Gabe Update #8

Gabe had a great night last night. He ate his bottle feedings in full. That was great news except that he did so well he wore himself out. He would not wake up at all today. I tried to breastfeed him and it was a total fail. Then I tried to bottle feed him and he took 2 ml- that is less than 1/2 a teaspoon. He ended up getting gavage feedings. I hate that moving forward meant moving backwards too. He looked peaceful today though so I guess all in all it is OK. Kenneth and I ended up going home earlier than we had planned because it was clear he just needed to be in his isolette sleeping. It is crazy the amount of energy he expends when just being held or trying to keep himself warm. There is still not even a mention of him coming home. I called and spoke with our short term disability insurance today and they will quit paying on April 6. So I guess that is when I will have to go back to work. It makes me sad because that means I may only have 2 or 3 weeks at home with him before I have to go back to work. I am thankful however that I work 12 hour shifts so that means I will only have to be gone 3 days a week. I may try going back at only 2 days a week for a bit until things get a little more routine around here. My disability only paid 60% of my salary so we are used to the cut anyway. We shall see. It will work out. It always does and therefore I am not going to worry myself over it. In an ideal world I would stay home a couple of months but as I well know, this is no ideal world. God has always provided what we need and I have no reason to believe this time will be any different. As I was changing Gabe's clothes today and holding him I really realized how abnormal Anna's muscle tone was from the very beginning. Gabe is so much more relaxed and easy to handle. All of the neonatologists have been great but we especially like the one who was here today- Dr. Marinelli. He is a really neat man. He has been practicing in the field almost since its beginning in the late 70's and early 80's. He has written many of the guidelines and papers about neonatology. I enjoy getting to just chit chat with him. He is so knowledgeable and really puts Kenneth and I both at ease. Even he says he cannot explain Gabe's hypertension but says the fact that Gabe is a nurse's kid probably has something to do with it. For some reason, the child of a doctor or nurse will do all kinds of funky stuff with no explanation. It's the nurse curse. I am hoping tomorrow brings more alert time and better feedings but as I have said before, it will come, in his own time...