October 14, 2013: Rosie back to the hospital

Here is the post I wrote on Rosie's blog:

We went in for Rosie's dr. appt. on October 14.  We had just switched pediatrician offices and had only met one dr. while in the hospital.  The original dr. was sick and so we saw Dr. Fowler.  I was really impressed with her and felt like she was a great listener and very knowledgeable. (Her daughter had been under the lights 3 separate times with jaundice)

October 14th 

 While there, she could see that the jaundice had moved down through Rosie's abdomen and to her ankles.  She was concerned that Rosie wasn't waking enough, eating enough or having enough diapers.  She was right, I could tell something was off.   

October 14th

No matter how many meconium diapers she had (and she had a few  meconium blowouts), they weren't letting up.  She just continued to have more and would go several, SEVERAL hours between wet diaper changes.  Sometimes up to 12+ hours with a dry diaper.   She slept all the time.  I don't even mean newborn sleep, but all the time.  She would wake up to cry in the middle of the night because she had gone so many hours in between feedings.  We would try everything to wake her, but sometimes she just wouldn't wake up, so I'd force feed her, she'd get mad and wouldn't nurse, but scream. 

I ended up pumping a little, just to be able to force the bottle in, get her interested enough to eat and then nurse.  It was hard at 2 a.m.!  :)

Anyway,  Dr. Fowler told us that we needed to go to the closest hospital (St. Johns) to get some test done.  We got a call around 5:50 that night that her levels were 21.3!  They had soared and were getting to dangerous levels.  We had to go to the hospital right then.    I.was.a.wreck.  Days 3-5 postpartum are the hardest for me.  I cry easily and stability is a great thing...and this was not stable. 

Luke's parents were flying in that night (around 7) and so, we rushed around getting everything repacked and everyone in the car.  Luke dropped me off at the hospital and went off to the airport. 

Did I mention I was a wreck?  I cried at admitting, I cried walking up to the room, I cried after we were in the room.  It was horrible.  The nurses were very understanding, the male doctor?  Not as much.  He wasn't mean, just didn't understand what this hormonal mama was going through.

Almost immediately they wanted her to nurse.  She did a pretty good job and then they put her in the incubator.  I know it was necessary, I know it didn't hurt her, BUT I had been holding her whenever I wanted  and now I couldn't do it when I wanted to.  It broke my heart. 

This broke my heart.  My sweet little Rosie.

The dr. didn't think my milk was in and so later the nurses came in and told me that I may have to supplement with formula.  That part killed me.  I like that I am able to nurse and give my kids something.  After I had pumped quite a bit, the nurses weren't too worried that my milk HAD in fact come in. 

I asked Luke to come back to the hospital and sleep there.  I just needed that extra support.  I still cried and had a hard time because SHE would cry and we weren't supposed to take her out and hold her.  It was nice having Luke there to support me.

Every dirty/wet diaper got weighed. 

During the night, we took her out of the incubator to hold her.  We put the lower light on her back and just held her.  It was so nice, but very awkward to keep the paddle on her back.  They came in to take her blood around 4.  It came back later at 19.1.  Not low enough.  Part of it was our fault.  We had held her too much and she needed to be under the lights as much as possible.

Around 5:40 a.m. she nursed, but then wouldn't settle down and ended up crying.  A lot.  It was excruciating for her and for us.  Luke had to leave to get back to the other kids and I didn't know what else to do.  Finally around 6 I went out to the nurses' station..yes, choking up and crying.   I told them that I just needed to walk around and relax without hearing her cry.   The nurse sent me over to the Ronald McDonald room down the hall.  It was a GODSEND!  I was able to go in and take a nap for a little bit.

The nurse came in a bit later and asked if they could give her a little bit of a bottle.  I was so exhausted that I said, yes.   I fell back asleep and woke up around 7, took a shower and then went back to the room.  Rosie had eaten 1/2 oz and was out.  She had cried enough to not move.  She ended up sleeping for almost 5 hours.

My friend Tanya came by and saved me.  I just needed something to take my  mind off everything and of course, everything is better in the morning, right?  We took Rosie out to hold her and Tanya yelled "She wants to eat!!"  Haha, it seriously made my day!  She ate pretty well and I felt better about everything.

Here is the next day.  She is looking so much better here.

They came in and took the blood work again.  When it came back, several hours later, it was only at 14 (something), but the dr. was pretty lenient and said she was going to discharge us.  Thank goodness!

Rosie is 5 weeks old and her coloring is starting to really look a lot better.  Her eyes are still yellow, but I have heard that is the last to go.  

This was taken on November 16th (5 weeks 2 days old)

October 12: Being home

Grandma and Grandpa Blonquist couldn't wait to get here.  We are so thankful they came and helped out.  Grandma Uschi cooked meals, cleaned up and held Rosie for several hours throughout the night.  It was nice being able to sleep uninterrupted :)

Grandma reading a book to the kiddos:
                                          

Daddy getting some holding time with Rosie:

Rosie, Sunday the 13th (jaundiced)

Never a dull moment like I mentioned in a previous post.  Right before my parents were getting ready to leave, the light in our 2nd bathroom kept flickering.  Luckily they caught it in time and Luke and Grandpa were able to get it fixed..and then they were on the road.  Talk about perfect timing!

Thanks for coming out and helping us transition to a family..of 6!  We love you!

The next day: October 11th

October 11^th: We asked to be released the next day, so we could get home to our other kids.  The nurse told us that we could, if her bilirubin levels were ok and she had all the newborn screenings done.  The Nurse did the bilirubin test 3 times and it came back 8.5, 8 and 7.?  We asked where it needed to be and she told us under 5. They sent her off to the nursery to get tested.  After several hours, we still hadn't heard the news..so we took a nap and then around 4, Luke called the nurse in and they said her levels were fine, but we needed to follow up with the dr. on Monday.

                                          

A little photo shoot while waiting to leave the hospital:

Rosie's going home outfit

Our welcome home!We are so lucky to have such great friends.  Nancy came over early to take the kids, Pat took care of Mac for a few hours and then Tanya took over.  On Thursday, she  took Mac to and from school, got the kids AFTER school, brought them to the hospital, took our kids overnight and throughout the day on Friday.  Then, THEN she cleaned our home, decorated it, made a HUGE dinner and the diaper cake and edible cake pictured below.  Talk about a gem!  Thank you!