Day 37 and Counting

Well, today was day 37 in the NICU for the babies, but who's counting? Lots has happened since my last update. Every day things change. We take steps forward and then back and then forward again especially with Mickey, who likes to keep us on our toes. He was taken off of C-pap, only to be put back on 2 days later just like with the breathing tube. We have learned if we rush him, he goes backwards, so we have to be careful. They took him off C-Pap again yesterday and so far so good. I hope its permanent this time so he can start focusing on other things. He weighs 4 pounds 10 ounces, Georgia is 4 pounds 1 ounce and Jolynne is 3 pounds 7 ounces. She has a lot of trouble gaining weight but the last couple days have been better. Her surgery is scheduled for December 16th, where they will put her intestines back together. We were ecstatic to actually get a date set in stone and its sooner than we thought. Originally they told us after Christmas. Still she will be in the NICU awhile. After the surgery she goes back on the breathing tube and starts her feedings from square one, all over again until her intestines learn what to do. This could take weeks or even longer. we are hoping our little fighter pushes forward as she always has and comes home before the doctors actually estimate she will. Maybe she will surprise us.

Georgia is on her way to coming home. Maybe another week or two. She is taking about 65% of her food on her own now and not through the feeding tube. As soon as she can take the rest on her own and maintain her body temp, she will be able to join us here. Her and Jolynne were moved to the continuing care part of the NICU. You are supposed to not have any IVs or oxygen before going there but they made an exception for Jolynne so she could be with her sister. They each have a room but they connect so I can see both of them from where I sleep. Its very quiet there without all the beeps and alarms going off and much more privacy. Once Jolynne has her surgery she will have to go back to the regular NICU where they can monitor her more closely. I spent the last two nights there and I am sore, tired and just plain spent. Georgia's schedule is every 3 hours and Jo's is every 4 so that's, 5pm and (6 pm), 9pm and (9pm), 12 pm and (1pm), 3pm, 5pm, (6pm). Jo's times are in parenthesis. So you can see how much I am awake. Since they are both at 9pm, I usually start to sleep at 10:30 by the time they have both been fed and changed and then up again at 12pm until 2pm, and then up again at 3pm, and then 5pm, etc. Jo's on a four hour schedule because she is on continuous feeds through a tube to help her gain weight until the surgery. I look forward to them both being on a 3 hour schedule, which will still be difficult given the time it takes to feed and change each one, but it will better than it is now. Right now feeding can take awhile because they are still learning so everything is not working like clockwork yet. Georgia has explosions every time we change her diaper and that's another reason it takes so long. Last night we had to completely take apart the isolate to clean it, so you can use your imagination. As tired as I am, its still very exciting for me. I love being next to them all night and all these little things that take time, they also make me smile. I am so very happy to be dealing with it all. Tonight I am taking a break though and staying home. The first night was not too bad but I think it caught up to me today. I don't want to overdo it before they even get home. I hope Mickey can join the girls in continuing care soon. He needs to master his breathing before they will consider it and he has not even started to nipple feed, he has a ways to go but we think he is over the hump.

All in all though they are getting better and bigger every day. It is a slow process and as sick as I am of that hospital, these babies really do grow fast and I see them change daily. I cant wait for next week when Santa visits the NICU. It will be the first pictures of all three triplets together, the first time they will be together again since being inside me. I know I will be crying. Hopefully my next entry will be about Georgia coming home. Everybody cross your fingers and toes!