The Boy who ate his thermometer

Hello Folks,

If it wasn't painfully obvious by this point, I am ready for Groundhog day to be over.  They have me on a scheduled feeding rather than an on-demand feeding schedule, so I generally am waking up to feel starving and act a little like a baby bird. Even while I am burping mid-feed, I am still trying to eat anything that thinks it's way over near my mouth. Because of this I have been gaining weight like a crazy monster.  I expect to hit the 6 pound mark at my next weigh-in minus the cast.  (Some time on Wednesday or Thursday)


Hanging out with Dad

Once they even put me in my car-seat to test the fit, before a feed.  Can you believe that?  In response I tried to eat the straps they were holding my powers down with.


Chewing on the brand new car seat

To date I have chewed on anything I can get my gums around to see if there might be some promise of food inside, including my monitor leads, oxygen monitor, thermometer, my clothes, feet, hands, arms, clean diapers, blankets, diaper paste tube, mom's hand, and dad's neck.  Alas so far only two items have been found to help a fella out in the food department: bottles, and well...you know the other.


Lounging with Momma Tiger

So now comes the fun part.  I am so sick of the hospital.  We have been at the exact same point now for three straight weeks.  I am still waiting for an event free three days and it doesn't seem to be getting any closer.  The past 16 hours of my life have seen a brady/desat/or low respiration rate 5 times.  This morning's feed had 4 brady events alone.  My time here keeps getting longer and longer, with a seemingly small amount of light at the end of the tunnel.  The doctors keep telling me the same things: "Keep it up", "I'll grow out of this" "Not to worry" "We don't know when it'll get better" but these spells do seem to be getting more frequent.  My coping mechanisms are low given my tiny footprint in the world.  Just the other day my folks were telling me how they have tried eating more, eating less, spending/saving money, working out, resting, trying new hobbies, talking about things, staying quiet, rationalizing, and just dealing with things as they are.  Our strength as a family seems to continue to grow, however, we are all wearing thin in all respects.

I look forward to saying adios to this damn place.

Arrivederci,

Patrick