March for Babies

Becky and Ricky
Originally uploaded by Beckerbuns

This is a reboot of an old post, but as it talks about our NICU experience I wanted to share it... Since the March for Babies is coming up in a couple of months.

On the day after Thanksgiving, 1995, I was admitted to the hospital because my baby was not moving. Shortly after an abnormal ultrasound I was transferred to a hospital with a level 4 NICU and Ricky was born two days later, November 26, 1995, by cesarean section.

The baby (who had no name for several days, having surprised us by coming 7 weeks early) almost immediately had bowel surgery and then spent seven tumultuous weeks in the NICU.




About 10 days into his hospitalization, the genetic tests came back and we learned that our firstborn had cystic fibrosis. It was the beginning of our long journey.

Sixteen years ago it all began.

Won't you consider helping us to support March of Dimes by making a contribution via our walk page?

Update

I'm up way too late, but I thought I should update a bit. :)

First of all, Ricky is doing okay. He slept four hours during the day today! He just seems a bit lethargic, and his throat is hurting. The CF doc says she might put him on some antibiotics if he still feels rotten tomorrow; I don't know how much that will help since it's probably a virus, but we'll see what happens.

Secondly... I called the state today and remarkably, the boys have already been approved for their Healthy Families insurance. It will be effective on Monday the 3rd and they will be on Medi-Cal until then. I'm so relieved that it's all settled.

Lastly... I spent a little while tonight uploading some scans of photos from Ricky's (very) early days and blogging them (with accurate dates, of course!). He was born early and spent seven weeks in NICU, so if you think that might bug you, please don't look. Otherwise, it starts here and you can continue by going forward to the "newer post" from there. I only got up to day 14 but I will do some more later this week probably.

Goodnight, and thanks for keeping Ricky in your thoughts. :)

14 days (2 weeks) old

13 days old

12 days old

11 days old

ten days old

nine days old

eight days old

seven days (one week) old

six days old

five days old

four days old

three days old

two days old

one day old

birth day!

The baby's heartrate started to decelerate, and the perinatologist decided that it was time to get him out. Things move pretty quickly after that.



And out he came! I ended up being put under just after he came out, so I don't remember much... (Note: Date and time of this post are when he was born!)



His belly was so distended from his (later discovered and operated on) ruptured bowel and peritonitis that he might not have made it out alive if he'd been born the conventional way.



Dr. Hoffman, the neonatologist, checked him out...



X-rays were taken, and Dr. Piramoon, the pediatric surgeon, came in on a Sunday in his jogging suit to figure out what to do. :)



While Rick was with his family peering into the NICU and snapping a few pictures, my parents were with me in the recovery room. I had a really hard time waking up... I HATE general anesthesia! (But the worst part is when the nurse keeps coming in and pressing in on the uterus. OW!)



I perked up a little bit later, and Dr. Piramoon came in to tell us that Ricky would be having surgery to clean up his belly and would then have stomas sticking out of his belly for a while til he was feeling better.



The other perinatologist came in to check on me, too. :) That's Dr. Kitzmiller.



Ricky had his first surgery that day. At some point (I can't remember if it was before or after the surgery) they wheeled me in on my bed to see him. My spinal fluid had started to leak from the spinal anesthesia, so I had to lay flat for 48 hours. But I still got to see him at least.

waiting...

And there we tried labor for a couple of days...