Benjamin is finally gaining some weight! He's 4 lbs. 12ozs. and it seems as though his surgical and nutritional teams have found the magic mix of fortifiers to warrant this consistent weight gain. He's up to 32 calories which isn't optimal, but saves him from having to be put back on PN.
Because Benjamin's been doing so well, his doctors have been tossing around the idea of bringing him back to South Shore Hospital and putting him in the Level 2 nursery or moving him to the "floor" at Children's to grow before he has his big surgery. The "Floor" is like a regular wing of a hospital and a "lower level" of care for children that are considered more medically stable and don't require minute by minute care. It's been a little frustrating because the members of his team don't seem to be on the same page. A few of the neonatologists in the NICU think he would be best kept at Childrens, while others see no reason why he can't go to SSH. His surgical team thinks he can go to SSH. Opthamology wants him to remain at Childrens. We took a tour of the floor he would be moved to on Saturday, and although we were impressed with what we saw, we had our reservations. If he were to stay at Children's, he would have his own room with a bathroom and all amenities for one of us to stay overnight with him. However, he would have to share a nurse with two other patients. If his monitor should alarm, his nurse's phone would alarm as well as the nurse's station and they would rush over to his room. It seemed like a great place for a toddler, but not a newborn. We feel as though he should still be in a nursery. As his surgical team was rounding this morning and reviewing Benjamin's care plan, he had an extreme brady right in front of them which ruled out any imminent transfer to the floor. Although disappointing, this spell was probably a blessing in disguise and he basically told them he wasn't ready.
It looks like he will remain in the NICU until at least the beginning of next week or until he has his next eye exam. Opthamology decided to do one this afternoon and determined Benjamin would need an injection in his right eye, which has been the more stable eye, to help reduce some worsening in his ROP condition. His opthamologist wasted no time and did the injection this afternoon.
Unfortunately tomorrow is going to be another eventful day for our little man. He will be having his Broviac removed. A minor surgery by medical standards, but we still pray all goes smoothly for him. This has been used for antibiotics, Parenteral Nutrition and his Omegaven fats. But since he's off antibiotics and PN and is finally growing on breast milk and fortifiers alone, he should no longer need the central line (Broviac).
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