Three Weeks Old!

Well here we are, 3 weeks old and still in the hospital. I'm starting to understand what people meant about the "emotional roller coaster" that is the NICU. I logged on this morning and was all ready to type up a cheery post about how the babies are coming home tomorrow. I was all smiles after leaving the hospital yesterday after being told that the babies were ready to come home and would be discharged Friday morning. They'd given me all our paperwork and made sure we had everything in place to take them home. Each baby was given and passed their car seat test which is the last step before they can come home. I came home and got Rylee and Jack excited about how their brother and sisters would finally be coming home on Friday. I called the airlines and changed my Mother in laws flight to Saturday (she was supposed to leave Friday) so she could be here for the babies homecoming. I even washed and blew out my hair one last time before I have three newborns in the house. Then I went to the hospital today....

I knew immediately from the nurses face that something wasn't right. She clearly wasn't looking forward to seeing me and telling me what she had to tell me. "I guess they told you they were ready but none of them will be able to go home tomorrow" was the first thing she said as I approached the crib. They have to have 5 days without any Bradycardia episode (lowering of the heart rate accompanied by oxygen desaturation in their blood) and apparently Cole had had a Brady that I didn't know about on Monday. That means that his 5 day clock reset Monday and the earliest he could come home would be Sunday- assuming he had no more episodes before then. Jordyn had started having brady's with her feedings during the night last night and so her 5 day clock was now reset with her earliest chance of discharge being Tuesday... IF she stops doing that. And Jadyn had lost weight today. Now that they are on all oral feedings without any fortifier they have to continue to show each day that they are able to eat all their food well and continue to gain weight steadily for at least a couple of days before they can go home.

So I guess we will wait. It's really not that big of a deal to have them home a few days later I just don't like surprises. I'm too much of a planner and I need to know exactly how things are going to play out and when. When I'm told my babies will go home on a certain day I want it to happen that way. I know that's unrealistic of me to expect but I can't help but feel let down and frustrated when it doesn't work out that way. Oh well...

They did have a lot of progress this week though. As mentioned they get all 8 of their daily feeds by bottle now and are eating very well. Their NG tubes came out so now I can clearly see each of their faces- which is awesome. Here are the pics I snapped as soon as they took them out.

JORDYN MINUS HER NG TUBE AND ALL THE ACCOMPANYING TAPE

COLE MINUS HIS NG TUBE AND KIND OF FLIPPING ME THE BIRD FOR WAKING HIM UP TO TAKE A PICTURE

JADYN WITH NO NG TUBE

They'll be home before long I know it. Just keep us in your prayers as each day is more and more draining. I'm beyond ready to have all my family under one roof and not have to split my time in two different places.