Saturday, February 10, 2018

Cooper: Weeks 11-13

This post is coming nowhere near the real-life timeline of when these events took place.

But three words will explain everything:

COOPER IS HOME.
And has been, as of today, for 2 weeks and 2 days.

Would you believe the NICU days are already starting to feel like a blur? They really and truly are. The 90 days spent traveling back and forth, longing for the day we'd (Lord willing) never have to endure this season again are beginning to feel far away. 
But all I have to do is count to 90 outloud...
and suddenly the reality of those days sinks back in and I'm reminded of just how faithful God was and continues to be for us. I'll post an update about our first weeks at home later, but for now I still wanted to be sure I documented Cooper's last weeks in the NICU.

Enjoy our walk down memory lane.

WEEK 11
weighs 5 lb!
not putting on enough weight though
3rd percentile for weight
Nolan spent long weekend with grandparents so we could diligently work with Cooper on bottle feeding
seen by an occupational therapist
tried taking him off of his nasal cannula (oxygen) but lasted only a few minutes before going back on










WEEK 12
switched from adding Elecare in breastmilk to adding Neosure
began using a new preemie flow bottle
doing GREAT with it
weighs 5 lb, 8 oz
began acting abnormally sleepy
low hematocrit levels so received his third blood transfusion
began acting like a new baby
Mommy ran into one of her former 8th grade students who has TRIPLETS in the NICU
off of nasal cannula FOR GOOD
best nursing session so far
met Jenn Whitesides
found out Mommy's blood clot is gone! no more blood thinner shots!
circumcision
passed hearing test
moved upstairs to PEDS unit to make more room in ISN













WEEK 13
graduated from having premature eye development to maturing
no eye exams for 6 months
TOOK AN ENTIRE BOTTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME (50 mL)
met Auntie Lana and Uncle Shane
reached our due date
absolutely nothing on his face for the first time before having to put a feeding tube back in
passed carseat challenge
no more pulse ox on foot
Kev and I roomed in with Cooper for two nights, one with monitors and one without
5 lb, 12 oz
DISCHARGED 1/25/17 around noon!!!
MET BIG BROTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME




























Welcome home sweet home, Cooper Rellie.