Another day filled with ups and downs... This morning I arrived at the hospital early because the girls were having their first appointments with the eye doctor. Premature babies' eyes are monitored carefully for a condition known as ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). It has to do with the undeveloped blood vessels in the eye. The oxygen levels that premature babies receive can also increase the chances of developing the eye disease and/or worsen the condition. Luckily, by the time the nurses called me in, the exams were over. I wasn't disappointed that I missed the girls' reactions to their eyes being dilated and held open by special tools for the exam. First good news of the day...doctor reported that neither girl shows any signs of ROP! However, we're not out of the woods just yet... the condition often develops between birth and 40-50 weeks gestation, so the girls will continue to be monitored weekly for the next few months.
Devyn after her eye exam.
"Turn off the lights! It's too bright!" -Devyn
More good news...both girls gained weight again last night! The nurse weighed Devyn three times because she couldn't believe what she was seeing....Devyn gained over 4 ounces! She now weighs 4 lbs. 8 oz.!!! The doctor actually prescribed her medicine to release some of the fluids in her body, as a 4 ounce gain is not normal. Kinley gained an ounce herself and is now 3 lbs. 11 oz.
"This gaining-weight business is EASY!" -Devyn
The down side of having the eye exams, even with the positive reports, was the strain it put on the girls. Both had a difficult breathing day with increased oxygen support. The doctor ordered that Kinley be put back on her CPAP flow (with air pressure) to prevent her from having to work too hard to breathe. 
Rough day. -Kinley
Tonight the neurologist came to speak to us about Kinley's bleeds. I learned that her bleeds are actually still Grade 1 (the least serious), which is good news because that means they're not growing. Rather it's the effect of the bleed that is a Grade 2. When the brain bleeds, it can damage the area around the bleed, which is what appears to have happened to Kinley. When she is healthy enough, and old enough, to have a MRI, it will give us a much clearer picture of the damage to her brain. It is possible that she will have no lasting effects. But it is also possible that she may encounter delays or difficulty with motor skills such as rolling over, walking, etc. Only time will tell.
So what if she's only the "baby" by one minute?!?!
Hello!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment