No news is good news

Good afternoon everyone! Apologies for the late arrival of today's blog. Mum says she started it at 2pm but her dongle stopped working and all her work disappeared.  She may have used different words that probably shouldn't be written in a blog of a 2 week old baby.

As things are going along nicely here in SW10, I'm keeping my blog quite short and sweet today.

Most fashionable prem in the village!

The doctors and nurses (and M+D) are really impressed with me and are even talking about when I might go to HDU and potentially move to Tommies (St. Thomas' Hospital).  Apparently, this is where I was supposed to be born in the first place if I hadn't been so keen to make my early appearance in Harrow. 

Me, 4 weeks before I made my great escape.  Still cute in black and white

My feeds are increasing and I've put on 20grammes.  This is a big deal as I've been losing weight for the past couple of weigh-ins.  No more phototherapy, so I'm under normal light and looking less alien like and  I'm still on CPAP with hardly any extra oxygen and my blood gases are good.  All good and stable.

The cardiologist did a scan of my heart this morning which showed that my PDA is still present and that my heart is under a little strain from it so the Consultant has started me on ibuprofen to try to close it medically and avoid surgery.  Sounds good to me!  I don't fancy a trip to yet another hospital (Brompton down the road).  It may make my stomach a bit sore so they are going to keep a close eye on my feeds and poos (again my nappies are being scrutinised). 

Had another kangaroo cuddle with mum.  I got very snuggly and warm and gripped onto her necklace so she couldn't get away.  She didn't seem to mind and talked and sang to me again.

I've now got 3 personal incubator covers.  2 new ones turned up addressed to me at the NICU so thank you to Mollie, Benji and the SUPERchicks for their presents.  Even more bright colours to liven up the wards and ensuring I have the most fashionable incubator on the ward.  I've noticed that other parents are bringing in covers now but they are shop bought not made personally for them.  I feel very special indeed.

Well, I told you it would be short and sweet.  Here's to another peaceful evening and night.

love and squeaks,

Arthur xxx

Finding my voice

Well as I type (OK, I get M&D to do the keys) I’m resting against Mum all warm and snugly. So warm and snugly that I sometimes have to be reminded to breathe. When this happens Mum just gives me a little jiggle and all is normally well again.

A slight fuss getting me out

Me with my A for Arthur blanket

And I’ve found my voice! More of a little squeak at the moment but you can hear it on this clip, if you listen really closely:

I’ve also been practicing scaring Daddy with my numbers – my WBC (white cell count, an infection marker) got to 28 last night which would be super-high in a grown up. The nice registrar explained to Dad that my blood isn’t like grown up blood so can confuse the machines, and they’ll have to use a microscope to count my cells by hand. In the meantime I continue to look perfectly well. I’m taking feeds, my tummy is soft, my tummy button looks clean and healthy. Dad changed my nappy – and whilst I fought him like mad, he managed a fairly good job. They’ve upgraded me to the next size of nappy. Apparently I’ll grow into it!

When I’m pressed against Mum or Dad I manage to be very calm and my oxygen needs go right down. So Mum sang me: ‘Speckled Frogs’ and ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ to keep me amused. Then she sang something about living in a yellow submarine – but I’m not sure I want to live underwater, so I held my breath for quite a long time and made everyone come and prod me and check me over. Then I just decided to breath again and it's all better.

Checking you're ok

Proud Mummy

Can I also say thank you to all the people who’ve agreed to feed Mum and Dad while they have their kitchen replaced over the next few weeks. Apparently I need a shiny new kitchen to come home to and this means the old kitchen has to go. Daddy’s already getting thinner – so look after him.

M&D found these growing on their doorstep this morning:

Good omens

Love to all,

Arthur

x

I'm two!! (weeks old, that is)

Well hello all, I managed to turn two weeks old without incident.

Another day on the unit

Still on CPAP and tolerating more and more feed. Parts of me remain gorgeous.

Teeny tootsies

And parts of me are still very wrinkly:

Old man's thighs!

I was getting bored in my little box - and kind of fidgity:

Just a little bit wriggly.

So I had a look around:

And others looked at me:

"Take me to your leader"

And they decided I could come out and spend some with Daddy.

And he gave me a very long cuddle. They call it 'kangaroo care' - Dad pretends he has a pouch and I pretend to be a Joey.



The skin to skin contact helps me stay very calm, and I need less oxygen while I'm cuddled. So I lay there and looked even cuter than usual - no really.

 

Which seemed to make my Dad very happy.

