So Much To Be Thankful For...

Prepare yourselves....this is a long one!

Hey everyone,

First off, we'd like to thank everyone for the well wishes and congratulations. We've had a big couple of days and are always excited to find out what each new day will bring. Billy went back the apartment Tuesday night to prepare it for our holiday visitors and Becky kept me company at the hospital. We had a nice little slumber party and, being the saint that she is, even gave me an awesome pedicure using all the fun things Terri Peterson sent me. My feet and toes look more like play-doh logs with little sausages stuck to the ends. They say swelling is pretty typical after surgery, but it's funny to look down at my feet and legs and not recognize them as my own. It seriously looks like I have congestive heart failure and I'm just waiting for them to start weeping that oozy stuff. Gross!

Wednesday morning Billy, Becky and I made our NICU visit to see the kiddos. Pius was still on the ventilator because the nurse said that his chest xray showed white-out on his lungs. This is most likely caused by extra fluid in his lungs that didn't have a chance to get squished out during the birthing process (because they were born by cesarean). It looked like he'd finally had a semi-bath or hair washing because his hair didn't look quite so nappy and patchy as it had earlier. He was sleeping during the morning visit and we don't touch or bother them unless they're already awake. Sleep time is growth time for preemies and we weren't about to impede on the weight gaining! His feeds this morning were still at 3 mL every 6 hours given to him via his feeding tube that goes into his mouth and directly down to his stomach.

Next, we visited Forrest. He is still doing so well and is just cruisin' right along. His feeds have been 3 mL every 3 hours via feeding tube and tolerating them very well. He is on CPAP and is breathing room air (no extra oxygen). CPAP is the reason for the funny looking head gear that you see in the pictures. What it does is essentially force air into the lungs to keep the alveoli open and expanding. He also looked like he'd been washed up a bit. His hair still looks sandy blond and almost like it might have some curl to it.

Danna was next on our list of stops. That morning, she was not a happy camper, but her parents were excited to see her progress. They had been able to keep the breathing tube out and she was also on CPAP using only room air, just like her big brother! Because her bilirubin level was elevated (indicating jaundice - very common in newborns and especially in preemies) they started her on phototherapy. This is kind of like a mini tanning bed to simulate sun exposure. She even has little foam blinders they keep over her eyes to protect them. She needs as much skin exposed to the light as possible, so they can't swaddle her up. Now, Danna is used to having very little room and when she can't feel her boundaries, it startles her and I imagine she doesn't feel very secure. Her tiny little cry was heartbreaking. We tried to settle her down by doing containment (cupping her feet and arms against her body with our hands to help her feel more snuggled) and we gave her a pacifier. It worked for a while until Billy told her we were leaving to see her brother. She puckered up and started squeaking again. She has dimples in her chin when she gets pissed just like her mama and a cute nose just like her daddy. She's tiny and precious and has everyone wrapped around her itty-bitty finger. Her feeds have been 1 mL every 6 hours. I got to change her wet diaper for the first time. Still no poop, though - her digestive system just isn't quite ready to handle too much yet (although all the boys have had at least one good, healthy, Graf boy turd).

Little man Laine was our last stop of the morning. He is also doing the phototherapy like Danna and was just as cranky, too. We tried the containment method on him and he was able to kick off my hand and scoot too far up in his incubator. He was one pissed-off puppy and his nurse assured us that he will definitely NOT be the quiet kid in the corner (unless he's sneaking off to do something mischievous and hiding it from his parents). Laine is also still doing the CPAP on room air thing. His feeds this morning were 1 mL every 6 hours via feeding tube.

All the kiddos are receiving TPN (total parenteral nutrition) through their IVs. So, even though they may not be eating much, they're still getting the nutrition they need.

The morning visit was a little disheartening for me. I hated to see Laine and Danna so upset with no way to comfort them. I almost started crying along with them but then reminded myself that it could be so much worse. After all, we were blessed with 4 precious babies.

Later in the afternoon, our long-awaited visitors FINALLY arrived (albeit sooner than they or we had expected them to). Billy's parents, Mike and Vicki, Billy's grandmother, Bucko, and my parents, Roger and Marsha, arrived all the way from Kansas. They decided to caravan from Wichita to Albuquerque Tuesday night and stayed with my dad's sister, Aunt Connie. They left Wednesday morning for Phoenix and got to the hospital around 4:15 p.m. Thanks, Aunt Connie, for feeding and housing our parents and Bucko, for the fleece stockings you made for Billy and me and for the snugly fleece blanket and hat sets for the babies. We'll be putting those to good use when we bring the babies back home during the middle of the Kansas winter!

