My first week, weights, and visitors

Tomorrow is a big day, I will be 1 week old already! Here's a peak at what I've been up to, and who has been here to see me this week:

8/1- Happy Birthday Reagan Jean Hulsebus!!

Today I weighed: 500 grams or 1lb 2oz
It was a crazy day! At midnight, Mommy couldn't get comfortable but wasn't concerned. Daddy had a cow out at 1:30 AM and told Mom to call the hospital while he was gone to check in and see if we needed to go to Iowa City. They told Momma that unless she was having painful cramps, coming and going that she was probably fine... by 3:30 AM Mom said, something is not right, Dad said we're going to Iowa City NOW... and its a good thing he did. We walked into labor and delivery at 5:05 AM, the doctor checked Mommy at about 5:10, and by 5:43 I was here... I guess I was showing off my lack of patience. It is a good thing Daddy said lets go when he did!

My first day was a little rocky, all things considered I'm doing pretty well but it is a bit of a guessing game for the doctors and nurses to figure out where my settings all need to be and what makes me comfortable.

Visitors today were:
Grandma and Grandpa Hulsebus
Grandma and Grandpa Benjamin
Uncle Luke Benjamin
Aunt Mari and Uncle Jurgen
Uncle Jason and Aunt Jaime
Matt Linnenbrink
Jamee Nelson

8/2 - Day 1
Today I weighed: 500 grams

Visitors today were:
Grandma and Grandpa Hulsebus
Grandma and Grandpa Benjamin
Great Grandma Jean
Aunt Mari
Aunt Tara and my cousin Olivia
Uncle Luke and Aunt January

I was a squirmy worm all day today! Punching, kicking & just wiggling around, trying to get comfortable in my new enviornment.

8/3 - Day 2
Today I weighed:428 grams or 15 oz

Visitors today were:
Grandma Marilyn
Aunt Nancy Stewart
Aunt Mari
Gavin & Katie Burgess
Kate Essing
Aunt Leslie
my cousin Lauren Hulsebus

Today is the day my mommy is discharged from the hospital. She and Daddy stayed with me until 9:00 PM before going home to get some rest and leaving bright and early to get back to me by 8:30 AM. They were both sad to be away from me overnight, but I was in the very good hands of my night nurse. I also have my own phone line so Mom and Dad can call the hospital and check in with my nurse 24/7. Daddy called at 10:45 before we went to bed, Mommy called at 4 AM when she was awake pumping, and Daddy called again at 5:45 AM when he got up to start chores... These poor nurses may start to hate nights my parents can't stay here!

8/4 - Day 3
Today I weighed: 403 grams or 14 oz

Visitors today were:
Grandma Janet
Aunt Tara
Aunt Joyce
Great Grandma Groene
Aunt Mary Adkins
Aunt Mari, Uncle Jurgen, cousins Blake & Zane
Grandma & Grandpa Hulsebus
Kadie Ritland

8/5 - Day 4
Today I weighed: 345 grams or 12 oz Dr. McElroy says it is time for me to turn the corner and start gaining weight! I'm too tiny!

Today Mommy and Daddy got into a room at the Rossi Volunteer house! That means they will have a room on the 4th floor of the hospital to stay in until I am ready to go home, they are very relieved to be able to stay so close to me, and the nurses are probably relieved that they won't be bombarded by Mommy & Daddy's late night phone call check ins.

Today my lung scans looked great! Dr. McElroy ordered that my Nitric Oxide be turned down from 20 ppm to 5ppm. If I am a good girl and continue to oxygenate well, he will turn it off tomorrow. The Nitric Oxide was turned on my first day here as a way to balance the gasses in my blood, the downside to having it on is that if I am on it for too long, it can impair my ability to make my own. And that is essential to my ability to exchange gasses in my lungs. I've not been on it nearly long enough to cause any harm yet and the Doctors are all impressed with my progress so far.

Visitors today were:
Grandma & Grandpa Benjamin
Uncle Mark, Aunt Leslie & my cousin Lauren
Aunt Tara & my cousin Olivia
Uncle Jason, Aunt Jaime, and my cousins: Josie, Jayden & Jaxon
Father Hoffman

8/6 - Day 5
Today I weighed: 374 grams or 13.1 oz I've decided to listen and start gaining like a good girl :)

Today was a quiet day, just Daddy, Mommy, and Reagan. Enjoyed some quiet time with Daddy this morning and some with Mommy this afternoon. Because I am cooperating and oxygenating very well, Dr. McElroy ordered that my Nitric Oxide be taken completely away! He also said that my awesomeness so far is unbelievale. I am off to a great start and my chances for survival get stronger everyday.

8/7 - Day 6
Today I weighed: 407 grams or 14.3 oz. Yay! working my way back up!

Dr. McElroy says the honeymoon is over... because my lungs are so tiny and so immature, some damage to them is inevitable and today on my lung scans, the first signs of some damage showed up. It is minor and the doctors are changing some of my pressure settings as to not tear or irritate the tissue any more. This means that I will probably get some more surfactant, I have not had any in three days so that is to be expected as well. It is also not irreprable damage, my lungs are still growing and developing and I may repare some of the damage on my own. Even if I end up going home on oxygen, I'll be developing lung tissue until I am 5 years old so I may grow right out of my need for it.

I am still doing very well, keeping oxygenated and my blood gas tests have been pretty good.  I've adjusted well to not having the nitric oxide, so well that they took the machine out of my room! The respiratory therapist said its always a good sign when he gets to wheel that machine out. Dr. McElroy came in a little bit ago and answered some questions for my Mom and Dad, general concensus is that I am doing very well so far.