Apologies for the naked flesh - apparently it's good for me.

So on we go - no news remains good news.
Love
Arthur x

More Friday feeling!

Another quiet day on the unit. I'm still on CPAP (nose breathing support). I'm still taking Mum's milk. I'm still being tanned a bit.

Oh and I'm still irrestistably cute. So cute I've had over 10,000 hits!! Wow.

Still got it!

I have also been pooing and peeing. Apparently this is very good, and the nurses, or M&D always clean me very carefully, though I wriggle as much as I can just to test them.

I have also been testing my strength with Dad - he says I'm getting stronger and stronger. All limbs working well.

Then I got camera shy:

Enough of the photos

So Mum and Dad are hoping for plenty more dull days.

Tiny but powerful hugs to all,
Arthur x

Still going strong

Another day older and I'm still on the CPAP.  This is really good as the doctors and nurses thought I might get a bit tired overnight and need more help breathing again but I'm proving to be a little battler. 

Held mum's finger tightly this morning and wouldn't let her go for her coffee.  She said she had to go because she had to meet someone about her exam so I released my grip eventually but looked extra cute to make sure she hurried back. 

The nurses seem a bit worried about how much milk she is making for me.  I'm increasing my milk needs and she may not be able to keep up but they have other ways of fattening me up so mum said I wouldn't go hungry.  Phew!

The consultant had a close look at my heart today with the ultrasound machine.  I'm so tiny, the probe she used looked enormous but she was able to get the views she needed.  My PDA (channel connecting my pulmonary arteries and aorta) is quite big so they are going to have to watch my fluid balance closing so I don't get too puffy.  Mum watched her closely.  She is very protective of me which is nice.


I'm back under my blue light.  I'm on my front at the moment so my tan lines are evening up as my back is facing the light.  Still need my shades though as my eyes are quite delicate.

Looking at my blog stats, and I'm approaching 10,000 hits with nearly 90 followers!  Who knew a 1kg baby could prove so popular.  I'll keep fighting hard to make sure you guys get positive updates.  M+D are very touched by your messages and interest.  I think doing this blog helps them get their thoughts together.

I'll sign off for now and I'm sure Dad will post some photos later.  More playing with his new toy (the camera, not me!).

My 1 week photo.  I'm nearly 2 weeks old now!

Bye for now xxxx

Breathing for myself!

They've taken my tube out. I got so excited I got super-wriggly and they had to cover me up and tell everyone to go away so I could calm down a bit.

I'm better now. I can't seem to decide how much oxygen I need. One setting is too much, the other too little. The nurses reckon I'm just making sure they can't ignore me!

Tube free!

Dad left his conference early to come and see me because the tube-thing was big news, apparently. I think he and Mum are getting quite tired  - Dad almost fell asleep whilst leaning against my box - I could see his eyes close - but I kept holding his finger so he didn't go away.

Then Mum was there to hold my hand -

But I still got fairly cross -

Though Mum managed to calm me down -

Happy little man.

I'm still losing weight which is worrying but my consultant has said I'll come off my TPN feeding trial and just get fattened up if I don't start taking Mum's milk properly.

Still - Another day goes by and nothing new has gone wrong. Let's hope it stays that way.
Love Arthur xx

Big day and kindess of strangers.

Boing, boing, boing.

Well everyone, today is a big day.  The doctors are so impressed with my breathing that they have agreed to take the nasty tube out and put me on something called CPAP.  I've been tugging at the tube for long enough and finally they've taken the hint!

The CPAP will be tough and tiring so the nurses have warned Mum that I may need the tube again if my little muscles can't do all the work but that I'm doing so well they have to try.  M+D completely understand and are quite prepared for a few more steps forwards and backwards during my time here.

My first personal incubator cover has been used.  Thank you P+L-L!  Now my eyes are open I can start to appreciate the boats, although only in black and white at the moment as my colour vision hasn't quite developed yet.  Still,  much better view than before. I've also got little blankets for inside my incubator but because I've been having lines and stuff done, they have been kept safe for the time being.

All good news from my end.  Now for little news from Mum.

I'd like to say a big thank you to our friends and family for their support and kindness.  Simon and I are stronger together than ever but we have only been able to do this with the help we have received from you all.  I have also been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.  I am still intending to do my radiology exam in March whilst Arthur has the best baby sitters ever.  I was worried about having to cancel courses and rearrange teaching but everyone has been so helpful and accommodating that it feels like a weight has been lifted.  I can now concentrate on Arthur with a bit of radiology on the side.