NICU week 1 May 25-31

Wednesday night: After Phil got done at Koen's graduation he headed up to Primary Children's to be with Pierce. Phil's parents, sister and grandma were there also. It was touch and go for the little man when he got there. They weren't sure if he had an infection, immature lungs, pulmonary hypertension or a combination. They pretty much treated him for all the above. We knew at this point he would at least be there for 7 days, long enough for the antibiotics. They told us 7 days to 3 weeks.
At this point he had a line in his belly button that would deliver a tpn (nutrients) and medicine, an arterial line(where they can draw blood) in his right hand, a IV in his left hand, a tube down his throat and a mask because they immediately started him on lights because of our blood incompatibility. We weren't sure if these lung issues where because of this incompatibility but were thinking so.

Thursday: I got a hall pass from Alta View to head up to Primary's to see my babe. My mom came and picked me up around 10 or 11. Phil met us up there. I was instructed to use a wheel chair and did even though I felt like a huge nerd ball. It was so good to see my little baby. At the hospital I was in a weird little bubble. It kind of felt like none of that happened and I was just hanging out in the hospital for who knows why. I think the whole time I was there I stood on the side of his bed, not really even touching him and cried. Missy met us up there and brought lunch. When we headed down to eat I had to use the restroom. It was then I noticed I had a HUGE problem....a hematoma. I told Phil to come in and look and his reply was "you'd better hurry back to the hospital. EEK! When I got back I called my nurse in and told her "we have a problem" and I showed her. She said she had never seen such a thing, it was HUGE. Needless to say I was a spectacle and everyone wanted to see. They said I had probably been on my feet and walking to much and that I needed to take it easy, which meant no hospital visit for me the next day. :( I didn't understand why I felt so good but my body wasn't acting like it. Not much really changed for the little man this day, except that they found out he has some really sensitive skin. The lights they originally put him under gave him a serious rash in short amount of time. They said it looked like a severe sunburn. You can see a little of it in this picture.

Friday: The hospital originally told me if I wanted to go home this day I could. After I got my hematoma I was hesitant to do such. I decided to stay another day and let them keep an eye on it. Phil and Missy brought the boys over to see me. It was good to see the little tykes! They also brought me all the pics they had taken of Pierce and put them on my laptop for me so I could see him. 

Missy and B stayed with me for a little bit while Phil took the milk I had pumped up to the hospital (my milk started coming in this day) and took Koen with him. Baby still hanging out with not much change.

 I had lots of visitors to keep me company this day. In and out bringing me treats and such. Thanks to one and all. That evening Phil came back to be with me and we had most of his family there with us. We had a great visit.
Saturday: I was definitely ready to come home. At this point I had more pain in my tailbone from that darn bed than from being cut open! I got all showered and ready and Phil came and picked me up, hematoma and all. Which as a side note they said would probably take 3 months to go all the way down! WHAT?!? All ready to go we stopped by the nursery to pick up my milk I had pumped. When I told them my name they said 'oh your the one whose bucket is totally full" to say I have a little excess is a huge understatement. This is the sign in my room. I got to read it all day long and remind myself that I did indeed have a baby.

We headed straight up to the hospital. When I saw the cute little man he was pretty  much nakee gettin his tan on. Missy brought us up lunch again and with it brought a cute little sign for Pierce's bed area. It has pictures of some of the people who love him and little notes about all of them. Miss also took some pics of him and of us. Love her...she has been a HUGE help during this ordeal. 

When we got home my mom and sis had dinner waiting for us. It was so nice to be home, yet weird at the same time. Not quite the way I expected to come home. I remember that night laying in bed and both of us just sobbing...wondering what would happen to this sweet little baby of ours.

Sunday: My sister in law Mindy got all the Olsen side on board to fast for our little man. Phil felt he needed to go to church and feel the spirit and pray. I told him I could probably hack keeping the kids for an hour if he just went to sacrament, I didn't think he'd get much out of it if he took them. After church we dropped the kiddos of to my mom and headed up to PCMC. Phil pushed me around in my sweet wheelchair.

When we got there our little man looked like this.

Nurse Practioners do a lot of the work at PCMC. Ours this day and for a few days before this was Sharon. She talked to us about extubation and how they were ready to try and take the tube out. She mentioned a study and told us Dr Yoder would be around to give us more information. The study was what device they go to after being extubated. They currently use CPAP and a high flow nasal cannula, and are trying to see if one is better than the other. We researched to two a little at lunch and asked our family friend Carolyn who works in the PICU about them both, and decided we felt good about either and about Pierce being in the study. They pulled out the high flow for Pierce to try for the study.We stayed while the extubated. 

Phil and I helped calm him by placing our hands on his head and feet giving him boundaries. It was so great to see his little fat face(so much edema) We stayed for a little bit and made sure he was doing well, then headed to my parents for dinner.
Phil came back that night with other family members to see the cute little boy. Aunt Mindy was able to meet him today along with Grandma and Grandpa Olsen. That night I also got something I ALWAYS wanted...an edible arrangement...YUM!

Monday: It is never a good sign when the phone rings at 5 AM. I saw the # and recognized it as the NICU,  I handed it to Phil. They told Phil he wasn't doing well. He wasn't breathing very well. They called again shortly after told Phil they had pulled him from the study and were trying to switch him to CPAP. They then called a third time and told us they had to re intubate. We got up and got ready to go. When we walked out to the car, Laura was outside and I just broke down bawling. I thought for sure he was ready. This was the step he needed to take, why wasn't it working out?
We dropped the kids by Kris and Brent's house and were off to see what was up. To say we were emotional is a large understatement. I just kept saying, "I am a mess" We were so sad to see him with a tube down his throat again. They also said that when they did the Xrays that morning not only were his lungs hazy again but he had a broken clavicle. They looked back to see that it was fractured at birth but during the fiasco the previous night had brought it had been completely broken. My mom and my sis came up to visit and support us.

The one good thing was that this time he was on a traditional ventilator. Not the oscillator that gave him 480 puffs a minute. This was a step forward, even though it was also a step back. That night we celebrated Memorial day with Phil's family. I was nice to see everyone, feel their love and support and chat.

Tuesday: Today P was able to have his first feeding. Through a nice little tube straight down to his belly. Our friend Sherion in our ward also put together a ward fast for our family and sweet baby P.

We are so grateful for our wonderful families. They have helped so much with watching our other boys. It is so nice to know they are being watched and played with by people who love them. This is a crazy roller coaster and it is so nice to have them by our side.