Graduation Day

Payton spent 6 weeks on a ventilator. She had pneumonia once wile still in the NICU, and 2 staph infections. She came home from the NICU on oxygen for 6 months. She was hospitalized for 5 days with bronchiolitis when she was 1 and came home on oxygen for another month. She was hospitalized another time with RSV. She's had pneumonia 6 more times since she came home from the hospital. I've lost track of the number of times she's been to the ER with respiratory problems. She had 2 winters of getting monthly Synagis shots hoping to keep RSV away. We spent 3 winters in lockdown at doctors recommendation.

Tuesday morning she had a follow-up with pulmonology. When the doctor asked if I had any concerns...I couldn't think of any. When Dr. Toni asked how the winter was...I didn't have anything to say. We'd gone all winter without any major illnesses, she's hasn't been to the ER, been on antibiotics or steroids. Payton had a wonderful winter.

Dr. Toni looked at me, teared up, and said she's graduated. We can call or go back if we need to, but otherwise, she's discharged. There were big hugs, a few tears and high-fives all around.

4 years and all that history later...she graduated.

P.S. - She weighed in at 41.5 pounds for her appointment. Exactly 40 pounds heavier than her smallest ever weight. :) Unbelievable.

The results are in...

Since we've already passed the first official day of spring, and we've already crossed past April 1st (which will always mean the "end" of flu/RSV season  in my head), I'm going to officially throw this out there....

We went 6 months with NO hospital stays, ER trips, antibiotics, major steroid use or doctor visits outside of a few regularly scheduled appointments.

We had a few colds but everything we were able to manage at home and stay out of the doctor offices and manage all symptoms on our own. More importantly, their little selves were able to handle it all on their own. Even last winter, at doctor's recommendation, we were on modified lockdown for the winter.  This year we we had free reign.

Winter 2013-2014.....SUCCESS!!!

It's Time Again...

Today is a day that gives me a little of the queasy-tummy, make-me-nervous, I-just-might-hold-my breath-until-I-pass-out sort of feeling.

October 1st…the start of RSV season.

Their first actual winter we left the house to go to a doctor and that was it. That didn’t seem so terrible since Payton cam home in the middle of winter and Parker came home towards the end. And all I’d wanted for months was to be at home with them so it was really no big deal. We spent the past two years spending time at home during the winter. They went to respite care while I worked. They went to the doctor. That’s pretty much it. It was recommended by doctors. I asked other preemie moms for advice. I wouldn’t change being on lock down for the world. It’s what their little bodies with bad lungs, damaged from prematurity, ventilators, illness and bad immunity needed.

Last winter I was scared. The year before, while getting Synagis, Payton ended up in isolation in the hospital for a week and had pneumonia 6 times, along with other illnesses during the year. So the thought of having to go through that again…sheer terror.

Last winter was slightly better. A few ER trips and our only hospital stay was for one night observation. Slightly better but still makes me want to ask the ER nurse every time if they pass out Xanax to the parents.
So today it begins. The season that is already showing some signs it might be a bit of a rough one. I don’t think it’s really possible to keep two (soon to be) 3 year olds on lockdown. We can be careful and limit things to an extent, but full on winter lockdown seems a bit unrealistic at this point.

So into another season. We’re taking a deep breath, the sanitizer bottles are out and stocked and away we go. The allergies that are in full bloom have given me a quick re-sharpening of my micro-preemie mom senses.

Game on RSV. We got this.

This and that

I've had lots of questions come up lately and I figured "hey, I could make a blog post out of those". So here we go.

Halloween stuff is everywhere. I think just this morning I had the light bulb come on with what the babies are going to be. For now I'm going to keep it under my hat (just in case it changes for some reason) but don't worry, it's going to be super adorable. How can it not be :)

Parker's latest pair on shoes are red Roos that Aunt Bo bought them right after they were born. Today when I picked them up from respite care, Jane, one of the nurses, told me that she looked and realized there wasn't any money in the little pockets on the sides of the shoes yet so she put a quarter in each one. I love her :)

Yes, I still correct their age out because of them being born early. If you ask any of the doctors, you can do that until they're 2. Then after that they don't do it any more because that's the magic point where they're supposed to be caught up. I will probably always in my head correct their age. It's just one of those things.

This winter we will not qualify to get the RSV shots. Does that make me very nervous? Yes. Is there anything I can do about it? No. Insurance is not going to go for it. And with the cost ($3500 a shot), times two, for 5 months, it just isn't feasible to pay for it. So we will just watch where we go. Be super good about washing their hand if they've been anywhere. And the bottles of hand sanitizer that are all over the house will stay right where they are.

There seems to be a thing when your youngest child turns 2 that everyone wants to know when you're going to have your next baby. This question has come up alot lately. I have a really hard time with this question ( for a lot of reasons I won't go on about here). While I never know what God has in store for me, right now the dynamic duo are it.

I don't know how I do it either some times. Actually, a lot of times. It's amazing what you can do when you have no other choice. And you know where all the Scooters' are on your way to work. :)

Yep birthday time is approaching. It's kind of a big deal. :)