The NICU Feed Lot

More big surprises! As we've mentioned before, our hearts always skip a beat when we get an evening call from the NICU and last night was no different. But last night's call brought some great news. Sandra, one of the kids great primary nurses, called to let us know that yet another room change was in store for the sprouts, but this time they were headed to the Feed Lot. That's right, the sacred promised land for every NICU preemie -- the coveted Nursery 3. Not only did the kids finally get called up to the big leagues, they scored Room 15, one of the plushest digs in the entire ward. (I knew the chocolate bribery would pay off.) I'm told that during their stay in Room 15, the kids will enjoy pampering by their regular primaries (they're still Level 2 acuity), and they will get to take long soaks in the Room 15 jacuzzi, lounge by the pool and enjoy a steam in the adjoining sauna. After that, it will be off to the Room 15 night club for dancing and schmoozing with the rest of the Nursery 3 elite. OK, that's somewhat exaggerated, but Room 15 does have a window with a nice view, and the gardens are just a few steps away. Not bad.

The doors to Shangri-La.

Our new address for the next several weeks... The next stop, home.

Interior shot of Room 15. OK, maybe not - but that's how it looks to us.

In other news, Milo has inexplicably made a huge weight gain. He is now 5lbs 5 ozs. No kidding! I didn't believe it either, and Annette even noted on his chart yesterday that she weighed Milo twice to confirm. Some of that is surely fluid, but it's still impressive! Maddy is 4 lbs 9 ozs and her lungs are getting stronger and stronger. We also learned about a new challenge for Milo yesterday: it appears that the little guy has a hernia (or two). This wasn't really on our radar, but Clem -- another great doc at Alta Bates -- walked us through a good explanation of what was going on and what it would mean for Milo. Basically, he'll need a little surgery to correct the hernia in about 6 months to a year. It's not causing him any pain, and it most likely won't have any other impact on him in the short term. Apparently this is very common for preemie boys.

A bigger Milo.

Madeline made her first attempt at bottle feeding yesterday. It was rough going for the girl. She was very hungry, and her voracious little appetite exceeded her ability to suck, swallow and breath. She had several bradys as a result and a couple of them were pretty dramatic. On the plus side, she did well for the rest of the day and had a good night's sleep last night, so she should be in better shape today.

Maddy all swaddled up.

Stay tuned.