NICU day 8, or the light at the end of the tunnel?

We just got back from the hospital and the news is wonderful!

Today, Daniela's IV was removed completely. Her phenobarb level has dropped to 34 and all of her vitals continue to be excellent. She has been moved from an isolette to a crib and is wearing actual clothes :-) instead of a diaper and lots of wires!

When we left earlier, they were just getting started on her EEG. If that comes back okay, as they expect it to, we were told that Daniela will be discharged either tomorrow or Sunday. Yippee!

She does have some muscle tightness on her left side (arm) so we've been referred to physical therapy. In addition, she will leave the hospital on a weaning dose of phenobarbitol. I'll have to give it to her twice a day until she either A) outgrows the dose or B) they drop the amt over time until it is all out of her system. Like steroids, you cannot just stop phenobarbitol cold turkey. The level needs to be reduced over time until it is completely down and ultimately out of the system. Daniela's levels will be followed up by the neurologist at her office in a few months' time.

She'll have her normal newborn hearing screen tomorrow and then we just need to bring in the carseat to make sure she gets the all clear to ride home in it.

Last night, I journeyed up to the hospital by myself (first time) while A stayed home to get some rest. I did the 8 and 11 p.m. feedings and got lots of snuggling in...it was beyond wonderful...

So perhaps we'll be experiencing lots more 'beyond wonderful' in the coming two days. It seems like Daniela has been in the NICU for so long now but I realize it's just a little over a week. Lots of mothers and fathers have children in the NICU for much longer and my heart is with them. It's a lot to go through, to comprehend, to digest, and so so very hard. I don't wish anything even remotely like it on my worst enemy (not that I have any of those but you get my point, I'm sure).

Yea for more good news...like milk, it does a body good--or actually, I should correct that and say "it does a mind good."