Firsts

This has been a week of firsts.  Some have been fun, some not so much.  After coming home, we had our first of many sleepless nights....big surprise.  The joys of having a baby.  Other than sleepless nights it's been quite uneventful.  We had our first doctors visit.  Everything is looking great.  We have been given the advice to stay away from public places and lots of people due to the potential infection possibilities.  Something we will definitely listen too.  We've learned somethings new as well.  Adelyn doesn't poop... she explodes.  Nothing like sitting on the opposite side of the room and heard a wet explosion.  If the diaper wasn't there i'm betting she could hit the next door neighbors house.  Surprisingly, Moby hasn't attempted to sniff any poopy diapers, nor has he found the magical diaper genie which is probably a good thing.  Seeing as how he's eaten a sweeper duster and passed it, i wouldn't be a bit surprised if we see a pampers come through one day or another.  Adelyn has also had her first smile.  Unfortunately she only smiles when she is sleeping right now.  Though i'm not quite sure what a 11 day old dreams about  while sleeping.  Possibly milky nipples and warm fuzzy blankets but we may never know.  Another first was Adelyn's first taste of vitamins.  The funniest face i have ever seen.  She hasn't gotten the art of spitting down quite yet, but she sure has the face for it.

Moby has been quite interesting as well.  The crying and fuzziness doesn't seem to bother him at all.  He still manages to sleep through everything.  If anything, he's gotten more and more lazy.  I actually had to wake him up and drag him out of bed at 9 am the other day in order to eat breakfast.  Normally he is an early riser...up around about 7ish.  Lazy dog.

Today I had my Triathlon.  Great time.  I was part of a two person relay team.  Surprisingly, i did fairly well.  I would say i had the easier part, biking.  It wasn't too far only 13 miles.  Things started out great.  Adrenaline is a wonderful thing.  My initial 20+ mph slowly crept down to 19.5 avg.  I would say it felt great passing almost everyone.  But then again, as the miles crept up, my speed slowly crept down.  I'll definitely have to step it up in the next few weeks before my next one.
More to come soon...

Homecoming

It's official, we are all home.  The blood cultures came back negative, just like we thought they were.  After all if she was going to have some sort of positive blood culture, Adelyn probably would have been sicker than what she seemed.  The last few nurses have been absolutely awesome, beginning with the nurse from my last blog.  It's the type of nurses that are more what i was expecting in the NICU environment.  Even though the nurses were awesome, they were still a stickler on the time for the unit.  The good news is that they did allow us to enter a few minutes prior to the change of shift.  Though it really didnt matter seeing as how with feeding, getting ready, packing up, and finally getting the discharge paperwork together, we didn't get to leave until like around 9pm.  Moby on the other hand was quite interested in this new thing that he has never seen.  We were careful not to put her in an orange outfit for fear he may mistake her for one of his loved squeaky balls.  Moby seems to be taken his usual course of action with her in the last few days he's been sleeping just as normal.  Crying and fussing don't seem to disturb his slumber at all.  Things have been getting into a nice rhythm.  But seeing as how it's only been a few days, we have yet to see if they will last.  We are looking forward to the the upcoming firsts.  Monday will be the first visit to the doctors outside of the hospital.  More to come soon...

Dingo Bait

Adelyn Day 1

 So, it has been quite an interesting ride.  Being a nurse has had quite a few drawbacks.  The biggest is finding out which nurses are better than others.  Some of our nurses have been absolutely wonderful.  Everything a nurse needs to be ... compassionate, caring, holistic in nursing care and even encouraging family bonding.  Unfortunately most of the nurses we have encountered haven't held these qualities.  Since we've had to be in the NICU, i would have guessed that most of the nurses would have these qualities since it's such an important time for family bonding.  Surprisingly we've met more resistance than encouragement.  For instance, i was playing soft soothing music

