The official identification of the bacteria that caused Madison's infection is Staphylococcus S. warneri. Makes total sense right? Ha. When the doctors show me these reports and say these words, I just laugh and ask them to speak English, or even Spanish - I understand Spanish better than I understand all this medical mumbo jumbo, though I'm pretty good at the NICU terminology, this micro-biology bacteria species identifying stuff, I just can't wrap my head around. The long and short of this Staph S. warneri is that it's a common bacteria found on skin - found on all of our skin. It can cause a bacterial infection in premature babies, or any person really, who has a compromised immune system. It should be easily treated with the antibiotics that she's being given now (clindamycin and vancomycin, which she will be
on for 7-10 days at least) and she seems to be responding well. So well in fact that she pulled off her nasal cannula today and the nurse didn't even notice because her oxygen was so good on her monitors. Since she proved that she was able to do it, the doctor decided to take her off of the nasal cannula today and let her try the breathing thing on her own - and she's doing really well (so until she gets her feeding tube back in, her little face is tube-free!). This doesn't surprise me, I knew she'd do well without the cannula. Last time they took her off the cannula I think it was just bad timing because she was getting sick, so she was having a lot of brady/apnea episodes due to being sick. Now that she's feeling better, she's able to handle it. Also, the doctor is letting her start eating again to see how her stomach can handle it. Her first feeding was at 4pm today and she was given 5mls by bottle. She must've been so happy to have even that little bit of food back in her tummy! When she's allowed to eat, Maddie loves her food, it's just that she has to be taken o
ff of food so often with all of her illnesses lately! Poor thing. Her spinal fluid culture is still being watched (it will be watched for 7 days) and it has yet to turn positive, meaning that the infection does not seem to be spreading into her central nervous system. The doctor is waiting until tomorrow to draw some more blood and do another blood culture to get confirmation that the antibiotics are combating the Staph. Until then, Maddie is up to her old antics, climbing all over her isolette and letting us all know that she's feeling at least a little bit better.
on for 7-10 days at least) and she seems to be responding well. So well in fact that she pulled off her nasal cannula today and the nurse didn't even notice because her oxygen was so good on her monitors. Since she proved that she was able to do it, the doctor decided to take her off of the nasal cannula today and let her try the breathing thing on her own - and she's doing really well (so until she gets her feeding tube back in, her little face is tube-free!). This doesn't surprise me, I knew she'd do well without the cannula. Last time they took her off the cannula I think it was just bad timing because she was getting sick, so she was having a lot of brady/apnea episodes due to being sick. Now that she's feeling better, she's able to handle it. Also, the doctor is letting her start eating again to see how her stomach can handle it. Her first feeding was at 4pm today and she was given 5mls by bottle. She must've been so happy to have even that little bit of food back in her tummy! When she's allowed to eat, Maddie loves her food, it's just that she has to be taken o
ff of food so often with all of her illnesses lately! Poor thing. Her spinal fluid culture is still being watched (it will be watched for 7 days) and it has yet to turn positive, meaning that the infection does not seem to be spreading into her central nervous system. The doctor is waiting until tomorrow to draw some more blood and do another blood culture to get confirmation that the antibiotics are combating the Staph. Until then, Maddie is up to her old antics, climbing all over her isolette and letting us all know that she's feeling at least a little bit better.Melia is doing well. She's taking all of her feedings by bottle, and finishing most of them this way. Last night and this morn
ing she had to finish her feedings by tube, but she has finished all of her other feedings by bottle for the past couple days. We need to pay close attention to her and pace her because once she gets into a zone she starts chugging and totally forgets to breathe, but still, she's doing really well. Once she realizes that she needs to pace herself and breathe, she'll be good to go. They say that once this clicks with premies, they'll remember to do it all the time - so we just need that final piece to click for Melia and she'll be on her way - literally - on her way home!
ing she had to finish her feedings by tube, but she has finished all of her other feedings by bottle for the past couple days. We need to pay close attention to her and pace her because once she gets into a zone she starts chugging and totally forgets to breathe, but still, she's doing really well. Once she realizes that she needs to pace herself and breathe, she'll be good to go. They say that once this clicks with premies, they'll remember to do it all the time - so we just need that final piece to click for Melia and she'll be on her way - literally - on her way home!Quick Daddy take: I gave Melia her 11 o'clock feeding today. She did so-so with it. Like Amanda said, she is forgetting to breathe at times, but her suction is very strong. So strong in fact, that I can feel her swallowing. She took more than half her feeding, but then she lost some interest and preferred to go back to sleep. But tonight the girls were in the mood to show off. Amanda fed Melia and she finished her whole bottle in great time and hardly desaturated at all. I held Maddie, and I have to say she has never looked better. She is tube free right now, and she was very alert tonight. There were times I felt she was looking right into me. She wiggled the whole time, and I was wondering if she was planning her escape from that place. I feel so good about tonight's visit, and after this weekend, I really needed it.
