjoy the bath too much, but she seemed fresh and cozy afterwards. I didn't subject her to a bottle after her scream-fest of a bath wore her out. She got to sleep peacefully as her 3 pm meal dripped down her tube. Andy just fed her at 6 pm and she took 49, so I would say she is doing very well today so far.
Andy and I are getting sick of her being in the NICU though. We have started discussing the options for her to come home with her doctors - even if it is before she is eating yet. I think we could handle the feeding tube ourselves at home. There is really no reason for her to be there. She is not critical, not on any medication. During the day Andy and I really do all of her care. The nurses just track data like how many poops and pees and how much she drank. The only thing we don't know how to do yet is change the tube (insert a small tube in her nose and down to her belly). I think we could get her to eat better at home. Realistically, it could take another month or longer for her to master eating and I don't really want to be at the hospital everyday from now until February. I would rather have her home with the tube than at the hospital for that long. Not to mention the costs for just hanging out in the NICU trying to eat must be astronomical. (See my new poll to the right). So if anyone from Plante Moran is reading, you can tell HR that I am trying to save on health care costs by getting her home ASAP and learning how to maintain the tube myself.
My experience has been that you are more likely to be admitted to a hospital for treatment when you have health insurance.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that it's more difficult to get discharged from a hospital when you have health insurance?
Tim and I have been discussing your poll. I think the bill will be smaller than you think. Even though the twins were only in for a little over 2 weeks, it was a lot cheaper than we thought.
ReplyDeleteI hope they come to some conclusion and let you guys go home with Nora and use her feeding tube at home : )
Yeah Nora! Keep up the good eating. I really hope they let you take her home soon. Everyone will be happier there, feeding tube or not.
ReplyDeleteI tried to get Daniel to take the Polyvisol vitamins, too. He would have none of it. I even tried the one without Iron, as I was told it didn't taste as bad. He still will have none of it.
Good luck and hopefully we'll see you soon!