1 Week, 1 Day (GA: 29 Weeks)

Nanette was discharged yesterday and it was a sad moment saying goodbye to the staff at the hospital.  There was no receipt under the door on our last morning and we were surprised to find that hospitals do not have express checkout.  We asked them to send us the bill at their earliest convenience.  Nanette slept at her own home last night.  It was a great night's sleep.  She only got up once to get drugs, wait until they kicked in, and then pumped milk.  She has rested plenty today but still requires plenty of narcotics.

The twins are out of room 1 of the NICU.  Room 1 is sort of like the ER of the NICU.  New deliveries and transfers  go directly to room 1 and the babies are usually pretty sick and/or premature.  Each baby has a dedicated nurse.  They are now in room 2 and share one nurse.

After getting down to 10 assisted breaths per minute yesterday, Gabriel came of his ventilator today.  His FIO2 is at 21% and he is doing great with his unassisted breathing.  He did get a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catherter) last night at 2am.  This is a small tube that is inserted in his arm but is pushed up past his shoulder until it is near a central vein.  This allows for fluids and drugs to be administered for a long time without exhausting his peripheral veins.  For example, Nanette had to have an IV inserted three times in the four days she was on antibiotics this week because the veins get burned and wear down.  They put this new line in because they took out the umbilical lines they had been using because the risk of infection is high if the umbilical lines stay in beyond a week or so.

Zeke is up to 60mL/kg/day on his feedings.  If he can get up to 120mL/kg/day he will not need to get the PICC line.  He is stooling well (TMI?).  And his NIO2 is at 33%.