Zack Attack: Day 2 of the ICU

When I went to see Zack today he looked like a burn victim in an Iraq War Movie. His hands were covered and bandaged to protect him from pulling out the IV (s).
The doctors were very apprehensive about keeping him on IV fluids because he’s not a preemie, he CAN eat. It’s very important that he learn to eat food on his own and his mom has been pumping for that very reason.
So, they gave him about 45ccs of breast milk/formula. He did well…at first. Then he vomited most of it up. More cause for alarm. Does he have reflux? Is it a digestive situation? Oy.
The good news is he hadn’t had a breathing “episode” in 24 hours. But he was still living in the incubator.
On top of that, he had become jaundiced.
Like I said, Oy.

I went to the ICU after dropping Zoe off at school and checking in on Beth. When I got there, around 9:30, I was informed that the docs had started their rounds and would be coming by soon. It took 90 minutes.
By the time they got to Zack they didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. They were continuing to run tests, evaluate the eeg, check for reflux, basically, runing the gamut.
Thank goodness I live in a country where we have great insurance!
I mean, thank the gods that I have been able to maintain my union insurance.
(I wonder if Zack’s experience would count as a “pre-existing condition” in the Tea Party’s Universe….)

I asked Dr. P when they planned on taking Zack off the CPAP to see how he would fare on his own. “I guess, now.” He said. Which was great, because then Beth could get some quality “skin to skin” time with him.

I wheeled her up and she put Zack on her chest for the first time since Tuesday. It was magical. Beautiful. And wayyy too short.

I had to go pick Zoe up from school but I just now called and checked in with Beth and they were just starting some reflux probe. (I’ve been down this road before….)

The good news is Zack’s been breathing on his own since about 1 and as I write this it’s 6. So, five hours without incident.

Start the clock.