So much to know and learn. Baby GL has just sat back while Mom and Dad have been put to the test. We had to learn feedings, medications, lung treatments, and all his at home equipment. It's a lot of information being crammed into a short period of time. You would think that after 6 months this would all run very smoothly. For the most part it has but it still feels like we need more time.
Tuesday night was my slumber night with Baby GL. I learned his at home monitor system and lung treatments earlier in the evening. I continued to also learn his medications and schedule. We'll be doing most everything the nurses were doing but at home now. On his home monitor we were able to go into the parenting room where I was alone with Baby GL. He still had oxygen and his crib. In order to make things a little easier for our nights Baby GL will be on a continuous feed even at home. The pump only runs for 4 hours at a time so we still have to get up to add milk and reset the pump. During our overnight Baby GL slept throughout must of the night. He fusses a little and is an early riser. It was really peaceful, thought, just having him to myself.
All of Wednesday was dedicated to all the last minute items. I must have met every department in the hospital; Speech, OT, Nutrition, Surgical, and more. There were papers to sign, techniques to learn, even recipes for fortifying his milk.
By noon Baby GL finally had his eye exam. We've never been there for that so it was interesting to watch. It was quick and he's not a fan of the doctor poking around his eyes. The doctor gave him another 2 weeks until she'll see him again so great news for no laser surgery yet.
After the eye exam Baby GL went into the OR with the ENT doctor to have his throat and lungs looked at again. Last time ENT saw him there were some cysts beneath his vocal box. The doctor decided it best to remove them. That procedure went great. The only thing I wasn't aware of was for the end of the procedure he needed to be intubated. My understanding was that it was necessary because of the anesthesia they gave him could cause apnea. That left us hanging because it's always unknown how long he'll need to stay intubated. After the procedure was complete and he was back in his room he was doing well enough to extubate. Great news because keeping the breathing tube would've pushed back his homecoming.
Into Wednesday evening Baby GL had his car seat test which he passed. I guess he really liked it. Just something else to check off his list that the nurse actually had on the door with everything else that needed to get done before discharge.
So Thursday; medications needed to be picked up, the resident doctor was scheduling all Baby GL's appointments, the picc line finally came out. Baby GL was so close. The amount of papers needing to be signed was crazy. The list of appointments we have to remember to get to was even crazier. He needs to go to the endocrine lab, ENT, eye doctor, hearing doctor, surgical, GI, his pediatrician and more. We're booked out for a few months.
After all was said and done we finally got to go home. Baby GL had his first ride in his car seat. He wasn't thrilled at first to get bundled in but after we got into the car and started moving he just watched out the window like a natural road tripper. Most people find the car seat cumbersome enough to carry, well, with Baby GL we had the car seat, the oxygen tank and the home monitor. We didn't have the diaper bag yet which will just be something else to carry.
He's at home, he's crying and fussy, but we're working hard to make him just as happy as we are to finally have him home.
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