Original Blog Post: September 19, 2008- Holding Steady

We had the latest ultrasound/perinatal visit yesterday.  We learned the encouraging news that Caedmon is holding steady.  There is no improvement but there is just the expected amount of increase in his hydrocephalus so we do not need to go back for 5-6 weeks.  That is extremely good, as they think he is stable enough not to need to keep a sharper eye on things.
 
He is growing a lot!  Last visit he was right on target for a baby his age, this time he shot up to the 75-90%.  Our baby book says he should be 2-2 1/4 pounds right now, the ultrasound shows he is closer to 3 lbs 3oz.  It might have something to do with Mommy thinking she needed to comfort-eat to deal with all the stress of the news!  So, I'm trying to reign myself back in and move on from here.  Damek has been very helpful getting me out the door and running/walking. 

Our visit to the hospital also consisted of taking a tour of the labor and delivery facilities, meeting with the neonatologist who will get together the team who will be waiting for Caedmon in the delivery area and taking a tour of the NICU and CCU units at the Children's Hospital, where Caedmon will spend the first days of his life.  The two hospitals are next door to each other and connected by an underground tunnel, which will be really nice in December!
 
I will deliver in the OR because of Caedmon's special needs.  There is a separate room where the neonatal team will wait until he is delivered.  They will then take him, assess his status, place a bandage on his opening then give Adam and I some time with him before wheeling him over toChildren's.  Adam will go with Caedmon, I will remain to be stabilized then be taken over toChildren's.  When I am ready to go back to my room, I will be taken back to the hospital.  There is a closed-circuit television system so that I can call the NICU nurse and ask her to put Caedmon on and can receive the live video stream in my hospital room, anytime of the night or day.  Parents are always allowed in the NICU unit, no visiting hours apply, but they do not have any sleeping facilities so they encourage families to go home in the evenings and get some rest.  We were informed that Caedmon will be there a minimum of 7 days.