Max's helicopter trip/ stay in n.i.c.u.

 I was induced friday and sunday brought Max home.  He was fussy but every baby is their first night home.  So me and the hubby were just working together trying to sooth him.  He seemed like he had a tummy ache and he hadn't pooped since the night before so we were giving him tummy rubs, walking his legs, and checking his temp rectally because it helps with constipation. At one point his temp was 101. Our discharge orders said to call if the temp was over 100.3.  We went into the E.R. they said they would have to do a full set of testing to check for everything from metabolic disorders to a spinal tap.  He would be admitted and it would take 2 days.  That was nerve wracking enough then his sodium and acid came back high.  Then two times  the monitors that measure the rise and fall of his chest when breathing dropped. (doesn't mean he stopped breathing means shallow breathing like relaxed) Next thing you know he is being air lifted to sioux falls s.d.!!!  I was a total and complete wreck.  Here is the helicopter that picked him up.

 We left before they even did so we could be there as soon as we could since Sioux Falls is a hour and half away.  He wound up only beating us by 15 minutes.  The first people we saw when we got into n.i.c.u were some of the ladies on the crew who flew in and transported.  They were truly awesome ladies.  The flight went awesome no more problems.  I was a utter and complete wreck mind you crying uncontrollably because from what the pediatrician told us he probably had a metabolic disorder or a infection.  I called some good friends of mine and her hubby is a dr I fully trust and he said sounded like a bit of dehydration and that probably jumped the gun.  I felt sooo much better. Here is the little guy getting snuggled.

 In the n.i.c.u he under went a whole bunch more testing and monitoring.  We were still trying to breast feed but good luck when they check blood sugar, blood pressure, weigh and change a diaper at the very least before you trying to feed not to mention while he is kicking and screaming he has 6 cords hanging from him that he is getting wrapped up in during the fits...

 So I pumped and we did bottle I decided it wasn't worth putting him through more seeing as it would take me a hour to get him to calm down and latch on.  It was also taking a big toll on me because it would take a hour and half to get him calmed down, fed, laid down, and then pump clean pump parts then since they had him on a strict feeding schedule of at least every 3 hours I would be back feeding a hour later and often didn't have time to eat. Since it hadn't even been a week since I had a baby this was all taking a toll on my body too.  Not to mention I would stay for every feeding except for the 2am one I would skip to get a few hours sleep. 

 I had to go mama bear on them at one point on our 3rd day there, because I wasn't getting any answers, no progress was being made, and no test results had come back with anything off since we left our town.  I wanted to know if nothing was wrong he wasn't dehydrated, his blood sugar was fine, why was he on fluids still.  Why were we here at all.  They said the hospital in my town didn't start the cultures until a day later so they were just waiting to make sure there wasn't any infection for sure.  Which I can understand fine but After that they quit pricking his foot every 3 hours for blood sugar and made it a once a day thing, the same with blood pressure, and they started to ween the i.v. every time he ate.  So he was off that by 11p.m. that night and on a saline lock while we waited for cultures from my town.  That was a rough day and I was really going down hill so me after me and ben fed max dinner he crashed right away and we went to dinner out side the hospital and saw some awesome yarn bombs.

 My blood pressure was through the roof and my feet where HUGE but I couldn't deal with that now so back to the hospital we went feeling much better.

 We fed big guy a few more times before heading back to the Ronald McDonald house.  He was very wide awake allot that night and having fun making faces at us.

 The next day we got up and our prayers were answered it was free max powers day!!!  Woo hoo.  It turns out it was just a mild case of dehydration from a combination of two things.  He was fussy and having a hard time latching on and my milk hadn't come in yet.  I didn't have a pump to see how much he was getting because the pharmacy that carries them in our town wasn't open until tuesday and I had already set up a appt with my lactation consultant tues too!  But my milk is in now and we are all fine soo... We put him in this cute little outfit that was dropped off for Max and set out for home. 

 I am sure he probably misses his girl friend Sara (his favorite nurse who was so great to all of us and made going through this soo much easier)

 He is a great traveler and slept the whole ride home. 

With me right beside him in the back seat because I wasn't letting this handsome devil out of my sight...Still haven't.  Now I have to get into the drs and get my self checked out!!!  Hope you guys are having a great day.