3 lbs. Milestone Reached!

Today was a good day. Joyce, Kathy, and Holly were on duty again. I called Joyce in the morning, and she reported that Henry was doing well and that he was back his old self (meaning that his feist was back). Grandpa Kenski visited him first thing in the morning. Then, Grandma Kenski visited him at the lunch hour.

Jeff kangarooed with Henry in the afternoon. Kathy told Jeff that they are setting Henry's isolette to a fixed temperature with the hope that Henry is now mature enough to maintain an appropriate body temperature on his own. Previously, the isolette was set to adjust to Henry's temperature.

Henry has one less medication to deal with. They are no longer giving him potassium because he's off Lasix.

Jeff dropped me off at the hospital before he went to pick up Carolyn and Chris at the airport around 9:45PM. My sister Carolyn is setting up a residence in Pullman, Washington, where she'll be attending vet school at Washington State University in the fall. I forgot my identification, which is required after 9PM, but a very nice security guard let me through because I have a medical bracelet for the NICU. It was put on my wrist when Henry was admitted. Jeff had one too, but his fell off after a month, so he carries it in his wallet.

When I arrived, Kathy told me that Henry had reached the 3 lbs. mark! She said that Henry was getting fat. That's a compliment in preemieland. I kangarooed with Henry. Henry's saturations were good during kangaroo care. Kathy helped get Henry out of the isolette and into my arms. She mentioned that Henry has a temper and is going to be a handful when he's older. I was pleased to hear it. I was so worried about him yesterday, when he was so passive. Jeff made it to the NICU while we were doing skin-to-skin. Holly did her shift change with Kathy at 11PM. Both Holly and Kathy mentioned this evening that Henry might be placed in a bassinet soon, if he can hold his temperature. He has to hold it, while the isolette is kept at 27 degree Celcius. The isolette is currently being kept at 27.6 degrees Celcius.

Jeff got Henry into the isolette when we'd finished skin-to-skin around 12:45AM. Henry could have gone on longer, but it was getting late and Jeff has to work tomorrow. Holly listened to Henry's chest and stomach. She said that his bowels sounded active (that's good). His urine output was good today, even without the Lasix. On day shift, he put out 2.7 mls per hour. His minimum goal at this point is 2.0. So the 2.7 was very good indeed.

Once Henry was settled, he spit up a bit of milk and made a bit of a mess of his blankets. Holly suctioned him out and helped get him settled. Henry was rather alert after kangaroo care, which is pretty normal for him. Holly mentioned that Henry's getting much more social. He smiled at her.