Going Home...

Ok, well not today, or even tomorrow, but Dr Rouse checked in on Gabe and was very impressed with his progress this week (he's been gone for the holiday weekend). He looked at me and said it was time to come up with a game plan to get Gabe home. He is being weaned more aggressively on the versed drip, not sure about the morphine yet. He was going to talk to Neonatology about the progress of the vapotherm wean (interesting note about that, I noticed the machine was made in Ireland!! Our family gets excited about Irish stuff) and how quickly he might be able to come off of it - ultimately, as always, I imagine it'll be up to Gabriel. Dr. Rouse also wants another CT (the last one was done on ECMO, should be much simpler this time) to check the brain - remember they found a little posterior bleeding on the last CT, and it was suspected that Gabe may have had some mild seizures during the early days of ECMO. Dr. Rouse also wants to get us set up with a pulmonologist, and some other therapy groups. AND OFCOURSE, he needs his hearing screen! Don't worry, I'll sit on my hands and let them do it - but I have already check out their machine ;)

I think I am forgetting something. I'll think of it later. Lori worked with me some more tonight on the tube feeds - particularly on fortifying the milk. Since he was spitting up, they reduced the volume and started adding human milk fortifier for more calories. She showed me how to do it and quizzed me on some facts, such as expiration dates for milk and formula. I guess we have to be checked off by the nurses on several different things before he can go home and she wanted to get the ball rolling. We still don't know for sure how much longer we'll be here, I am guessing at least a couple more weeks - but we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunne. All of the nurses are saying "don't say the 'h' word in front of Gabe". A little superstitious? maybe, but you won't catch me saying it!