NICU

Addison was born with a very high temperature when she was born and mild Jaundice. Nothing you would think would be too terrible. The temp went away and every kid has jaundice when born for the most part. Dr. Pat had checked her and said that her Jaundice seem high so we were going to get her to drink more Pedi-lite to get her to have a few more bowel movements to pass the Jaundice. At least that’s how I understood it. Dave and I were still kind of out of it because of the long labor and the excitement. Well by the end of her first day of life Addison had two choking and stop breathing when eating and was very sleepy. The nurses had taken Addison several time for labs repeat labs and then all the normal test.

The next day Dr. Tammy came into tell us that her labs are not looking good and we need to put her in the NICU to get an infection under control. Addison BANS were in the 2400's when they should have been in the 1200's or less also that her Jaundice was getting a bit out of control. Her body was working so hard to fight an infection that the Jaundice was soaring. Dr. Tammy told us not to worry and it’s always better to be safe. About an hour later the birth certificate people were coming, nurses for me, my doctor checked on me. My nurse then says we are taking Addison to the NICU; I just need to check to make sure they are ready for us. While she was gone in came the photo people that take the baby’s first official picture. We get Addison line up for the photo and in comes the nurse saying we need to go now. We snap two quick photos and off the nurse was with Addison. Dave and I are running to catch up. She rushes us into the secret world of the NICU. I have worked her a year and never knew it was right under my nose. Before I know it our daughter is having a tube stuck down her nose. O2 put on, an IV inserted and all sorts or wires attached to a huge machine that beeps.

We are then rushed off to another room and taught how to sanitize before we enter the main part of the NICU. Wash your hands for 1 minute; don’t touch anything you use your feet to turn on the water get the soap. Then 3 pumps of this sanitizer one pump for each arm and one for the hands. Use this pick to clean under your nails. The next few days were kind of a blur. Dave and I would go to the NICU every feeding we can. I would try to nurse first then we would bottle feed. It was tough the first day in a half because I would be feeding her and she should stop breathing and alarms would start to go off. They were a couple feedings were I actually held a little tube connected to the hose in Addison’s nose and it would send the formula down in to her belly. Dave and I would be looking around and be thankful our daughter was doing well compared to most of the other babies there but other times it just broke our heart and scared us to death with everything going on. I remember it being 2:30AM and Dave and I both with tears in our eyes when Addison reached out and grabbed our fingers (at different times) and didn't want to let go. It took us about a 2 days to not notice the beeps and alarms and getting down how to hold Addison with all her little wires. Addison spent most of the time under the Phototherapy to control her Hperbilirubinemia. She was such a strong little baby.   Dave and I learned what it was like to worry like a parent.  We also have people drop by to see Addison and we would have to tell them she is in the NICU. It was hard for us cause we were so excited to show our little girl to the world but now one ever whats to go to the NICU to see her.  Disappointing for everyone involed.  I also felt like my nurses would forget about me because they didn't have to check on my baby I guess they could have kept missing me when we would go to the NICU but we would always let them know when I was leaving the room.

Then the day came where I had to be discharged from the hospital (without pain pills) and Addison had to stay. It was the worst feeling I have ever had. They wheel you out in a wheel chair and you’re carrying your flowers and it’s a girl balloon with no baby in your arms. People just stare at you. Then there is the drive home with the empty car seat in the back. I felt like I was the worst mom and dad felt horrible as well leaving without her. Dave drops me off at home and I cry as he leaves to get a pizza. Then he gets pulled over for a tail light being out. Bulb ended up being loose and I had 3 spares in the car. Dave tells him everything going on and the cop writes him a ticket. He gets home we end up fighting over the stupid ticket I think because we were tired, stressed and overwhelmed with everything. For the next few days Dave and I spent the day traveling back and forth for all Addison’s feedings. On Addison's last night in the NICU we stayed till 3:30 AM and went through all the training with the nurse so Addison could be discharged right after our CPR class.

Saturday afternoon Addison came home. The nurse walks us out to the car and Dave and I are so excited. Dave was driving like 10 miles an hour and we tried calling all our family to let them know we were finally going home as a family and no one answered. LOL. We were so glad to have her home.

The next day or so we would wash our hands like crazy worry about feeding her without a machine to tell us if she was breathing and fight to breast feed. We were feeling like normal new parents! At least Addison would sleep though the night. We are very blessed with that!

Addison came home on Januray 9th, 2010