Well, yesterday was a banner day as far as progress for Jacob. He was completely off the dopamine, completely off all medications. He was also taken off the cpap. All he was receiving was fluids with vitamins and proteins via the IV in his belly button, and his feeding tube, which he is was getting 5ccs of breastmilk every 3 hours.
This morning he was back on the cpap, but still breathing room air-not getting any extra oxygen help. His doctor stated that he was able to breathe ok, and was off any assistance for just over 24 hours, but he was working a little harder to do that than she wanted him to be, so this is just making it a little less stressful on him. They upped the amount of breastmilk he is receiving to 9ccs per feeding, and were working their way up to 12ccs tonight.
This afternoon they removed the IV from his umbilical cord and gave him a "pick line" IV into his arm, which is where he will continue for several days still to receive fluids. After a week or so, the umbilical cord is deteriorating and makes the original IV not nearly as feasible as it was when he was first born. They don't want to risk it falling out or becoming dislodged on it's own, which would cause him to bleed from his belly button. (drama I certainly don't want or need) He was also taken off the phototherapy lights, as his bilirubin levels were much better than 2 days ago.
Removing this IV will make it possible to finally be able to hold him, not just reach into his isolette and touch him with one hand. I am sooo looking forward to that tomorrow! Today he had a very firm grasp on my finger, and had no intentions of letting go when he needed to be changed by the nurses.
He does NOT like being messed with, and has made that clearly evident, as he whimpers and cries whenever they change his diaper, or move him. He prefers to either be curled up on his tummy, or stretched out completely on his side, but he doesn't like it on his back. The nurse came to change his dirty diaper today, and forgot to "cover" him first, and ended up having to change out all the blankets in his bed because he pee'd all over them :) After he was all cleaned up and settled in he stretched out both legs, crossed his feet, and tucked one arm behind his head like he was lounging poolside getting a tan. I wish I could have taken a picture of it, it was too funny, but he was still under the phototherapy lights so his whole face was basically hidden behind the cpap and the shades over his eyes.
We'll make an attempt for pictures tomorrow when hopefully we'll be able to get some where you can actually see his face.
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