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Friday, September 14, 2012

Max's story, continued

My last post left off with all of us going home, and Max being on the bili-light.  When we went home, the pediatrician filling in for our doctor told us to go back to the hospital on the following Monday to have Max's biliribin levels checked.  We had to go to the hospital because it was labor day, and all of the other labs in Flagstaff were closed.

Sunday was a great day, Mark and my Dad went to church, and then the rest of the day we all spent just relaxing, and Grandpa and Grandma Robbins and Aunt Traci all got to spend the day holding Max.  Monday morning we all got up and got dressed to go to the hospital to have Max's blood drawn.  It was a great start to our day.

Our first family outing with Max.


Then when we got to the lab, the technician drew Max's blood twice, both times not getting enough out of his heel.  She called down a NICU nurse to draw his blood again, hoping that she would have better luck at getting enough.  The funny part was that the nurse that came down is the wife of our favorite NICU nurse, Bill.

Bill did a great job taking care of Max for us, and it was he who realized that Max was having a hard time passing the amniotic fluid which was causing him to not eat and have really bad reflux.

Back to the lab, when Bill's wife came to draw the blood, she did a great job, filling two vials very quickly, but by that point Max had had enough, and was freaking out.  He was completely inconsolable, and this is when we believe that he refluxed and then aspirated it.  We went straight home after that, and Max was cranky all day, and didn't eat very well.  That night Mark and I were up all night trying to calm him down, and we realized the only way that Max would stop crying was when he was lying on our chest, so we took turns holding him so the other could get a few minutes of sleep.

The next morning around 6:30 he started whimpering like we had never heard him do before, and so Mark woke Traci up to check him out.  When Traci came down, he had several bouts of apnea, where he completely quit breathing and went totally limp.  I woke up my dad, and he assisted Mark in giving Max a blessing, then Traci, Mark, and I rushed Max to the ER.  Once we got there they put an oxygen monitor on him, and his oxygen levels were in the 70's and low 80's.  They put him on oxygen, then started testing for different things.  They really wanted us to do a lumbar puncture, but Mark drew the line there, and told them to rule out everything else first.  Max was still too young to have caught spinal meningitis, especially since he had been on antibiotics pretty much the entire first 48 hours of life, and he hadn't been exposed to very many people.

Up to this point Mark and I had only had a few hours of sleep a night, and both of us were exhausted.  So after Max was admitted to the PICU, my Dad volunteered to sit up with Max all night long so that Mark could go home and sleep, and I could sleep on the chair in the hospital room.  He literally stayed up all night long holding Max and watching movies.  Whenever Scott, our night nurse, came in he would tell my dad that he could lay Max down on the bed.  My dad would tell him no, and that holding him he would be sure that Max was still breathing and ok.  We will be forever grateful to my Dad for doing this for us, and for loving Max so much! 

In the PICU Max got a new mask for his bili-light, and Traci said she had to draw eyes on it.  My dad said that while he was holding Max all night, he would look down and the eyes would startle him, and in his delirium he thought for a second that it was Max staring at him.

Max with his bili-mask in the PICU 9-4-2012

We stayed in the hospital for two more days with them still running tests on him, and doing room air challenges to see how he would respond off of the oxygen, which he failed every time.  His second day in the hospital his biliribin levels were down significantly, so they took him off the blue light.

The last day we were there they did another chest x-ray (the third one in his short life) and they finally found small pneumonitis in his lungs.  Because of the the size of it, they knew it wasn't an infection, so they determined it was from aspirating reflux during his heel prick on Monday.  We were finally able to leave on Thursday, with several bottles of oxygen and instructions on how to take care of a baby with reflux and an appointment to follow up with our pediatrician the following day.

While in the hospital with Max we found out that the incision from the cesarean was also infected, requiring a quick visit across the street to my doctor, and 10 days of antibiotics, again.  

When we left the hospital, he weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces.

The following day we did our follow up, and Max still had not improved, still requiring oxygen. 

This past Wednesday, the 12th, Traci left to return to her family in Florida.

Traci and Max on her last day here, 9-12-2012

We have all been very sad to have her go, but especially the dogs.  Roslyn keeps going up to her room and looking for her, and coming back out very disappointed.

Wednesday we also had another appointment with Dr. Tuckman for Max.  This one was the worst.  They weighed him and he weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces, and was 20 and 3/4" long.  He eats a lot!  They did a room air challenge, and he failed again.  After the weigh in and room air challenge Max was circumcised.  When we came home afterward, I couldn't help but think we had made the wrong decision because the poor little guy was (and still is) miserable!  We also had to go to the lab again to have more blood tests done for food allergies, meaning more heel pricks.  The poor little guy has had a rough start to life, but he has been a trooper, and is still a great baby, when we aren't changing his diaper.  