After getting to my hospital room, Billy showed Mike (Grampa Stubby), Vicki (Gramma Vicki), Bucko (G-G Bucko), mom (Budda) and dad (Papa) the video he took of the actual birth of the babies. Amateur videography as it was, Billy was definitely able to capture the moment and the emotions of everyone in the room. Sometimes I still can't believe how it all went down so quickly and I'm so grateful Billy even had time to go up to the room to grab the video camera before they started cuttin' me open.

The video just increased the grandparents anticipation of seeing their new grandkids! We trekked down to the nursery to introduce everyone. Billy took his parents and Bucko and started with Pius while I took my parents and started at the other end of the unit with Laine. The evening visit was so much more enjoyable than the morning one! The babies had even more great news to share with us when we arrived.

Starting with Laine....he was so much more content tonight. We got to the room just in time, as the nurse was about to open his incubator and rustle him up a bit. I got to change his cotton-swab of a diaper and we got to give his head and face a rest by taking him off the CPAP for a little while. He maintained his oxygen sats well and was just alert and wide-eyed as ever. It was like he knew company was coming and he'd better shape up to make a good first impression for his grandparents. His head has become a little mishaped from the head gear, but it'll go back to normal after he is able to go to a nasal cannula. They also were able to increase his feedings to every 3 hours instead of every 6.

We left Laine in Billy and Bucko's hands and moved on to little Danna. She was sleeping like an angel on her side. We couldn't see much of her because of all the head gear and eye protectors (and because there really isn't much of her to see as it is). Everyone was amazed at how tiny she really is. Pictures don't do her size justice. Next time, we may steal the Tubre idea of using Billy's wedding band as a bracelet for her. The docs decided to increase her feeds, as well, to every 3 hours.

Moving on to Forrest, there wasn't much change from the morning. He was being a good little boy and sleeping all cuddled up under his blanket. CPAP and feedings were the same. His nurse wasn't available at the time, so I didn't get a report card for the day on him.

Lastly, we got to Pius's room and had a very pleasant surprise waiting for us. He got extubated during the day and was also put on CPAP like the rest of his brothers and sister! He was still requiring a little bit of oxygen (36% - normal room air is 21%). He was sleeping when we got to his room, but must've heard his mama's voice and decided to wake up to say hello. His nurse opened his incubator for us and I got to change his little wet diaper, too! He's such a big boy and looks like a giant compared to his siblings. He's starting to get the big picture when it comes to breathing. I told him it's pretty important and he'd better just get used to it. They were also able to increase his feedings to 3 mL every 3 hours, just like Forrest. Pius needs to keep taking notes from him.

After the nursery, we all headed back up to my room and visited for awhile. Then they all left to go eat at Macayo's Mexican Restaurant so I could prop my sausage feet up and start pumping again. I try to do that every 2-3 hours. I really hope the milk starts coming in soon because it's kind of discouraging to put so much effort into something and only getting 5-10 mL of measurable evidence of the work I've done!

Anyway, sorry this post is so long. They won't all be this way, I guess I had a lot more to report than I thought. Plus, it's been so long since I've actually been able to type one that I may have gone a little overboard. Hopefully we'll be able to post better pictures later today or tomorrow (don't hold us to that, Erin! J/K). My mom took some on her camera and we'll try to download those later.

Have a safe flight on Turkey day Ryan, Brad and Lainie! Can't wait to see you guys! As for everyone else, hope you have a great Thanksgiving holiday and have as many things to be grateful for as Billy and I do. Keep the prayers a-comin'!

Love,
Billy, Moni, Pius, Forrest, Danna and Laine

Danna Lynn with her head gear and goggles under the bili-lights. Birth weight and length were 1 lb 10 oz and 12.25 inches.

Laine with his red forehead and swollen eyes after the headgear removal. He's looking towards his mama's voice and trying to figure out where he's heard Budda and Papa's voices before. Birth weight and length were 2 lbs 4 oz and 14.25 inches. Wait a second, I just realized that it looks like I'm grabbing his junk! Maybe that's why he's giving me a funny face. Sorry, Laine.

Pius with his newly acquired CPAP headgear. Birth weight and length were 3 lbs 14 oz and 17.25 inches.

Forrest in his headgear all snuggled up and being a good boy. Someone should tell him he's foaming at the mouth! Typical CPAP side effect. Birth weight and length were 3 lbs 9 oz and 14.5 inches.