Who Are You Calling Wimpy???

So the common term is "Wimpy White Boy Syndrome" for premature baby boys who typically end up in the NICU. Apparently they have the hardest time adjusting and thriving, taking more time than little girls and those of other ethnicities. Go figure. However- I decided Chase is out to prove them all wrong. Sure things aren't perfect, but he keeps making strides to overcome some of those obstacles- impressing more than just the biased few.

Some frustrations continue over feeding- we have to compromise with him, realizing that preemies are different than full-term babies, and eating exhausts them. So having to accept that we'll probably have the NG tube in for a while, to make sure he can handle the feeding without stressing out. At least he's still making the effort and showing interest. He'll get there.

We were excited earlier today because they decided to discontinue the pulse oximeter, which is one less thing, but just prior to typing this, we had to put him back on since he's had a couple "episodes," which were minor, but still something that needs to be monitored. I was told that his immature nervous system causes the apnea, which causes the bradycardia when his oxygen levels are too low. So when he 'forgets' to breathe, his heart rate drops too low, at least until he takes another breath. The highs and lows seem to be exhausting today.

He did get to have a couple of books read to him by his big sister- which was hard enough to comprehend that she's big enough to be reading these books, plus adding in voices and personality. Time is flying!

We're aiming for a quiet day today, a lot going on and trying to keep the stress under control. Fortunately things like his peacefulness make the worries hide for a while...