Nothing like blood to perk one up...

Elden is two months today! Wow.....it seems like I have lived at the hospital for a very long time, but looking back it seems to have gone by fast too.

Last Thursday things were going great with Elden. By the evening the temperature inside his isolette was 28.4. I was getting excited about going home in a few days! But over night he was cold and the nurse had to keep raising the temperature on the bed. By Friday morning the isolette was up almost a whole degree to 29.3. My hopes of going home soon were mentally put on hold.

Lee met me Friday afternoon to take me home. We decided that I would come home on the weekends from now on as it was too crazy having all of the kids up here and not in their own environment. Just a few blocks from our house, Haley choked on some Chexmix and threw up. Poor Lee. After he went home and cleaned that up, it was raining extremely hard so he waited that out for a little while before he finally came up. I told my friend Lorrie that I should give Lee a Mother's Day card! He has been so wonderful through this whole ordeal and in taking care of the kids.

Friday evening I called the hospital and found out that Elden was getting a blood transfusion. His hematocrit levels were low, and he was acting a bit lethargic, so the doctor and nurse decided that some blood would perk him up. After hearing that and knowing that his isolette temp was at 29.3, I figured Elden would be in the hospital for a lot longer!

Sunday afternoon I called the hospital to check in on Elden. His isolette was at 28.0!!! I couldn't believe it! The blood did help out! I called again early Monday morning...about 1 am...and he was out of his isolette and in an open crib since mid-night. He has to be in an open crib for 24 hours. Technically, he can go home at midnight tonight, but the doctor won't do discharge stuff till tomorrow morning. Elden was circumcised today and the nurse said it went well. So, I just have to wait for the doctor to get the paper work done and tomorrow we will be heading home! (Well, as long as Elden doesn't get sick or something crazy happens overnight.)

Something that mom's can do here is "room in" the night before they go home. I think it is required of new moms. That way the mom and dad can spend the night in a room at the hospital and take care of their child, but have nurses available in case they have questions or need some assistance. I didn't have to room in because Elden isn't my first child, thought I could have if I wanted too. I decided I didn't want to do it. I just figured, I'll let the nurses give me my last full night of sleep and they can have the joy of taking care of Elden one more night! I really wish Lee was here with me, but of course we didn't know in advance when Elden would be coming home.

I am really excited to be going home, but it seems very weird too. I am glad that Lois and Jeff are there to help me out this week and adjust to having Elden home with us! I am so thankful that I have recovered from my surgery. I am mainly still in maternity clothes. But that is another post...