while i was holding my baby and the nurse was like are "you playing music?  you should turn that off."  Really?  Constant soothing music that drowns out the hum of the ac, the ringing of the phones and beeping of the montiors and iv pumps is disturbing to my baby?   Even picking up adelyn has met resistance.  The nurses have said we shouldn't pick up a sleeping baby and we have touch times here.  I totally understand if she was under some sort of care like being in an isolette or under bili lights or oxygen, but she doesn't need anything like that.  Then of course there is the whole entire time issue.  Since i work in the icu, i know it's very important to have time during shift report to not have family members in the unit.  But i'm also realistic in the fact that if family wants to be in so be it.  I can very easily close the door and give report.  I was very surprised when my wife was booted out of the nicu literally right after she just started breast feeding in order for the nurse to do her work.  Shouldn't we be encouraging breast feeding?  Then of course they wonder why Adelyn isn't eating enough.  Then to top it off the nurses gave her a pacifier which was totally against our wishes.  In fact, you need to sign a waiver in order for the nursing staff to give her a pacifier.  We never did and when we brought that to their attention the nurse said well we signed the medically necessary form and it was medically necessary in order to consul her.  How about actually calling down to the room to have the parents come and see if they can consul her?  It's not like we are down the elevator, across the courtyard, throught the woods and across the river.  The good news is after almost 24 hours of dealing with really crappy nurses we finally got one that was awesome.  The chairs in the nicu are definitely not comfortable and condusive to breast feeding mothers.  It took almost all day yesterday to get a more comfortable chair. Then of course our awesome nurse came in and said hey why don't you use the stool we have?  So we are thinking why is this the first time we've heard of such thing?  Then of course there was the entire discharge issue with my wife.  Two minutes after my wifes discharge instructions were written, we were told we have to be out of the room before the hour is up which was like 15 minutes from then.  Then to top it all off, the billing called the room expecting payment.  Seriously?  Not that i'm expecting special gold treatment from being an employee of this hospital system, but i would be expected to be treated a little better than this.

The good news is how Adelyn is doing.  Not that I expected anything different.  The reason we ended up in the NICU was because of the blood work we got back.  Her wbc count was slightly elevated.  Its funny they were using the words sepis when in fact she didnt any organ dysfunction one of the requirements for sepsis.  Since my wife was strep b positive it was more precautions than anything.  The hardest part of the entire process was when they came to take her to the NICU.  Being a nurse i can totally understand not having parents in the room to get an IV on your little one.  But at least update the parents.  It was the longest 3 hours of my life.  The worst of it was they giving small updates like we're getting her settled and we are still tring to get an IV to my wifes nurse who was no longer providing care for adelyn.  Why weren't they giving us the updates instead of the nurse?  Anyways,  they finally established the iv and started her on the antibiotics.  Since she was spitting up a little bit.  They placed an og tube and sucked out all the contents then removed it.  Totally agree with this considering how easy the labor was and she really didn't get all the contents expelled with lots of pushing.  Now the spitting up hasn't been an issue.  I'm sure the projective vomiting will be coming somtime in the next few months thought.  Nothing a change of clothes can't fix.  I just hope moby isn't in the way.

The doctors have been wonderful here.  Very down to earth and realistic. The blood cultures came back with the preliminary result of negative, a wonderful sign.  She's been eating great.  Voiding fine.  She still needs two more doses of antibiotics and we need the blood cultures to come back as officially negative fri afternoon, but from the looks of it we will going home fri night.  The neonatologist seems to think that her elevated wbc count was in response to the entire labor process and not any infective organism.

One thing that totally surpises me is the lack of other parents i've seen in the nicu.  I've seen a few parents here and there but noone really staying with their babies like we have.  Shocking to me but maybe not so much to the nurses in the NICU.  Moby on the other hand has been quite entertaining as well.  Considering he has been lacking in the attention department and has spent most of his time in the crate, we haven't felt a whole lot of compassion considering the first thing he does after peeing and pooping is lay down on the couch or bed.  A few days ago he even got a real treat when i went home to take a little nap and slept for like 2 hours.  He was sprawled across the entire bed.  His time in the crate will be short lived considering my wife will be pretty much a stay at home mom.  Well back to Adelyn with more to come...

