Surgery Coming and General Updates

In Daddy’s arms

Today’s mostly over so I’m finally finding a moment to share our updates for the day.  It’s after dinner time and right now Mason is just looking up at me from my arms while I type.  I think he’s waiting for our read aloud time – we’re a few chapters into Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.  Here are today’s updates:

1. Mason is still nursing and supplementing with formula while we work on mommy’s milk supply.  He’s happy with bottle and breast so far. 

2. I’m working with the lactation consultants to become a better milk machine…LOL.  Right now we’re nursing on demand, pumping at night, taking fenugreek (herbal supplement), and I started a prescription for Reglan with my midwife’s approval today.  Once a night I have a power pumping session.  I choose a one hour show on tv and pump during the show taking breaks with the commercials.  Thank goodness for a tv in our room at Ronald McDonald House!

3. Mason is heading in to surgery between 8:30am and 1:00pm tomorrow morning unless his morning exam shows a decrease in fluid in his back.  Most likely his surgery will be in the earlier half of that time period.  He’ll be having a VP Shunt placed in his head with a catheter into the ventricles, and valve, and tubing from there down his neck/body internally to his abdomen to drain extra cerebrospinal fluid as needed.  If the surgery happens I’ll share more specifics in a separate post. 

4. With the probably surgery in the morning Mason gets an IV started at midnight and has his last meal then as well.  He has to be NPO, or nothing by mouth, from that point on.  The pump will be my breast best friend until he’s allowed to eat again post-op.

5. We’re expecting to do a series of casts on Mason’s feet in a few weeks to correct his bilateral clubfeet.  They’ll probably start with a series of 5 casts, changing the casts weekly.  Then we’ll see if they stay corrected or if we need to cast again or try something else.

6. Mason’s got some movement and muscle tone in his legs, but not a ton.  So far we’ve seen hip action – he pulls his legs up/in.  He’s got some thigh/hamstring muscle.  We’re not sure about knees, ankles, feet, and toes yet.

Trivia of the Day

How many pills can one postpartum mom take in a day?  Here’s a hint – right now I’m taking 6 medications or supplements.  Got a number in mind?  You might want to go a bit higher….

28-32 pills

Yes, really.  The variable is that I can take a few more pills for pain if I need it as I’m still recovering from my own major surgery.  So long as I feel good I only take 28 pills.

The Morning Report

Day 6 in the NICU has started and we got a visit from Mason’s neurologist this morning on rounds.  Dr. J had looked over Mason’s head ultrasound and it’s a mixed report.  There has been no change in fluid buildup or pressure since the last head ultrasound.  While that is a positive, Mason does still have more fluid in his ventricles than he should.  His body is not draining it off well enough to balance out to a normal level.  He also has a bit of fluid down around his back incision which could be some extra. 

What does it all mean?

Dr. J says right now he does expect Mason will need a shunt, possibly putting it in by the end of the week.  The hydrocephalus isn’t resolving (fixing) itself.  His plan is to do another head ultrasound Wednesday and see if he’s improved or if we’re about ready for the shunt.  Obviously they’ll keep an eye on his head between now and then and ultrasound sooner if his soft spots get firmer. 

In Other Areas:

I would appreciate prayer for my milk-making abilities.  My body is struggling to make enough milk for Mason and so we’re pumping when I’m not at his bedside to nurse at night, nursing all day on demand, and supplementing after each nursing session.  This is something I’ve always struggled with, we suspect it has to do with my hypothyroidism making my own hormones unbalanced and not lactation friendly.  I’m working with the lactation consultants here at Children’s today to see what we can do to increase my milk, but we’re also fully committed to getting Mason fed well to keep him growing so we’re supplementing as he needs it.  With the staff here at Children’s overseeing everything he’s growing just fine.  I’ll continue to nurse and pump for as long as we need to, we’re praying to have peace knowing what to do as we go along.  We’re also praying that my body figures out the milk-making business!