4 weeks and Second Blood Transfusion

I'm going to keep a tally of the treatments and tests Elsie receives while in the NICU.

Here they are so far:
Platelet transfusion: 1
Blood Transfusion: 2
Chest X Ray: (approximately) 7
Blood Cultures: 2
CBCs: 7 or so

She gets a chest x-ray and blood work done almost twice a week...so those are guesstimates.

Today Elsie is doing pretty good. Crazy to say that knowing they are going to start her IV, etc. for her second blood transfusion in the next half hour or so.

The CPAP is doing it's job. Her chest x-ray this morning showed that her lungs are more inflated. The fluid is moving. Her hematocrit is still low, and only going lower. Yesterday it was 27 today it is 25. So instead of putting off the inevitable they are going to start a transfusion this evening. Two weeks ago when she received her first transfusion the doctor told us preemies need transfusions every so often. They are unable to make red blood cells as quickly as they need them.

I say she is doing well because she has not had one apnea/brady episode that was not a result of her getting the CPAP off her nose. When you can calm her down and keep the CPAP on her, she does well.

Let's just talk about that for a minute. Imagine, if you can, my daughter in the 'downward facing dog' position in her isolette to get the CPAP off her nose. When that does not work she will sort of do a 'plank hold' pushing her head, and shoulders up to wiggle out of the apparatus. Other times she will simply push it out of her nose.

I hope at 12 or 16 she is just as strong willed (disciplined, but strong willed) and doing yoga in the dining room, or cheerleading, or volleyball, or golf....

Right now, she is keeping the nures on their toes.

Love Y'all,
Ellen