Adelyn Calliope

She has finally arrived.  My daughter Adelyn Calliope arrived on 05 July 2011.  She came a little quicker than expected.  It was a great surprise.  We arrived at the hospital monday night.  Totally misssed the fireworks which wasn't too bad considering it was raining off and on all afternoon.  I of course was quite excited, my wife on the other hand was quite nervous considering that she had all day to think about what was going to happen.  After settling into the room, our journey began.  It seemed like quite a long journey, i felt like my patients sometimes.  Sleeping for what seemed like hours and only minutes gone by.  Plus its also kinda hard to sleep in a broken recliner.  But all in all, it was an experience.  The morning brought on the real excitement.  As the contractions became stronger and stronger, i was urged by my wife to head home and take care of the Moby prior to anything happening.  I actually felt bad for him considering he had been in the crate all night long and here i was only letting him out to let him eat and poop.  Of course that really didn't last long before my phone rang saying i should hurry up.  Rush back to the hospital i did.  No stopping for food and no shower.  At the hospital, i got there in time to assist my wife through some of the contractions prior to the epidural. After the epidural was placed, the wonderful world of no feeling in your lower half of your body kinda took over all the work.  I will have to say, my wife is a better man than me.  I would rather take a foley catheter or a ng tube then any sort of needle in the back of my spine.  I would totally have to be sedated in order to do such a thing.  So now time was once again on my side.  I was sent out to get food since i hadn't had the chance to get any and the crapateria at the hospital is less than optimal.  Not too long after getting back and feeling partially human and not starved to death. I was back to providing comfort care.  I had just gotten comfortable when the doctor came in and decided to check my wife to see how she is progressing.  Surprisingly, he's news shocked us.  He said "are you ready to have a baby?"  Her head was right there.  A few minutes later all the nurses came in, two pushes and out she came. The most beautiful baby girl i had ever seen.  I am partial of course but why wouldn't i be.  She was 7lbs, 8oz.  20 inches long with blond hair and blue eyes.  Words can't describe the feeling of overwhelming happiness.  Only the people with children know this feeling.  We have a wonderful beautiful girl....  The best part is the smell.  That sweet baby smell, not the poopy diaper smell.

However,...
Things changed slightly with some of the blood work we got back along with her throwing up a little bit bought her a ticket to the NICU.  So here i am.  Like a roller coaster ride of emotions all rolled up in one.  From the looks of it, she's the healthiest sick baby in the NICU.  The bad news is that it looks like she'll be spending the next 7 days here getting antibiotics and fluids.      It will be the the place i love to be but hate to be at.   Pics to come soon.

Squeaky Balls

First, i'm aware i haven't had a chance to post anything in the last month with everything that has gone on.  I'll be posting about everything real soon.  But this is something that absolutely needs to be posted.  

Moby, our greyhound, loves squeaky balls.  Not just any balls, the balls in the shape of a tennis ball that squeak when you squeeze them.  He loves them so much in a matter of ten minutes, he will have the squeaker disabled and the ball split open so you can flatten it out.  Does the death of the squeaker discourage him?  Absolutely not.   Recently we purchased a three pack of those squeaky balls.  These were the medium orange tennis balls, his absolute favorite.  Of course he couldn't contain himself, nor could he get a hold of one quick enough. After what seemed like an infinite matter of doggie time, the netting package was open.  The very clean, very soft, and very orange ball is now reflecting off the ambient light into the "sushi" look of the greyhound ready to pounce and sprint the 3 strikes to 45mph.  A quick through and a drooled catch and he is gone into the next room to chew to his orgasmic doggie pleasure.  This of course didn't last long.  Long enough to put the other two on the patio table and walk over to the pool and relax with our feet in there when the squeaker suddenly stopped.  Seeing as how his new toy died and remembering there was another two in the package,  he went searching.  Low and behold he found them sitting on the patio table.  Without any regard to a big "HEYYYY",  he snatched the balls off the table, package and all and ran back inside to his chewing delight.  Laughter burst out from the pool as the squeaker of an ill fated ball echoed from inside the house.  This wouldn't be the last....

FOOD OR PLAY?
First off, Moby is on a see food diet.  He see's food he eat's it.  Frankly, he'll even eat the boogers attached to the tissues that we throw away in the bathroom trashcan.  We've caught him going in after the tissues while we take showers.  Why tissues?  I have no idea.  Usually he pukes them up so you would think he would learn by now, but he hasn't.  The good news is that he did learn his lesson after eating the swiffer duster and having to poop it out.  Swiffer dusters are no longer on his diet thanks to 2 days of vomiting before finally passing it out.  I guess it's one way to clean out your intestines.  Anyways, recently he got into the trash can that i left open and had recently threw away some old chili.  The tomatoes, spices, and onions are not a good thing for a dog to have.  So i had the fun job of inducing vomiting before anything get absorbed.  Yahoo.  But how soon we forget... 
So last week my coworkers threw me a daddy shower for the upcoming birth of my little girl whose name is *%&%#)$*%*%(%()$.  Sorry can't reveal it just quite yet.  The one advantage of being a male nurse and working with a bunch of women is they loving doing showers like that.  I was able to take a small cake home and sat it on the counter in our kitchen.  Why not?  It's not like Moby has ever tried to get anything from the counter.  Nope instead he usually tries to raid the trash cans or the dinner table after we get up.  The good news is that he doesn't beg while we are eating he just lays next to us laying in wait... 
A few days ago my wife went out and bought more of the those yellow squeaky balls that he loves.  I of course opened the netting pack and removed one of the three balls and started playing with him.  Without thinking, i placed the other two balls on top of the counter next to the cake.  So yesterday i was trying to get him to play with the one ball that i had already taken out but he wasn't interested in it at all.  What does that little stinker do instead?  I walk back into the living room to find him playing with two balls still wrapped up in the netting package.  Not only did he reach up on the counter to get those balls, he totally bypassed the cake that was sitting right next to it when he had a choice to eat or play with new squeaky balls.  Crazy Dog!!!  I think that's the first time he has every turned down food.  Just shows you how much he really loves those balls.

