“I`m a greedy old man. Life`s been good to me, and I want some more of it.”- John Wayne

October 11^th: It is crazy how you can go from park to overdrive in the hospital. Today big things happened. But first who can remember what Duke needs to do to get out of the hospital? Let me refresh your memory so you don’t have to scroll down too much…

                        1. Breathe without the ventilator (check)

                        2. Maintain his temperature (check)

                        3. Be able to feed via his mouth or tube

                        4. Be over 5 pounds

                        5. Breathe and maintain his stats without an oxygen support

Today we can check off number 4. Duke’s weight today was 5 pounds 4 ounces. This was a lovely surprise because he has been so neutral on his weight lately I was so happy to hear about him growing. They have increased his feeds to 45 CC’s of breast milk and the Zantax to help with his reflux has made his eating so much easier on him.

            They are working on number 5 in a couple of different ways. The doctors had his liter pressure (the pressure of the air coming in through the Vapo-Therm for his oxygen) moved from 8 to 7. This is a start to getting him off because he has been comfortable at 8 liters since he has been off the ventilator. He took the change like a champ. He didn’t destat (change his breathing) when the change occurred. They are going to give him a few days to see how he does and then we are down to 6 liters or pressure. Also here is a fun fact the air we breathe is 21% oxygen. Duke is down to a 24% oxygen setting and does fine.

            The occupational therapist took off the belly band today to put on a new band. Duke is not a fan of the band being removed and fussed a load. She looked at him breathe a while and assessed he didn’t need a new one put on because his breathing is much stronger and from his diaphragm rather than his ribs. What we are going to work on next is having his chest grow stronger with designated “tummy time” or time we put him on his stomach for specific times during the day. We are also going to work more strategically about his feedings to get him use to a bottle he will work with a pacifier during each feeding.

            The only odd thing is Duke has a little secretion thing going on with his eyes. The nurse said this is common with babies and one day of an eye ointment will have him right as rain. Looking forward to each day with this little guy…now we are off to newborn clothes.