So today was my first day alone with Max.  My parents went home last week, Traci went home Wednesday, and Mark went back to work today.  I am proud to say that Max is still alive!  I have been terrified to be alone with Max, worrying that something would go wrong and I wouldn't be able to handle it by myself.  So far, so good.  I am anxious for him to get older (bigger) and to not require oxygen anymore.  I think then I will not be so anxious.  He seems so tiny and fragile right now, it breaks my heart knowing how much he has suffered.

Max likes to sleep with a foot uncovered.

Our little Monster Max!
Polly loves Max.  Every time he squeaks or cries, she is right there watching him...
...or licking him.  She loves to lick his feet, and Max doesn't seem to mind.  I suppose that is better than the heel pricks he's used to.

From his first day home Max has been rolling onto his side.  I can only guess he can do it because of his long legs?  He rolled over with the bili-light on, I was quite impressed! 9-13-2012

Ros still seems undecided about Max.  She seems interested, but still jealous of the attention she has lost to him.

Our long, skinny baby!  He loves holding on to his pacifier.

Max is especially cute when he is sleeping!

Max smiles a lot! 9-7-2012

And he loves having his hands by his face, even if it gives him a squishy face!  9-7-2012

Monday, September 03, 2012

Douglas Max Stewart II

I am still amazed that last week I was very pregnant, and now I have the most adorable baby boy in the world depending on me for everything.  Douglas Max Stewart II was born Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 4:10 AM, and weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.

Douglas Max Stewart II

Here is the story.

The story actually begins on the previous Sunday, which I will explain further on why.  Last Sunday I went to the bathroom, and felt like my water was leaking.  That morning my mom had arrived from Utah, so we thought it was a great time for me to go into labor.  We headed to the hospital, they tested me, and once again sent me home saying that my water was not leaking.  We were all quite disappointed, again.

My Tuesday appointment came, and while we were waiting the ultrasound tech came out and informed everyone that the ultrasound machine had broken, and they wouldn't be able to do any ultrasounds until Thursday.  Again, another disappointment.  We went back to meet with Dr. Johansen, and he informed us that I was still only 2 cm dilated, and 80% effaced.  Grrrr!  He then informed me that he had never had to induce labor on a patient who had had a cerclage.  I think that Dr. Johansen saw the murder in my eyes, because on my way out he said, "Maybe Tonight!"

Because I was so depressed, Mark decided to take all of us down to Sedona to shop a bit, also because it is 2600 feet lower than Flagstaff, so we were hoping something might happen.

When we got down to Sedona we went shopping and found some cute little green crocs for Max, and some pajamas I could use for nursing, then went to eat dinner at Wildflower, then headed home.  On the way Mark was taking the switchbacks pretty fast.  As we rounded the last corner out of the canyon, I started having contractions again, this time a little stronger.  As we got closer to home they were becoming stronger and regular.  When we got home, they were pretty regular.

I sat on the exercise ball to relieve the back pain, then I went and sat in a warm bath.  It was amazing how much relief that gave me.  As I became more pruney, I decided to get into the shower.  After about 10 minutes standing there I couldn't take the pain, so I got out, dressed, and informed everyone that I was going to the hospital.  That was a huge decision for me, because I had decided that I wouldn't go to the hospital until Max's head was crowning.  When we arrived, I could barely walk, and definitely had trouble standing.

I began the normal routine, and Mark had to fill out the check-in paper because I had to focus on the contractions.  I went to the bathroom to do my urine test and change into the gown.  As I was climbing into the bed I felt like I was peeing.  I mentioned that to my family, and then it became very obvious that my water had just completely broken.  Fluid was leaking off of the bed and all over the floor, and I was pretty sure that it wasn't pee because my bladder isn't that big.  Mark grabbed one of the test strips that we had "borrowed" from the hospital on our last visit, and it immediately turned dark blue, (positive).  The nurse came back in, saw what was happening, and told us she would go ahead and get us into our room.  I put my flip flops back on, and shuffled to my room, leaving a trail of fluid on the floor. 

Once in the room the nurses hooked up the monitors for my contractions and Max's heartbeat.  As I laid back in the bed, Max's heart rate plummeted.  They had me turn onto my side, and his heart rate returned to normal.  After 5 miserable, extremely painful hours of laboring in bed, my nurse was still concerned about Max's heart rate, and that he might be in distress.  At that point they also checked me, and I was still only 5 cm dilated.  I still could not get out of bed because of the need to monitor Max, and so I had to just lay in bed and tolerate the pain as best as I could.  Although Mark, my sister Traci, and my Mom were all great helps to me, my body just couldn't take it anymore.  I was having terrible fits of shaking, and I kept throwing up.  It was then that I decided that I was going to have an epidural.

After the epidural was in place, I fell asleep for about an hour.  Around 3 in the morning Dr. Johansen came in and said that Max's heart rate was still concerning, and that my contractions had almost completely stopped.  They could give me pitocin to get the contractions going again, but that it would probably put more stress on Max, and he didn't see things going well if I continued to labor.  We decided to go ahead with a cesarean at that point. 

