Life as a preemie's Mom constitutes for unexpected doctors office visits, trips to hospitals hours away, and the occasional overwhelming feeling of worry and fear. This week has included all these jammed packed into 3 days.
Zach, myself, and Blake packed up Wednesday and headed to Indianapolis for our last appointment with Dr. O'Neil, his developmental pediatrician. We have since been switched to a new doctor that travels from Indy to Evansville for appointments, which will mean a lot easier travel for our family! However, we could not get in with the new doctor until June, so to Indy we went! We were able to stay with friends up there and we were so glad to get to visit! Even if Blake zonked soon after we got there!
Blake's appointment was bright and early that next morning at 8:40. I have dreaded this appointment, it is my least favorite, since the last visit did not go very well. (The post after our last visit with the developmental peds doctor.) Surprisingly, and thankfully this was was a completely different outcome. This time Blake was seen and negativity was not thrown around, comments of what Blake wouldn't ever do were not used every five seconds. Instead we made sure the conversation focused on what Blake WAS doing, and we pointed out all the great things he will do! We controlled this appointment and did not allow any negative, and the things that were pointed out were not new to us. We know Blake's left arm is tighter than all other extremities and we know he needs lots of stretching to help rewire the right side of Blake's brain. Dr. O'Neil thinks it will be good for Blake to increase his therapy to weekly, rather than bi-weekly, so we will be changing that but otherwise we are to continue what we are doing and he thought Blake looked great! Blake is now 6 months adjusted, almost 10 months actual and at his last check he is weighing 15 pounds even and was 26 1/2 inches long. He of course is still small but is following a growth curve the way he should. We will continue with Blake's 24 calorie formula, and continue to feed him first foods.
After Blake's appointment we headed upstairs to the NICU for a visit. Blake got to visit with nurse and doctors and then... All the way from "down the road" Henderson Mindy and Curt just happened to be in for an appointment too so we got to visit with their baby Grace!
Only born a week apart, both at Deaconess and then sent to Riley's and both are such fighters it was about time they met!
On our way home Zach and I made a stop at the Women's Hospital after being told Conor's memorial stone had been laid in the peace garden there where Zach and I sat many days waiting for a miracle and grieving for our son. It means more than anyone knows to have walked up and saw his brick laying beside the others that we read over and over again. That garden was special to us while stuck at the hospital and now has an even bigger importance to us.
As you know Blake had been wearing his cranial helmet now for over a few weeks! We have already seen some improvement but BOY is it tough! Not only did our insurance not cover stating it was a "cosmetic" procedure, but now we might have to have another one down the line! Not exactly what we were expecting or wanting! But it's just money and we always knew he was gonna be an expensive baby...both total worth every penny! We have had some difficulty with Blake's helmet leading to frequent visits to the Orthotics office for grinding down and padding the band. This week lead to TWO visits due to Blake waking up with severely red spot on his face caused by the helmet. Hopefully this new set up with the pads located in the helmet will fix it and allow us a few days without a visit to the Evansville office.
This week has been super busy and jammed packed so we are setting up for a relaxing night and Mr. Blakers for only the second time gets a night away from his crazy parents! It's grandmo's turn and Blake is excited to go stay the night with his grandmo and grandpa Hargis! And not gonna lie after this week mommy and daddy are looking forward to some much needed sleep!
Now for some pictures of our little man over the past few weeks.
Our little greaser in his car...
And then Blake ready for the Super Bowl... Our team lost! BOO.
And then Blake during bath time.
He is so cute I can't hardly stand it!
Blake and Aussie spending quality time together.
Here is Blake on the move at Riley. I can't let him out of my site! Thank goodness it was to the wall and not toward the floor!
And here Blake is being gangsta!
And last but not least my boys...
Snuggling all the time!
How could I get so lucky to have this man and that sweet miracle baby to call my very own!
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