Thursday 8 November 2012
In the green zone !
Well, it's been a while, sorry for not updating you all sooner. Here goes....
Big day today. We left the RVI for the last time, as Alice is currently being transferred to South Shields hospital as she's no longer classed as high dependency. Which I'm sure you'll all agree is amazeballs/awesomesauce
GREEN ZONE BABY!
Yep, after several weeks in the high dependency blue area she was moved through to the green area at the weekend. Which we were (and still are) amazed at. It's all started to move so quickly over the last couple of weeks to be honest, so I'll try and summarise:
Breathing - currently on low-flow oxygen, which is what she'll come home on. For how long we're not certain, but expectations are months rather than weeks.
Weight - A whopping 5 pounds and 3.5 ounces. Which is HUUUGE compared to my last update!.
Feeds - today she finally "latched-on" (sorry for the terminology Catherine!) and had a full feed from Mam!
Heart - No more apnea, de-saturations or issues with the open duct, but it still isn't fully closed so we'll keep a close eye on it
Temperature - She's currently in a normal cot, without any temperature control other than clothes, a small hat and socks (one of which she keeps hoofing off round the cot)
Noise - She's now shouting at feed times, nappy change times and generally at anyone who will listen, which is awesome, but I may regret saying that when it's 4am and she's at home doing it.... !!!
So, in a nutshell, I think we're not far off getting her home. Just to need to establish feeds and do a few more tests.... We can almost see the finish line!!!
However, it felt quite sad leaving the RVI. We've made some good friends over the last 13 weeks both patients and staff. I compared it to Stockholm syndrome, which the nurses didn't like as it suggests they're the prison guards.... :-P
Hopefully the next update will be my final one, as she'll be home and I probably won't have the time or energy to update this blog..... which, weirdly, I'm looking forward to.
Thanks
Geoff & Catherine
Big day today. We left the RVI for the last time, as Alice is currently being transferred to South Shields hospital as she's no longer classed as high dependency. Which I'm sure you'll all agree is amazeballs/awesomesauce
GREEN ZONE BABY!
Yep, after several weeks in the high dependency blue area she was moved through to the green area at the weekend. Which we were (and still are) amazed at. It's all started to move so quickly over the last couple of weeks to be honest, so I'll try and summarise:
Breathing - currently on low-flow oxygen, which is what she'll come home on. For how long we're not certain, but expectations are months rather than weeks.
Weight - A whopping 5 pounds and 3.5 ounces. Which is HUUUGE compared to my last update!.
Feeds - today she finally "latched-on" (sorry for the terminology Catherine!) and had a full feed from Mam!
Heart - No more apnea, de-saturations or issues with the open duct, but it still isn't fully closed so we'll keep a close eye on it
Temperature - She's currently in a normal cot, without any temperature control other than clothes, a small hat and socks (one of which she keeps hoofing off round the cot)
Noise - She's now shouting at feed times, nappy change times and generally at anyone who will listen, which is awesome, but I may regret saying that when it's 4am and she's at home doing it.... !!!
So, in a nutshell, I think we're not far off getting her home. Just to need to establish feeds and do a few more tests.... We can almost see the finish line!!!
However, it felt quite sad leaving the RVI. We've made some good friends over the last 13 weeks both patients and staff. I compared it to Stockholm syndrome, which the nurses didn't like as it suggests they're the prison guards.... :-P
Hopefully the next update will be my final one, as she'll be home and I probably won't have the time or energy to update this blog..... which, weirdly, I'm looking forward to.
Thanks
Geoff & Catherine
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