Lots' the update you all on!
We had the double hernia scheduled for Oct 3rd. 1 out of every 4 boys are born with hernias - just a little fun fact. Plans changed when on Thursday the 18th I took him into the ER at Maine Med cause the hernias had increased in size. They had literally grown to the size of my fist. There was a member of my hernia doctor's team (AKA Urologist) in the ER and they checked Ben out and advised me to come in the next day. The surgery itself went very well. My mom was with me the whole time. I felt bad cause it was their week in Popham when all this was going on. They were able to do it laproscopically (sp?) and there isn’t even a scar. They usually only give Tylenol and Motrin after surgery but because the hernias were so huge Ben was in screaming pain for 4 hours in the recovery room. They had to go through fetenol, then a coddle (basically a shot in his spine) then finally morphine is the only thing that would help. So we stayed over Friday night and then he couldn't’t go to the bathroom. He had been having trouble for a couple days anyway. So they give him suppositories. And then we went home. Then by Sunday I felt as tough something was wrong. So we took him back to Maine Med emergency. Of course there was a 4 hour wait. Every wacky person you could imagine was in there Sunday night - people in hand cuffs, drunk, etc. But I called the surgeon and said I am NOT waiting 4 hours with a 5 ½ month old so they got us in 2 hours. They said he is upset cause of trying to go to the bathroom and trying to push on his bowels when they are probably very sore and swollen. So they gave him another suppository and more to take home. No day care Monday – another day of work missed. Then Tuesday I drop him off and I go to a very important training that I could not miss because it is required for my much needed promotion. Day care calls by 10:30 and thank goodness my dad dropped everything to pick him up. (As a side note I honestly do not think I would have been able to keep my job or my head on straight if it was not for my Mom and Dad) Then I left work at 3 pm. Out of work Wed…still no BM for the little guy. Thursday same thing- but called surgeon and they said it is ok and to just keep up with the suppositories. Now it is Friday and still out of work -So I call pediatrician. She said NO MORE suppositories. Prune juice now. So I give him prune juice – ½ oz to ½ water. He gives me an evil eye and spits it out. This spitting things (baby food, drinks) right at me his his new trick). So then I snuck some in to his formula. Within an hour he was a almost popping a blood vessel but he went!!!! So Sat he got more prune juice and Sunday he actually went on his own.
Ben was 4 months old on August 3rd and is over 7 lbs! YEAH! I just checked in with the doc to see where he is in comparison to a full term baby and he is about 3 lbs off - for a smaller full term baby. I was origianlly comparing him to my friend's baby Mason who is one month older than Ben but 17 lbs - and that was just a bad comparison. Mason is a very large baby! (Lindsay, you have big kids!! :) Mason is just blowing him away - I mean he has TEETH!!! :)
As I mentioned in the last posting, Ben's pic was going to be on the wall at Maine Med...and voila!
Thank goodness this week is over! I am always pretty tired by Friday. Getting up at 3:45 am each day to go see Ben then go to work tends to be a little exhausting...but so worth it! He is so cute. He actually is awake and waiting for me when I get there at 4:30 am and pm. Eating is so not an issue! He nurses for a little bit then still gets his full meal. This is a good thing and it is paying off! He gains at least an ounce a night!
Ok...I am assuming most of you moms out there have already experienced what I am about to write - but this was a first for me and I was in shock at first....then quite impressed!
I went in to see Ben at 5 last night and I change his diaper when I get there. Well he was a bit gassy so I kinda hold his little legs up and he gets it all out. Well I must have held him up a little high cause all of a sudden he had projectile poop across his entire issolette. I mean like a 2 foot shot and hit the plastic wall on the other side. It was so much poop that they had to actually get a new machine for him. Then when I finally get him to the non-poop side of the issolette and start to put on yet another diaper the little guy pees all over the place. I am just not quite fast enough with the pee-pee cover yet. I have been peed on before so that wasn't anything new but the other thing....that was incredible. Like I said - shocked at first then I was quite impressed with the little guy's power! :) (I know this was kinda gross but I found it so amusing)
He gained another ounce overnight. He is getting big fast (well to me anyway)...2 lbs 7 oz as of this morning. I think I also found a day care. I of course am not 100% in love with it but I think I will find something I don't like in each day care. I wish I could stay home with him but that is not gonna happen so I need to just deal with the fact that I wont like dropping him off each day but I am a good judge of character so I am sure he will be just find and I have to trust my instincts. Also, this day care is right next door to the police station and the fire station and there are nurses there all day. It is located about 3 miles from my house and 2 miles from my parents - right in between. So I am gonna sign him up and I figure worst case scenario it does not end up being a good fit and I look for another establishment.
Up next...Sarah (she and her boyfriend have been amazing helpers) is going to paint my bedroom. I think we are going to do it this weekend. Ben is going to be sleeping in his cradle in my room so I wanted to get it all nice before he comes home. I can't even out into words how incredible my Dad has been. He has refinished a bureau and a changing table, painted Ben's room, washed all the rugs in my place, stripped and repainted and re-puddied my windows, and been a huge emotional support. On top of all this he is trying to get ready to climb down and up the grand canyon. He leaves this Sunday and is gone for 3 weeks. Incredible huh! My Mom has been wonderful, too. I could not have been so prepared for Ben's arrival or had so much support during/after pregnancy with out my parents. I have always known I was lucky but even more so now.
My brother, Ryan, just graduated from Grad school in Denver - yeah for him! Miss him terribly and cant wait for him to meet Ben. He is planning a visit in July so that Ben will 100% be home and he can spend time with us. I am hoping he gets a job closer to me so he can be really involved with Ben but either way I know Ry will play a huge role Ben's life. I am so excited to see him!
I went to see Ben on Saturday morning. I had a chance to ask the doctor some questions. HE told me that in his whole career he has only had one other baby besides Ben develop at such a rate and not have any types of set backs. (keep fingers crossed...knock on wood...etc) He thought Ben would be ok trying to nurse - or nuzzle for the first time as they call it. The nurses and the docs ll told me he probably wouldn't do much so don't get disappointed. He is still too little they said...I knew better. He latched on and did a great job! He lasted for just a little bit. It really tired him out. Then they gave him the rest of his feeding via gavage. He loved all of it! Little piggy!
Ben has been gaining an ounce a day the past couple days. He is now up to 2 lbs 5 oz. He needs to be at 3.5 lbs to go in a regular crib. Ben has been maintaining his own temperature pretty well but they want to keep him in an issolette so he doesn't burn any extra calories!
