John, Again, on Thursday.

Okay - well, I was wrong - I'm not done with Northside Hospital - as here I sit in the waiting room of the NICU.  Posting. John probably isn't coming home today - and we could be doing this back and forth trek some more days.  Sarah and I came, today, with Laura Beth and gave Scott the opportunity to sleep to the late hour of 7:30 am - because that's as long as one can sleep when caring for Ada Moore.  If you're in Alabama with Ada - then you only get to sleep until 6:30 am - due to the time change.  She is like clockwork on her wakeup schedule. 

Us 3 ladies, Laura Beth, Sarah and I, woke at 4:00 am and left by 5:00 am to be here by 6:00 am.  For a weather update let me say that it is VERY cold, here, today, and yes, there is still a lot of traffic here in Atlanta - but it's manageable at 5:00 in the morning. 

Okay - I'm guessing LB will post regarding John's situation - which would sound critical to anyone who reads or listens, but it really isn't. 

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at the end of that last sentence Laura Beth appeared in the door to say the doctor was in the unit and would soon be giving her an update.  Don't you just know I slammed shut this computer to get in there to hear.  I didn't want to miss a thing.  Sarah went also, or maybe was already in there.

Again - I just cannot post all that she said(the doctor), but we really really like her, she doesn't seem at all alarmed, and she admitted that John has thrown up all these roadblocks, unexpected, to going home.  Or maybe they know of this stuff and what it can all lead to, but don't bring it up in case it doesn't happen. 

First.  Born healthy, full term, took a breath and POP! went the lung.
Second.  Collapsed Lung due to perforated lung. On to transitional nursery and then to NICU.
Third.  Need to insert tube in chest because unable to correct lung situation without it.
Fourth.  Lung healed, but breathing and eating off kilter due to delayed feeding experience and weakened lung, but getting stronger
Fifth.  Lung corrected, well, perforation closed up.
Sixth.  Jaundiced and also CRP levels up indicating infection
Seventh. Tube removed.  Breastfeeding started out great but, with each feeding, needs supplemental bottle for whatever reason.  Plenty of Colostrum, so we don't understand all of that.
Eighth.John has discovered the bottle and that milk is immediately there, so letdown of breastmilk is annoying to him.  Also developing what sounds like stuffy nose.  What's up.

This is what's up on thursday.  His jaundiced situation is corrected.  His lungs are healing.  His infection is apparently responding to the antibiotics because CRP levels down and no infection in bloodstream. 

BUT......

The stuffy nose.  Well, it's not a cold.  It's his nasal passages inflamed due to all the apparatus used during the insertion of tubes when they were having to clear and check his lungs on that first day and first minutes of his life.  That's what they tell us.  :-|  Dang!  If it's not one thing, then it's another. 

What has to happen in order for this healthy son of mine to come home, asks Laura Beth.

They say:

He has to breath and eat at the same time, properly.  It's his oxygen supply that has to be sufficient.
They are starting him on Flonase and NeoSynefrin.  We all know about those.  In fact, I LOVE flonase.  But it's the NeoS. that they want to use to open up his nasal passages and also get him breathing properly without it.

Bottom line....they forecast Sunday as his homecoming day.  I'm mentally prepared for Monday.  If not Monday, this situation would appear to be officially insane.  We'll see.

Laura Beth, Sarah, and I ended up, after the doctor's visit, coming back to McDonough.  I strongly suggested it.  We were camping out in that waiting room like "nomads".  She was drying her "pumping" stuff on paper towels on a chair in the waiting room.  Crazy Stuff.  Surely Laura Beth isn't the only mom who is 45 min. away from NICU at Northside.  seems like there would be a room for moms who have to visit their babies and deliver breast milk.  Anyway, he officiallly isn't nursing good, so many wires and tapes and stickers and stuff and oxygen things.  It's a lot for him to be such a healthy full term little boy. 

Laura Beth told me something that was told her before he was born.  There is something called "WIMPY WHITEBOY SYNDROME"  Simply put, caucasian males, more than any other race or gender, need to be in the womb as long as possible - because they are most susceptible to lung issues and other underdeveloped stuff - although it is assumed John's lungs were fully developed.  I don't know.

LB came home.  She is just now waking after a great nap.  She and Scott will return to Northside, 45 min. away, and check on John and stay as late as needed.  Return, sleep, and go in after the morning rush hour traffic.  Atlanta is expecting snow tomorrow.  What else????