thetadpoles.com

It has finally come time to reattach Derby’s intestines or in surgical speak getting a “ilesotomy takedown”. On Wednesday Derby had his surgery. Since he was already sedated and the surgeon was going to be in that vicinity anyways we asked him to also do Derby’s circumcision. It was such a long day. Before when one of the twins went into surgery we weren’t really given much notice, it was done later the same day. This time we had weeks to worry about it… and think about it…..then worry some more. I woke up Tuesday morning around 6:30 am with the idea I would spend the morning with the twins then take a nap before going to work. I would work the night shift, come home, take a shower then return to the hospital for Derby’s surgery. I never got that nap and ended up being awake for almost 40 hours. I don’t know how the surgical residents do it, I felt so loopy after only 30 hours. Derby did well with the surgery. He had to go back on the breathing tube but has been room air the whole time. He didn’t bounce back the way we thought he would. His blood pressure has been up and down and he had to be put on a dopamine drip. He also has been holding on to his fluids and not peeing. He looks like a little puff ball. The doctor had to come in at 1 A.M. to put a urine catheter in and they gave him drugs to try to get rid of the fluid. He said Derby was starting to turn a corner but it is still a rocky journey from what was said to be a “minor surgery”. As our nurse Gabriella said “Derby is doing things his way. He was the one with NEC, the pneumothorax (collapsed lung)….” He is my tough little guy. We are praying for a speedy recovery. Derby also had a eye exam today (since it is Thursday). His ROP has progressed to stage 3 but the ophthalmologist thought it may be in part due to the stress of surgery. Not enough for laser surgery but he called in for the retina specialist to look at him. At the time of this post he hasn’t been reassessed yet.

Loen on the other hand is doing what we have always said happens. When one twin is down the other twin will be up. She has been nippling all of her feedings, was a rock star with breast feeding tonight and will be getting her hearing exam soon. The hearing exam is one of the last tests they do before they go home. So we were put on high alert when they told us that. Tadd and I went to Babies R Us tonight for a couple of last minute items just in case she comes home in the next few days. I may be kidding myself because they stopped the twins caffeine supplement (it helps them remember to breathe and keep their heart rate up; no A’s & B’s) on Tuesday. We were told it takes around 5 days to get out their system and most babies will have a A & B after getting off the caffeine which in turn will buy you an additional 7 days in the NICU for observation. BUT we are getting ready nonetheless.

I still cannot believe we are getting towards the end

Before the surgery the twins were having a little heart to heart (I almost spelled it Hart to Hart. Robert Wagner has such a hold on me!)

Derby

Daddy and Loen

They had to replace Loens feeding tube. Before they did we got a little group shot. And yes I chopped off my hair

Derby recovering