November 3rd, 2007

Update on Kinnick and Carver.

Carver is still home and doing well. The formula that the hospital sent Carver home on (32 calorie/oz) has caused him to be constipated. Since he's constipated, he doesn't want to eat. We've been struggling to get 3 oz of formula in him every 3 hours. Our Pediatrician said to go ahead and give him 22 calorie formula with Karo Syrup. This really hasn't made much of a difference. We are lucky to get him to take 5 bottles. He's skipping 3 of his feeds and we struggle for nearly an hour to get him to take the 5 bottles. We've tried different bottles and nipples, but none have made a difference. I'm afraid that he's going to need a G-tube for feedings. We see a dietitian on Monday. Carver weights 11 lbs 12 oz. He lost weight while in the PICU at Wesley Hospital. He came home weighting 11 lbs. He has gained 12 oz since he has been home. That's pretty sad, since we aren't even getting him to take the amt of calories that he is supposed to have....guess that tells you how much the PICU was feeding him. Getting the PICU to feed him was an every day battle. They told me that they didn't have "time" to feed him. Instead, they just increased his calories to make up for the missing feeds. I'm frustrated since he came home from Michigan taking 4 oz a feed with no problem.

Carver remains on 1/4 lt oxygen. We haven't really touched it since he's been home.

Carver seen the eye doctor on Thursday. The eye doctor thinks that the left retina has detached, again. He was happy with the right eye. The right eye appears to be healing nicely. He'll see Carver again in a week.

Carver is scheduled for another BAER hearing test on November 14th. They will take a mold of his ears at that time to fit him for hearing aides.

Kinnick remains in the Wesley Hospital PICU. She was put on the high frequency ventilator for 4 days. She was then moved to the conventional ventilator for another 3 days and is now back on her nasal cannula. She's mostly on 3/4 lt oxygen. However, she gets irritated easily and really struggles to breath. She still gets suctioned very regularly. She was tested and it was determined that she has pseudomonas. This is a type of pneumonia that you only get in a hospital setting. She will not get to come home until she finishes her IV meds to clear the infection. The meds are given for 14 days. So, we do not expect her home for a least another week.

We feel like we have suffered some pretty big set backs being placed in the PICU. Carver's feeds have gone backwards to the point that he will most likely require a G-tube for feeds and Kinnick's lungs have been compromised due to the pseudomonas she got from the hospital.

Kinnick was also seen by the eye doctor (on Friday). He believes that her left retina has detached, again. However, like Carver, her right eye appears to be healing nicely. She will be seen again in a week.