Luke

As a noted in my first post I am sharing Luke's Nicu story. I am doing him first even though he was baby B because he was the easiest of the two. Those first 4 to 6 weeks in the Nicu were very hard on me. Todd was always very strong and positive. When I saw my babies for the first time I couldn't even touch them. Don't get me wrong I wanted to, but was very scared I would hurt them. I had never seen a baby so small. Todd finally coaxed me into handling them. By this I mean changing their diaper & taking their temperature.
In the delivery room Luke was the only one to make a sound. It sounded like a kitten, but he at least he made a sound. He was intubated and taken to the NICU. His weight was 900 grams (2 pounds) and he was 31 cm (12 inches) long. He lost down to 810 grams (1 pound 12.5 ounces) by day 9. The evening of day 2 he was extubated and placed on C-Pap. This was the night I first got to hold my baby boy. The love I felt at that moment was like no other. I am still amazed at how that love continues to grow today. The evening of day 8 he was placed on high flow nasel cannula. This was the first time Todd and I really got to see his face. He was so beautiful.

Luke had the typical preemie issue with being born at 28 weeks gestation. He had a medium to large PDA (opening in the heart) that he took medication to close. He was placed on caffeine to help with destats (stop breathing) and bradys (heart rate decelerations). He was poked numerous times. He still has the scars on his feet and hands to prove it. He had 3 blood transfusions. He had no brains bleeds (Thank God). He also passed his hearing and eye tests with flying colors.

Luke Paul came home on 04/13/08 after 59 days in the NICU. He was oxygen and monitor free. It was so weird to be able to walk around with a baby with no cords. His weight was 2149 grams (4 pounds 7 ounces) and was 46.5 cm (18.3 inches) long. This day was very bitter sweet for me. I was so happy to bring him home, but he was leaving his twin sister behind. I just felt like when they were there together they had someone at all times of the day, so when Luke left her she was alone. They shared a bed and now she had to be moved to the singleton bed. Anyways, back to Luke Paul.

He was the best singleton baby at home. All he did was sleep and eat. Having a preemie at home was difficult due to germs. We were told the day we left the hospital that all it took was for him to get sick to put him right back where we fought for 59 days to leave. We spent the first year of his life at home. He only got out to go to the doctor. A nurse came every month starting in October-08 through March-09to give him RSV shots. The county has a program called Sooner Start that came twice a month to monitor his development. They no longer require this service, due to them catching up to their birth age.

In June of 2009 we had a party at Oklahoma City Zoo for Molly and Luke to celebrate them. Luke had a ball. He was the ham of the party. We continued to get them out all summer long. He loves to play outside and people watch.

Now that fall is here. We have to be careful of the flu (H1N1 and seasonal) and RSV. Not so much for Luke, but for Molly. Molly scared longs should have enough good lung tissue by the time she is 2, but I will get to her story later. It is hard not to be a normal family that can go as they wish and do stuff other familys do, but I feel our time being sheltered is limited. They will be 2 in February, so what is another 4 months? Maybe some people think I am over protective, but if they went through the NICU experience they would understand. I feel like my babies have spent enough of their life in the hospital, so I will do whatever possible to keep them from spending another night there. Sorry to vent, but I get frustrated when people can't understand why I protect them the way I do.

Luke is a very strong minded child. He accomplished all the developmental steps first. My baby boy is amazing in every way. I love him with my whole heart.