Logan has been doing so well! Every day brought new improvements. Sunday we tried breastfeeding for the first time. He didn't quite get the concept, but we tried again on Monday morning and he latched right on and then ate for 16 minutes! A full feeding is considered to be 10 minutes! We tried breastfeeding again that day but he didn't get it and that was okay. He started taking bottles when I wasn't there to breastfeed or if he wouldn't latch. I would love it if he would breastfeed as well as Nathan but I know it's going to take a lot of work to get him there and I would rather just get him home as soon as possible on bottles rather then work on exclusively breastfeeding. He's latched and ate pretty well while breastfeeding at least once a day since Monday and I've been really happy with that. I have hope that we'll get into the swing of things once we get home. Although, I'm not going to push the issue to much, especially while he's still on oxygen.
Monday and Tuesday they worked with Logan on increasing his feedings and how much he was getting. They moved him into an open bed on Monday, and they worked on weaning him off of the oxygen. He weaned off of the high flow oxygen on Monday and was switched to air cannular, I think it's called. Then on Wednesday, really early in the morning, they switched him to scant flow-which he can come home on. Wednesday he was also given his last dose of his antibiotics and they did labs and blood work. Everything came back showing that his infection had been cleared up and he was eating well enough and starting to gain back weight that they said he could come home!! They tried to take him off of the oxygen but his oxygen saturation levels were too low without it so he would still need the oxygen at home.
Wednesday was such a crazy day after learning that Logan could come home! They planned to discharge him the next day and said I could stay with him in the hospital that night to get a feel for the oxygen and his monitors. Michael had to come up and we both had to pass off on infant CPR and some other teaching stuff. We also had to learn how to use his oxygen tank and monitor that we'd be taking home with us. That was pretty overwhelming. Then I went home with him to get some things together for the night.
In my scramble to get things together and spend a little time with Nathan I took him down to the car with me to hang out while I installed the car seat. I had to do some rearranging to get both Nathan's and Logan's car seats fitting well. Nathan was playing in the front seat. At one point I needed to go around to the other side of the car so I closed the door and right as it was closing I heard the door lock click. The keys were in the car and we don't have a spare key. Nathan had locked himself in the car. I was already on the verge of a break down and that very nearly pushed me over the edge. I called Michael because I didn't know what else to do. As he was on his way down I had a thought that maybe I could get Nathan to unlock the door. I went around to the driver side where he was happily sitting "driving" the car. I knocked on the window to get his attention, pointed to the lock and told him to press the button. I had to repeat myself a few times, but it worked!!! He unlocked the car!! I was super impressed with his ability to listen and do what I asked! I was also so relieved!! He was only locked in for maybe a minute but in my mind I went through a million scenarios where he was trapped in there for hours while we wait for a lock smith. Heavenly Father was definitely watching over us in that moment.
The room wasn't ready when I got there at 10 PM, but I still got to be with Logan while we waited. The cute nurse came in a little later and said that all that had to be done was for the bed to be made so she just went ahead and did it, rather then make us keep waiting for the cleaning people.
I didn't know what to expect from Logan as far as how often he'd wake up and if he'd do well breastfeeding. He did so great on both things though! He slept for about 3 hour stretches and breastfed like we'd been doing it all along. He didn't need a bottle once. The next morning he had to get a final discharge exam and had to pass a car seat test. Then there was a bunch of waiting around for paperwork to be finalized. I was still having a hard time believing that he'd actually be coming home! I learned that it was suspected that the infection Logan had was pneumonia. That coupled with the pneumothorax just made things really difficult for his little body.
Around 1 PM everything was done and we were in the car on the way home!! We had to stop at the doctor's for our follow up appointment before going home. The doctor told me he didn't think Logan would suffer any long term effects from the pneumonia or having to be on oxygen. He said that he'd like to keep him on the oxygen for another two weeks or so then pull him off for a night but keep the monitor on to see how he does. Right now he's on the lowest setting for the oxygen so there's really no weaning him off of it.
The first week of Logan's life was so crazy and hectic for our family, but we felt so much peace and so blessed throughout the experience. I know that there were so many people praying for us and praying for little Logan to heal and be able to come home to us and I know that those prayers were answered.
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