Mum and Dad get told off...

It's hard to know where to start this update.  It's been such a strange week.

I'm doing well.  I now weigh 3lb and 3oz, which is still below the average weight of a baby at 32 weeks but this means that I've now put on over half of my birth weight.  I'm not exactly 'bonny' (which is a word my Dad taught me to use instead of 'fat' when you're talking about babies) but I don't feel like I'm just skin and bone any more.  I'm beginning to feel much stronger and I think this is helping me with my breathing too.

I'm still on C-PAP but I'm now spending longer and longer on high-flow (or 'prongs' as we call it).  I much prefer it when I'm not on C-PAP because I don't have to wear the white hat and have the oxygen tube strapped to my face which means that Mum and Dad can see my facial expressions properly.  So far my facial expressions have been mostly frowns but sometimes when I have wind it looks as though I'm smiling and everyone gets really excited... grown ups can be so daft.

My longest stint on prongs has been six hours and I'm doing OK.  I do get tired still and I normally end my session by de-satting down to 20% or less (sorry, I'm assuming everyone has a level of technical understanding now, so if you're new to the blog I apologise!)  The really good news though is that I haven't really needed bagging much at all and I'm recovering from all of my de-sats and Bradys all by myself... with a little help from the nurses of course!

My milk has gone up to 9 mls (!) every hour and I'm managing to keep it all down.  My tummy is still a bit swollen but apparently we only need to worry if it's hard... and it's not, it's all soft and squidgy, so that's good as well.  Even my jaundice appears to be getting better, so as I said, I'm doing well.

Oh, and one other thing, I had my eyes tested this week.  A nice nurse came and put some drops in (which stung a bit!) to make my pupils dilate.  Charlie had told me all about this because he has to have it done when he has his eyes checked.  They looked into my eyes with a big light and everything seemed to be OK but I think I'm having another check next week.

On the day my eyes were being tested they put a sticker on my incubator to remind the nurses that I was having drops.  This sticker joined the one with my name and prisoner number on, the one that says I'm in the I2S2 clinical trial (the iodine one!), the one that says I'm in the Dove clinical trial (I've not mentioned this one before but it involves my poo being taken away for analysis!), and the one that says Mummy brings her own blankets in!  There are more stickers on my incubator than on a middle aged German's Campervan!

Have you noticed how many sentences in this diary start with the phrase 'Dad thought it would be funny'?  Well, guess what?  Dad thought it would be funny to add another sticker and the only one he had was his National Trust Car Park sticker, so I'm now the most totally middle class baby in here!  Thanks Dad!

Heaven!

What else?  Oh yes, I've had some REALLY good Mummy cuddles this week.  It's so much better when I'm not on C-PAP and I can snuggle up really close.  It's funny but I think I'm happiest when I'm not in my incubator.  I just love being close to Mum (and occasionally Dad), listening to them talk to me while they stroke my head and rock me back and forth.  It's heaven!

I'm not sure if this is going to work or not but yesterday I had the hiccoughs for a while and Dad took a little video of me.  It's nothing special, just me in my plastic box having a good hiccoughing session but for those of you reading my blog I thought it would be good chance for you to see me in the flesh as it were.  Sorry if it doesn't work... I'll get on to the IT help desk first thing in the morning!

I suppose you're wondering why this diary entry is called 'Mum and Dad get told off'?  Well, like I said at the start, it's been a strange week, which came to a funny conclusion yesterday when Mummy and Daddy were taken away for a 'chat' with a lady who looked very important.  And you'll never guess what the chat was about... MY BLOG!!  Mummy and Daddy have had an official talking to!

All I'm going to say at this point is what I said right at the very beginning of my blog...  This Diary is for everyone who's been praying for me, for everyone who's been crossing their fingers for me, for everyone who's been worrying about me and my Mummy and Daddy, and Charlie and Millie.  I've tried to make it honest and funny, and I've tried to give you all a sense of what's happening here in Coventry NICU.  I hope that I've managed to communicate how fabulous the staff are that work here and what an incredible job they do, but as in all walks of life, things don't always work perfectly, and part of the joy of writing this has been laughing at the things that have occasionally gone wrong.  I really can't see why anyone would have been upset or offended by anything I've written but if they have been then of course I'm sorry. 

I'm only six weeks old... give me a break!

Lots of love and hugs and kisses!

Poppy Lola

xxx