April 18, 2008 A Better Day

I got into the NICU around 9 this morning and I saw that Paula was our day nurse again. My heart was racing a mile a minute because I was still extremely sensitive from what had happened last night. I was very quiet, and really didn't to talk to anyone. I didn't even want to lift up the blanket on the isolette to see Kaydence because I felt like I would be bothering her and it would cause her to waste her calories.

Paula came over to ask me how I was doing, and as I was holding back tears, I told her I was fine. She kept asking me if I was sure, and that she wanted to talk about it. Well, that did it for me, and I started bawling my eyes out again. She sat and talked to me off and on (while checking on the babies) for about an hour and a half. I cried so hard and explained to her how devastated I was from what Terry had scolded me about. I started with day one of my arrival, and pointed out name by name of what each nurse had taught me and what each surgeon an physician had told me to do. I am there to help, I am my baby's biggest fan to help in any way to keep her healthy. Never once have I been told anything negative by anyone in that hospital. All the nurses have encouraged my help and have went out of their way to teach me about every detail and every procedure that was being done on my baby. That is my right, because she is my child, and I can't imagine being anywhere else but right there until she comes home.

Apparently, word spread fast last night and the Fortney's made a phone call to their night nurse to talk to him about it. When shift change at 7 a.m. came along this morning, the nurse manager had Terry in the office to discuss what happened. The nurse manager has not released the details about what is going to happen, but I heard that she is in some major trouble. From what I was told, I am not the first person that she has done that to, and this situation finally made the NICU put their foot down. Paula told me that I am welcomed there whole-heartedly and I have every right to want to learn about the procedures and daily cares of Kaydence. Also, my feelings and well being is just as important to the nurses as the baby's well being. So after my big cry with her, she did tell me that Tara (the nurse manager) wanted to have a meeting with me before I left. Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to speak with her because I had to leave the hospital shortly after the baby's 12:00 feed.

The Fortney's offered to drive me home today so that Larry did not have to make an 11 hour trip. We left after the noon feeding, went to the apartment, packed my stuff in the car and headed out. It was a nice trip home, but I felt bad for leaving the hospital so early. We picked up Kaylee from Izzy's, and Larry got home shortly after we did.

Larry was so excited to catch me up on everything that happened at the academy. He had a wonderful 3 days back and teared up when he was talking about how Kaydence has touched so many hearts in Charleston. So many eyes have been opened to how precious life can be. The cards that were given to us by everyone there were amazing to read, because so many people are praising God with us. Larry even said that he knows that Kaydence has helped bring one of his fellow officers to Christ. Now how awesome is that!

Update:
She is very stable with her saturation
She knows how to frown and stick out her lower lip
She has passed all the meconium out of her system
Lots of green dirty diapers
She is still eating every 3 hours
They are rotating her feeds from her mouth and her feeding tube so save her energy
They are continuing to increase her feeds every 6 hours
Still sleeping a lot...and that is great because it is allowing her to repair her body