Lilypie Premature Baby tickers

Sunday, November 13, 2011

On the Mend

I just wanted to update everyone real quick. . .

The girls are both on the mend with their colds, especially Jillian who got hit the worst. There is no more coughing or congestion or yucky mucous to deal with. The next month or so they will still need meds to maintain their healthy lungs but so long as we are not dealing with the bad stuff I am a-ok with giving them an inhaler twice a day to maintain the status quo.

Thank you for your prayers, they have definitely been answered.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Preemie Lungs and Winter Do Not Mix Well Together

As I've mentioned in previous posts the girls both have colds. We are on week 7 or so of the girls both dealing with one virus or another. If I've read their symptoms correctly we are on virus #3 or so. They catch one cold and get better from it only to catch other virus before totally getting over the previous one. It has become a viscous cycle. Fortunately it seems as though Britian is on the mend thanks in part to the medication that was prescribed earlier this week. Her breathing is much easier and she isn't coughing all night like before.

Jillian on the other hand did not improve when we started the same medication earlier this week. Her breathing was of such concern to me yesterday that she saw an on-call pediatrician (so happened to be the one that was on call the night the girls were born) in the night clinic. He agreed that she was still wheezing so we did a breathing treatment there in the office which seemed to help improve her lung sounds a bit. Ultimately he prescribed an oral steroid and a nebulizer, both to help with her breathing. He also prescribed an antibiotic the help with her nasal congestion and to clear up an ear infection that might have been starting. So currently my little peanut is on 4 different medications, all of which have to be staggered at different times and given a minimum of twice every day. Needless to say, I've taken to writing down the times I give her each of her medications so that I don't miss a dose and also so I make sure that I am not giving certain medications too close to each other.

My baby girl needs lots and lots of prayers again. Her little lungs are struggling and Winter hasn't even officially begun. I sure hope this isn't a sign of what is to come this season. Thankfully, after just a day of the new regiment of meds her breathing is much better and she actually slept decent last night.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

8 month update

Yesterday the girls and I made the long drive back to the "big city" for their high risk check-up. Both girls are growing and developing wonderfully.

Britian is a whopping 16lbs 11oz and nearly 26"

Jillian is cruising right along at her own pace. She is 13lbs 3oz and 24" long.

When we left the nicu 6 months ago neither girl was on the growth chart. Now not only are they both on one curve or another but from one appointment to another they are jumping curves. At nearly 17 pounds Britian is 50% for her adjusted age weight. Even my peanut Jillian is on the curve somewhere for all of her measurements. After starting life so small it does my momma heart good to know they are growing so well without medical intervention.

We did learn yesterday that both girls are RAD. No, not rad like back in the 80's but RAD as in reactive airway disease. Considering their lung issues this really is no surprise and will impact their lives minimally. They have inhalers now and are using them twice a day for the next month or so. As I mentioned in a previous post they have a cold virus, yep for 6 weeks now they've had a virus to one degree or another. At yesterday's appointment they had "musical wheezing" as their neonatologist put it, not the typical one tone wheeze but rather a nice musical one with a variety of tones. The inhaler will help clear up their lungs and maybe even help their sinus congestion which I am all for!

Developmentally both girls are doing great which is always nice to hear. As a micro preemie parent, fine and gross motor development is always on your mind.

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and words of support!