Almost 4 days old!

Wow. I would have thought we had been here 4 weeks, not 4 days. While it's certainly gone fast- a whirlwind of sleepless nights and revolving door days- it's also felt like forever. I hear most kids don't have it so crazy, but he's not here because he's premature. He's here because they are trying to identify a diagnosis. So there are a lot of specialists involved. And they all come at different times in the day. (Would be nice if they came as a team like when they do rounds or something.)

I know you're here for the pictures, not to listen to me report things so I don't forget them. So here's a current fave. 

I cannot wait to be able to dress this kid and take pictures. Maybe tomorrow after the catheter comes out. He'll still have all of his monitors but maybe we can hide the worst of it....

Today's we had a visit from ortho.  Confirmed bilateral club foot and also that he hyper extends his knees. Luckily,  treatment for the feet should work for the knees too. Plan to send him home with a 90 degree splint,  at least for the right leg to hold over until casting.  Should start casting next week.  Hips were reported normal.

Also, a visit from urology. Catheter will be removed in the am. They will place a bed wetting monitor in his diaper and when he urinated they will straight cath to check for residual urine in the bladder.  Praying so hard there is none. If he isn't able to fully empty himself, we will likely be taught to catheter him so we can go home.  If catheters aren't working,  he will likely need a vesicostomy to drain the bladder.  (A vesicostomy is a stoma (opening) created between the bladder and the abdomen. This allows urine to drain freely, with low pressure, to help protect and prevent harm to the kidneys.) So hopeful we don't have to do either of those!

Physical therapy came by. Showed me some stretches for his feet. I'm so sleep deprived I can't really remember any of what she said or did. No matter, he'll be getting lots of stretching once his casts come off. 

His creatinine level had dropped again to .28. That is awesome news, means the kidneys are doing what they are supposed to right now.  Huge win.

Lastly, bad news. Judah had a bradycardia episode while sleeping last night. His heart rate hit 55 and he wasn't breathing. It was totally due to reflux, I watched it happen. He held his breath and the nurse was able to stimulate him to breathe by rubbing his sternum. It was just like Noah used to do. Sometimes it would take 20 seconds to get him to breathe. 

Well, they kinda freaked out. Apparently that heart rate is low enough to start chest compressions on a newborn. It's an automatic 5 day stay afterward for monitoring. I know the NICU doc saw the painc on my face. She said since both I and the nurse said it was reflux related, they would only keep him 2 days for it if it didn't happen again. Please pray it was an isolated incident! I want to go home but obviously want him safe most importantly. 

There was probably more, but I can't remember anything else. Still hoping/praying/ begging for a Monday discharge.