24 Hours

Well, here we are.  Less than 24 hours away from actually beginning the long process of owning a house.  Pics to come after we move in of course.  The weekend is going to be fun packed of disorganization and clutter strewn all over the place, but it'll be fun.  Our biggest concern is Moby.  In packing up our house, we have learned a few things.  One, he gets stressed out very easily. Two, he is deathly afraid of cardboard boxes.  Seeing a box in our hand has him running away as if a knife weilding clown is chasing him.  The second the box leaves our hand he is plastered up against us leaning on us for dear life for reassurance that everything is going to be okay.  The question that has come to our mind since he's toally going to freak out this weekend is should we get him some doggy prozac?  But then again what happens when you give a dog whose baseline is 22 hours a day sleeping some sort of anti-anxiety/sedative drugs?  Would we need to invest in some sort of greyhound recuscitative kit incase it totally knocks him out? Also as goofy and clumpsy as he has been sometimes (he has walked into the glass sliding door, the chair, and the wall a couple of times) would he be more goofy and clumpsy?  I guess we could wrap a blanket around him to protect him from falls and what not.  We would need to get a doggy helmet as well.  Could be quite entertaining considering how he reacts and walks with the paw protectors on.  Another interesting note is the fact we now have a pool.  Considering his complete and utter dislike of water, i'm looking forward to how he reacts with the huge cement pond we will have.  I see him totally hating life after he falls into the fall the first time.  Look forward to updates on that. 

As for this past weekend, we continued the process of packing things up.  We shot the wedding on saturday to some great success of course.  The pictures came out great.  We'll have to see how the bride and groom...er well maybe not the groom so much like the pics.  The reception was quite entertaining, and of course we have determined that one of the requirements to live in florida is to either be named rob or donna.  We have met realtor rob, bike center rob, mortgage rob, and now dj rob.  I think there is even more robs that i'm missing somewhere.  I will assure you our child will not be called either one. 

The Happening

Well it has happened.  The past few weeks have been quite interesting to say the least.  First, the appraisal came in low on the house we are building.  BIG Shocker there!!  It actually came in higher than we anticipated at 148,000.  So that is our final out.  However, getting them to agree with our request has been quite difficult to say the least.  After all why wouldn't we want the house that doesn't appraise for the price we decided on, and yet still has many issues to resolve.  The tile was laid, and low and behold it was on the diagonal like we said, only it was tiled in the wrong area!  One of the doors was put on wrong, and yet there is still one of the arched windows that would need to be removed to complete our contract as written.  Long story short, we are done.
Other news that is quite exciting is the fact we placed a contract on the house that we really really like.  The home inspection went beautifully and we were just waiting for everything to clear when low and behold the appraisal came in low.  Seeing as how the appraisers got the brunt of the blame for the financial crisis with housing for overappraising everything, we are now in a time where everything is under appraised to cover their own butts. With the appraisal 10,000 less than what we had anticipated, it has been a whirlwind of negotiations with the seller.  The breaking point came monday when the seller went by the house and the water softener was spewing like old faithful.  Thankfully this happened prior to closing and not right after.  Realizing how close he would be to closing had him reworking the terms of sale along with us being willing to work.  All in all i believe we are both quite happy with the outcome.  So now the fun begins.  We have exactely 1 week to closing and 1 week to moving out of the house.  The only bad thing is that i work the majority of the week for next two weeks.  The lack of sleep will definitely be a precursor to the next few months.  After all we hit the lovely 30 weeks on tuesday.  10 weeks to go but who is counting!!  Anyways off to prep for the next few weeks.  Pics to come of the new house and other things but may be a bit depending on how we get settled.