In One Vein and Out the Other

"Alex is boring. We like boring."

So said our doctor a few days ago. He has a very calming way of delivering nice colloquial assessments of Alex's condition. As the NICU staff has explained to us, preemies have a way of "taking two steps forward, one step backward" during their stay in the hospital. Alex, however, has been mostly moving forward so far, avoiding most of the major complications associated with babies born so early. Other than the normal As and Bs (apneas and bradys) and one or two fairly frightening dsat situations, it has been a calm NICU stay. Of course we are in no way able to completely relax, as something troubling could occur at any moment. Not to mention the fact that we have to consider the long-term implications of his prematurity. He is at higher risk for any number of eye or ear problems, developmental delays, learning disability, social or behavioral problems. Many of these things could take years to manifest, so you can look forward to seeing me pace around nervously for many moons to come. One positive side effect of this is that the unexplained episodes of anxiety attacks I'd been experiencing the past few years have completely subsided. Instead I can now focus all of my latent anxiety like a laser on the well-being of my baby. Like a nervous laser.

As Alex was up to a full feed of milk, the nurses were able to remove the IV that was delivering his supplemental nutrients a few days ago. But yesterday a slightly elevated white blood cell count in his labs meant that the IV was replaced to administer a three-day course of antibiotics. He is not showing any symptoms of being sick, but they want to preempt any kind of infection before it gets out of hand. He is also set to receive multi-vitamins and fortified breast milk with a higher caloric content so he can put on the ounces. We'll see how he tolerates that.

Kris and are are getting together this saturday with our close family and friends to have a small memorial ceremony for little Nicholas. We're just going to plant a small tree at my grandmother's house in his honor. I'm trying to think of a few things to say about such a brief life. I simply cannot process how much his five difficult days on earth have changed us.

In other news: I was punched in the face after being caught in the middle of a bar fight while trying to relax and have a few beers with my buddies, the stress from the past month has caused an ugly flair-up of my eczema, and getting an appointment with my dermatologist is like getting a meeting with the President of the United States. The doc can see me...on September 24. Must be a lot of bad skin in Philly this time of year.