During the cesarean everything went well, but when Dr. Johansen was pulling Max out, I heard him say that the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and shoulder, which was causing the distressed heart rate.  If I had continued labor, he probably would not have made it.  As I laid there my heart was in my stomach as they carried the blue and purple little Max to the bassinet and began working on him and I didn't hear any crying.  Mark was watching and kept giving me thumbs up, but it felt like forever before he let out a little cry.  They finally bundled him up and brought him over for me to see.  In front of me was the most beautiful baby I have ever seen!  In the recover Max started nursing right away, and didn't have any problems latching on.  We all were feeling pretty fabulous.

I wish I could say that we lived happily ever after since, but that wasn't to be.  When we finally left the recovery room and were moved up to the OB floor we were so excited to finally be recovering and to have Max here with us.  We were not in the room 5 minutes when my nurse, while checking him out, tells us that his temperature was a little low, and so she wanted to check his blood sugar.  As they were checking his blood sugar, he started breathing really fast, so they decided to run more tests.  When they checked his white blood cells, they were really high, and so they  moved him to the NICU and began testing and treating for an infection, which they told us would take at least 48 hours, possibly longer depending on how he reacted.  He also had a bunch of amniotic fluid in his stomach, which was causing him to throw up a lot, so he had to have his stomach pumped. 

The next day I started having really high fevers.  I didn't think anything of it, but when it continued, my doctor became concerned that I also had an infection.  I didn't have one for a while, and they took out all of my IVs.  Late that night I had another fever, which meant that I would also have to start antibiotics, on top of trying to recover from the cesarean, and trying to spend as much time with Max in the NICU.  We couldn't figure out how I could possibly have an infection when I had been on antibiotics for a sinus infection, and then penicillin, and then during the cesarean they had antibiotics flowing.

When my doctor came to visit, he said he was also trying to figure out how I could have an infection.  He then said that he thought that I may have actually broken my water on the previous Sunday, and because I had not delivered until Wednesday morning, there were 3 days that I could have gotten and infection that would affect both of us, including the time I spent in the tub, which is not a good idea after your water is broken.

Mark's parents came down Wednesday to see Max, stayed the night, and then had to drive home for a doctors appointment.  Mark said that his Mom cried the whole time she was holding him.  Max is their first grandbaby, which is part of the reason why we named him after Mark's dad.  

Friday we got the news that Max also had jaundice, and would have to be on a bili-light, and if his levels were down by the next day, they could take him off.  The good news on Friday, though, was that Max was going to get to spend the night with us in our room.  We were so excited!  The only problem was that I was up all night because every little squeak or grunt he made woke me because I was worried that something was wrong.  Saturday morning all of Max's blood results came back much improved, except the bilirubin, and so they cleared him to go home with a bili-blanket.  My doctor had also cleared me to go home, and so we packed everything up and got ready to leave.  And then we waited.  We had to take a bili-blanket home with us, and ended up waiting until around 5 o'clock for the blanket to show up so that we could leave.

When we finally arrived at home, we gradually let the dogs get used to Max's scent, (we had been sending blankets and things of Max's home all week with my Mom and Traci for them to smell), and then they got to meet him.  Ros was very intrigued, and loved licking his feet.  Polly was just so excited to see us after us being gone for so long that she couldn't settle down.  Now she loves to sit and watch Max, and gets very interested when Max squeaks.  Ros thinks she is his guardian, but is still very jealous that I spend so much time with him, and my time with her is very much diminished.

 A little about Max that I have learned these past few days, besides him being the most adorable baby in the whole world!  He is a really good baby.  He is very chill, and the only time he really cries is when he is hungry, or when people are messing with him, like pumping out his stomach.  He has really long arms, fingers, legs, and toes.  He looks mostly like Mark, except that he has my nose, mouth, and the gold ring around his iris that I also have.  It looks as though his hair is mostly blond, and his eyes will be hazel, like Mark and I.  He loves to eat, and during the night eats about every hour.  He is already used to the dogs, because they bark and he doesn't react to it, I'm guessing because of his time in my tummy.  He loves it when people talk to him, and he tries to talk back.  So, without further ado, pictures!


Mark with his Dad and Mom.  Lori knitted Max's blessing gown, and it is so beautiful!

Grandma Mickey with Max

Mark holding Max just after his cesarean birth.
Max just after birth.

My big pregnant belly being prepped for the cesarean, and my best support, Mark.

Dinner at WIldflower in Sedona.  Such a beautiful setting!

Last Sunday, August 26th, still pregnant with my Mom and sister Traci.

Max after being weighed and measured.

Grandpa Doug and Grandma Lori with Max

Grandpa Steve with Superhero Max.

Grandpa Steve and Max enjoying a football game.

Max on his bili blanket with Traci

Sitting around waiting at the hospital for the blanket to show up. 

Max's first time in the cars eat, getting ready to go home.  He did so well! No crying the whole time

Ginny and Max with their support staff.   Traci, Mark, and Mom.
Our little "Glow Worm" Max with his bili blanket.