14th Posting: A Talk with the Doctor

Chris had a great talk with the neonatologist.  She was very up front with him on a lot of things and gave us an idea of where we are and where we're headed.

She is ecstatic about Luke.  Dr. Katie told Chris every day when she sees our baby, she is amazed at how well he is doing.  This doctor has been working for over 25 years and out of all the babies she's dealt with in similar situations, Luke is making the best progress.  Dr. Katie also mentioned he'll probably be on the oscillating ventilator for another month.  I can't tell you how much it meant to have some type of time frame.  To us, it seems like Luke has been in the same spot for so long.  Was this expected?  What was okay?  We had no clue and now we do!

Chris also discussed Luke's "blue" episodes.  The doctor says it's because of the secretions Luke's been having due to the ventilator tube.  He's had an infection in his throat for a couple of weeks now but things are getting better and starting to loosen up.  Because of  this, the secretions are blocking his tube and his oxygen.  The doctor also reminded Chris this is one of the reasons why Luke is still in the hospital.

I'm so glad Chris had this talk.  We both feel a little more grounded now.

On another note, Luke had his first bath.  All that preemie fur that was on him washed away and his skin looks so soft.  He also weighs about four pounds.  I love seeing his face chub out a bit.  He's looking cuter all the time.

For my recovery, things are getting better.  I can move around at a steady pace for most of the day even though it's still a lot slower than it used to be.  My incision doesn't hurt, but it feels numb.  Weird but normal.  The only pain I've been having is in my legs as they are shocked into doing things they haven't done in months!  My days of being treated like a princess are over.  Yesterday I was doing laundry, ironing, and helping the kids get ready for Thanksgiving at the in-laws.  I mentioned how tired I was and the response was, "Why?"  Yup, definitely getting back to normal, but...that's okay.