Our New Life With Grayson

I am finally getting to post something. We have been in and out of the hospital with Grayson, and I think we might finally be home for good. He is keeping his food down that he is getting from the feeding tube, and he is also getting a 1/2 ounce bottle with rice cereal every three hours. I think after this is over I could probably be a nurse! It is tiring, but you do what you have to. Here is what our life is like everday.
1. Check the placement of Grayson's nasogastric tube 3 times a day.
2. Give him his Prevacid twice a day.
3. Give him his eye medicine twice a day.
4. Change out bag for pump once a day.
5. Refill the bag of milk every 4 hours.
6. Stop pump every three hours for 30 minutes, and feed him a 1/2 ounce bottle.
7. Retape nasogastric tube if it needs it.
8. Flush out tube after every feeding.
9. Unclog tube with Dr. Pepper if it gets stopped up (usually once a day).
10. Keep track of wet and dirty diapers.
11. Keep track of spit ups.
12. Give him Mylicon all the time. He is so gassy since he just switched to formula.
13. Keep him elevated at all times, and after having a bottle keep him sitting up
for 30 to 45 minutes.
14. Change his wet diapers constantly since he is being fed 24/7 by the tube and
pump.
The other little time I have left is spent holding his pacifier in his mouth. He became addicted to Sweet-Ease (sugar water) when he was in the hospital ,and wasn't allowed to eat for days at a time. We have to dip his pacifier in the water, and this seems to keep him satisified when he is without his bottle all the time. However, he will only suck on the pacifier if you keep your finger in the hole of the nipple. He is so spoiled! Somewhere in between this Patrick and I have to find time to feed and shower ourselves. It is a lot to take care of, but we are fortunate enough to have great family and friends that have been helping out. Without them I would probably be suffering from postpartum depression or be in a mental institution. Thanks so much to the following people:
1. My husband for staying up some nights even thought he has to go to work
everyday. He also lets me take a nap when he gets home from work, and he is such
a great father to Grayson.
2. My mom and dad for driving back and forth from Meridian all the time to let us
have some rest, cleaning the house, and providing lunch and dinners.
3. Father-in-law for coming over during his lunch hour to let me eat, take a shower,
or nap.
4. Mother-in-law for staying some nights to let me get a good night sleep, and for
coming over after she gets off work to let me run errands or just help out around
the house.
5. Morgan and Matt for coming over to "babysit" and just hang out so I can have
grown up conversation.
6. Christi (godmother) for "babysitting" so I could clean my house for the shower I
hosted this weekend at my house ( I was crazy for volunteering my house when I
knew I would have a newborn). She also has been so great just coming by after
work and on the weekends to help out with anything.
7. Everyone else thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.
I will post new pictures whenever I find the time to load them on my computer.