Oh IVs

WARNING: This post contains discussion of poo and may not be suitable for all audiences...

The only real issue that Spencer has had since surgery Wednesday is that he hasn't been able to keep an IV. The poor little guy has been poked so many times, it's painful to watch. He didn't have a central line put in for this surgery because he wasn't going to need it for as long, and because there are so many risks with having one the surgeon didn't see it necessary. However, since Spencer is so big (he's almost 8 lbs 10 oz now!) he had to have fluids running pretty fast through his IV. It has been a long couple of days dealing with that. Yesterday, the neonatoligist spent over 40 minutes himself getting an IV into a very small vein in Spencer's hand to buy time for the other places to heal (after the nurses had already tried for a half hour!). That one lasted less than 12 hrs (to give you an idea of how fast he has been going through them) and early this morning they finally got one in his foot and at this point it's still going...they were able to dial the flow of his TPN down since his feedings have picked up to 20 mL today, which has really helped his IV stay this long. So, speaking of him eating 20 mL...Spencer got to start eating Friday evening after only about 48 hrs post op! He was passing gass so well and had a bowel movement, so even the surgeon-who was a little surprised at how quickly things started working again-couldn't deny starting him on food. Of course, it was only the 5 mL that he started at before! Boy has he not been very happy the last couple of days not getting to eat what he wants, we know it's the best thing for him, but you can't tell him that!! 

We are heading in the right direction and definitely getting anxious. I can't believe how happy it makes me to see my son working to poop. It's just the most amazing thing. To know that just a few days ago he couldn't do that, and now he's doing what he should is unbelievable (today I got to watch him grunt one out-it was bliss). Yesterday was the first poopy diaper that I saw and we took a picture for the scrapbook we're going to make Spencer-I don't think he'll appreciate that image as much as we do! I wanted to post it (just for you Christine!), but Artie won't let me...that's probably best-but I'm just so darn proud of it:)!!  Overall, he is just doing amazing and we are hoping with every ounce of our being that things continue that way this time!  

Hopefully, I'll have some [appropriate] pictures to post soon! 

UPDATE (6/29): Spencer's IV is gone! He has gone up to 40 mL per feeding and is off TPN and had his IV taken out this afternoon...now we just wait for him to get to full feedings and get to a place where they feel comfortable to discharge him, hopefully by the end of the week:)