After three months in the NICU we knew our precious would be coming home soon. The anticipation was incredible.
Here is a summary of the second to the last week in captivity.
Day 78 - Saturday 25 April 1998
To celebrate the soon to be release of Summer from the NICU, mom and dad went to the Fun Factory to see Comedy Sports, a dinner/comedy club that specializes in improvisational competition. It was fun. Summer is doing great. She accomplished all of her goals set for the previous week and mom and dad are happy. The medical staff tells us we should do a few fun things together this week because Summer will be coming home soon and we want get the chance to do anything alone together for quite awhile. Based on our schedules I’m not quite sure what we can squeeze in but hopefully we will think of something.
Day 79- Sunday 26 1998
DC United Game today - mom decided not to go so dad stayed home and watched it on TV. Summer is doing so well she is annoying all the nurses. Now when she is awake, she is so alert she demands to be entertained. Its a good sign and indicates that we will be taking her home soon. Lynette was entertaining Summer by sitting her up right in a baby seat and hanging her toys down in front of her. I wish we had a picture. Lynette is afraid Summer only likes her primary nurses and her mom. We assured her this wasn’t the case. Lynette also felt bad because no one told her Summer likes the Enfamil nipples over the Simulac nipples. Tonight dad watch the first part of Merlin and taped it for Summer to see one day.
Day 80- Monday 27 April 1998
Today we set the date for Summer to come home. Next Monday, 11 May, they are planning to discharge her. What great news! Summer will have spent 3 full months - almost 90 days and will be 37 weeks gestational age when she leaves. It’s hard to believe the time has ticked by. Three months ago it seemed that waiting three months would be a life time. Looking back it seems to have flown. I think the fear of the unknown is what made looking ahead three months almost unbearable. Now that we will have Summer with our entire life looming before us it seems to short. Summer will be leaving for college soon and I hardly know her. Talk about fundamental changes in priorities. This has been the experience of a life time. And I glad I am getting to share it with so many loving friends and family members. Dad taped the second half of Merlin and found out later that Summer was actually already watching it on TV in the nurses lounge.
Day 81- Tuesday 28 April 1998
Today was a big day. Summer went down stairs to get her MRI done. Mom was watching and got to see her brain. Mom and Dad went to two hours of CPR training and learned how to use the home monitor. And it was Ahn’s last day in the NICU. She is moving to another State. The nurses threw a little party for Ahn at the end of her shift. Dad was up in the NICU trying to complete his interviews so he was invited the chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream was great. He sat in the nurses lounge and got to see pictures of all of the nurses children hanging on their lockers. Dr. Z told stories. It was fun. When it was time to go I made sure Ahn would take a picture of herself holding Summer (Alison would take the picture). We still don’t know if she since we haven’t developed the film yet. I tried to hung Ahn but she is so shy she just doesn’t respond well to that sort of thing. Ahn will be a fond memory of the NICU and I hope Summer will get to meet her one day.
Day 82- Wednesday 29 April 1998
Summer is now 4 ½ pounds. Tonight Dad and Mom went to see the play “Mouse Trap” put on by the Little Alexandria Theater. Red Haired Cathy, one of Summer’s nurses plays the leading role. Cathy got us the tickets and they were waiting for us at Will Call. Front Row Center. It was a great production. We will have to go again soon. Summer is doing well today. She has been weaned from all of her medications except caffine. Mom said she ate well today and is putting on the weight. Also, tonight was a DC United Game. Dad gave his front row tickets to Dr. Z. Dr. Z loves soccer. I hope she enjoyed the match.
Day 83 - Thursday 30 April 1998
Excitement is building. Today Summer’s oxygen saturation sensor was removed. Now she is only hooked up to the heart and respiration monitor. The same monitors she will come home on. Mom spent most of the day with Summer. She was even unhooked from the monitor for a time as mom carried her around the NICU visiting some of the nurses. Dad showed up for Summer’s 5:30 feeding. She ate 45 cc of milk in under 20 minutes without a fight. Dad burped her and got three big ones out of her. Dad interviewed Red Haired Cathy - the Actress - and learned why she got to kiss the leading actor 10 times during the course of the Play. That’s 10 times a night, 6 nights a week, for four weeks, plus the same in rehearsal. That’s close to 500 kisses in a 3 month period - that’s far more than most married couples. He also learned about all of the back stage gossip. Summer is glad to have a talented actress as a nurse. We also found out today that Summer will have blood test to evaluate her red blood cell count. If it is too low it may require another transfusion. If Summer receives a transfusion it will delay her coming home next Monday. Dad got home in time to watch Seinfeld - the third from final episode.
Day 84 - Friday 1 May 1998
Today was another training day for mom. She showed up at the NICU at 10am. She checked into the parents suite and Summer was rolled in. The object of today was for mom to take complete care of Summer without the aid of the medical staff and to get used to the home monitor. Mom completely wired Summer with the Heart rate monitor and the Breathing monitor. When everything was working properly she settled down to spend the day with Summer. Dad had meeting all day long and finally showed up at the NICU around 5pm. We had Summer for the full 12 hour day so we still had 5 hours to go. When dad showed up the monitor had not sounded once for Summer. She was having an excellent day. Mom was excited about her progress. During the day mom learned about Summer’s medication and how to give it. It seems that Summer will only require a few miligrams of Caffine each day when she is home. Caffine is a wonder drug - one of Dad’s favorites. Dad let mom go home early and he finished out the full 12 hour day with Summer. Then the nurses took over again. Dad also conducted some of the final interviews with the medical staff. See Doctors and Nurses.
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