Hospital Details

The hospital wasn't too bad. Other than the fact that it was very loud and I didn't sleep at all and there was no bed for me, not too bad. The nurses were great and everyone was so kind. I though of "b" who does this every day. I bet it is really fun at some times and pretty awful at others.

I realized today that I haven't spent an entire day with just Norah ever in her whole life. I don't get that long term one on one time with her so it was nice to just have her to deal with. We played a lot. It was kind of sad to see her in the enormous bed. Poor little thing. She looks so small in there, huh? For some reason the plastic at the top of the bed was very interesting to her and she just looked at it.



We didn't have to put the side of the bed up at all because she doesn't really roll over. She is a little bit developmentally delayed, but I didn't think she was too far behind. The nurses informed me that at her age she should be trying to pull up on the sides of the bed and climb out. She should be rolling everywhere. Even with the gestational adjustment, she is definitely on the slow end of the scale. They called in a person who does the OT for the kids to evaluate her. For example, Norah doesn't sit up. When we have tried she starts up doing pretty well for a few seconds...

and then ends up falling over like this after a few seconds.....

For the longest time she didn't put weight on her legs. She has a few hip issues and we thought it was because of that, but really she just didn't like it. We bought one of those baby centers that is suspended on elastic ropes (to make a jumper) and she LOVES it. She will jump for an hour if we leave her in there long enough. So, we know she CAN put weight on the legs, she just doesn't. We just have to help her practice. With sitting and rolling it is the same, she CAN do it she just doesn't. She is a pretty complaisant kid and I think that she just can't be bothered. So, we will need to keep practicing these things with her now. So, the trip to the hospital was worth it if just for that.

The reason they wanted her in the hospital at all was because she had been throwing up for three days previous to the doctor visit. She also hadn't had a wet diaper in 24 hours. I was more concerned about the dehydration than the cough, but when they checked her oxygen level, it was low. It is smack in the middle of RSV season too so they admitted her. She was a great little patient. She didn't cry at all (even when they too blood and did the throat culture) and just lay in her little bed and talked, kicked and cooed. I had to leave at one point to relieve on sitter and wait for the next one and when I got back she had a crib full of toys!! This is how I knew she was tired. She was sleeping on her back in a light room. These are things she never does. EVER. I also love how she is such a little lady. Even when she is sleeping her little fingers look very proper.

This picture shows the little toe sensor. The little red light at the bottom left of the picture is the thing that is supposed to be on her toe. It monitors her oxygen levels. She kept tearing it off (just like she loves to tear off her eye patch.....). We tried putting socks on, we tried leaving her on her tummy, and eventually tried shoes....

The shoes worked pretty well for a while, but then she would just take the cord and pull it until it came off. I must have re taped that thing one thousand times..... They discharged her the next morning and we just had to follow up with the doctor the next few days. She is supposed to pee every six hours or we have to take her back to the hospital. She waits until the 7th hour (and gives me a heart attack each time) and always pees RIGHT before I am ready to rush her out the door. I think that is just another indicator that she just does things in her own time.

Thanks for all the kind words and good wishes. The weekend was a little bit nuts between sick baby, monitoring diapers and dealing with the yuck that the other kids have (both of them are pretty sick too). Derek is off again for a week and so I am on my own again. Lauren is back in school so that will help and hopefully I can get Jacob signed up for a gymnastics class. I figure if he is going to do headstands in his bed, we might as well help him expand his talent. He can also do a headstand on the floor--with nothing to prop him up. He does it yoga style, his legs are bent and he just bends over and very slowly pulls his legs up. He can't do it with his legs extended, but still. This kid is amazing!

Happy Monday to you all!