My mother-in-law said over the weekend that Melia wasn't going to leave the hospital without her sister. I thought to myself, what a nice way to think of it. Melia has had one foot out the door for weeks. She wasn't expected to still be in the hospital by the time Dr. Kamtorn returned from vacation, but little things she would do here and there (not taking a feeding or two, having a sleep apnea episode a few days ago after not having one in so long) kept the covering doctors from discharging her. I'd like to believe that my mother-in-law is on to something here - that Melia was messing with us so that she'd stay there with her sister. (Isn't that a nice thought? I'll have to remind them of this in about 14 years when they're fighting over boys and clothes) If this was Melia's plan, it looks like it just might have worked....
I received a phone call from Dr. Kamtorn while we were on our way to the hospital yesterday morning. She said that she missed all of her babies and was anxious to come home over the last few days of her vacation - and I believe her - she's just that kind of doctor. She's also the kind of doctor who believes that the best place for a baby is at home. So the next thing she said was that she was getting discharge started so that both girls could come home this week. She said "Can you handle that? How bout Wednesday?" - I was speechless. BOTH girls? This was a shocker. She went on to say that she reviewed their charts and is aware of everything that happened while she was away. She said that the girls are definitely ready and the only thing that could hold Madison back is if she can't maintain her temperature in a crib. She had just been taken out of her isolette and put in a crib the night before, so she still needed to prove herself in this area, but aside from that, she's ready. We spoke for a little while longer and I honestly can't tell you what else she said. I was in disbelief and everything else is a fog. I got off the phone with her and told Mike that Dr. Kamtorn was looking to discharge the girls on Wednesday. He started asking questions - questions that I couldn't answer because my conversation with her was already a blur. I figured it was okay since Madison's primary nurse was working and she'd be at the hospital ready to answer all of our questions. Next Mike said, "Don't I work on Wednesday? And isn't our discharge class not until Thursday?" - Oh crap! Now what? Mike works 2 days per week and of course their discharge would be scheduled for a day that he's working - what are the odds? And Mike's prescheduled vacation is actually scheduled to begin immediately after Wednesday's shift. But, since our discharge class isn't scheduled until Thursday afternoon, the girls discharge might be pushed back for one day, which would work out perfectly with Mike's vacation schedule. We can take the discharge class in the afternoon and leave immediately afterwards with the girls in tow.
By the time we got to the hospital, discharge planning was already in the works. As soon as we finished feeding the girls we had a meeting with the discharge case manager. She took some information and had us sign some paperwork to get things started on getting apnea monitors for both girls. So yes, both girls will be coming home on apnea monitors. Madison hasn't had a non-feeding related episode in 6 days and Melia hasn't had one in 4 days (the girls having apnea/brady episodes while eating doesn't count towards episodes that would be reviewed to make a decision as to whether or not an apnea monitor should be issued - sleep episodes are the ones of concern with this). So Melia needing a monitor is more warranted than Madison, but at our request, they'll send both girls home on the monitors. The peace of mind is worth it. So at some point today we're hoping to be able to get our training session on how the monitor works, as well as infant CPR training.
Yesterday wasn't only a big day for us. The girls had a big day too, full of discharge preparations. After meeting with the discharge case manager, we reviewed information to get immunizations started on the girls. Yesterday they had their Hep B vaccine. They are still a bit too young for the rest of their immunizations, so they'll get the rest of them on an outpatient basis with their pediatrician. Thankfully the girls handled the vaccine well and didn't have any type of reaction to it. After the immunization, Madison had her hearing test (which Melia had already, but Madison wasn't able to have at the same time because she was still in the isolette). Madison passed her hearing test without any problems. When we returned for their 8pm feeding we were told to bring in their car seats for their car seat challenge. Every NICU parent knows what it means when you see another NICU parent walk in or out of the unit with an empty car seat. When we see each other toting the car seat, we congratulate each other and get really excited - almost like we're giving each other a telepathic high-five in our heads. Last night we walked into the hospital toting those car seats with huge smiles on our faces - realizing that the only people who really know the true significance of toting that car seat around are the other NICU parents.
The car seat challenge is simply sitting the girls in their car seats for an hour to ensure that they can handle being in
that position without having any dips in their oxygen or heartrates. Sitting in car seat can put their heads in a position to block their airways since they are still so small and their heads so unstable. This proved to be a little more challenging for Madison than for Melia. Maddie looked sooooo small in he
r car seat and she seemed all scrunched up. Melia on the other hand looked totally fine and not at all uncomfortable (this after she screamed her head off as I strapped her in). Also, it's a little test for mom and dad to make sure that we know how to adjust the car seat straps and can put the girls in and out of the seat without any problems. All four of us passed our test. Even Maddie, who was all scrunched up and looked so uncomfortable, was able to get through the entire hour without a single desaturation. In between our visits yesterday we took care of some last minute things around the house. We put together their bouncy chairs. We made a list of last minute things that we need to get before they come home (premie and newborn diapers topping that list). And we put the pack n play together, which has a double bassinet on top and will be used for them to sleep in (in our bedroom) until we're comfortable enough to put them in their own room. With the pack n play now set up in our room, right next to my side of the bed (Mike is jealous, he wants the girls to be on his side of the bed - lol) I just laid there staring at it. Mike looked at me and said, "You're staying up staring at that thing and they're not even in there yet" - and he's right. I couldn't take my eyes off this pack n play for some reason. I was just laying there imagining them being in there and it was so surreal. After all these weeks without them home, it's so hard to imagine them actually being right next to me. In the middle of the night I can hold them and feed them myself rather than calling their night nurse to see how they're doing. I can't wait to see if Melia will continue to sleep this soundly....
Probably not right? Haha. That's okay. I look forward to even those sleepless nights just to have them home with me. So we're set up. We're ready to go. We know that the girls can handle the car ride home - now, just to get them here.
