May 20 - What it takes for me to go home? Link to growth chart...

A few days have gone by and Mom keeps forgetting to bring her computer to update the blog.  So, there are a few days of updates coming.  This past weekend I got to kangaroo with Dad for the first time - it was awesome and makes me really happy when I get to snuggle.

There are three key things that I need to be able to show to be able to go home (which is not going to happen until July most likely!):

1. LUNG DEVELOPMENT:Get off vent, then get off CPAP (the next lung support machine), then get off oxygen completely.  So I will give a daily report on this from now on.  I am still at step 1 but progressing.
2. FEEDING:   I am now eating breast milk as well as the TPN (synthesized nutrients).  I need to be completely on breast milk, right now I am getting 50% of calories from breast milk - up from 0% as of last week.  I get all my food through tubes and IVs now - I have to be able to feed on a bottle or breast by the time I leave. 
3. GROWTH: I came in at 1.4lbs and now am at 1.8lbs.  I really need to gain a few more pounds to be able to go home so this is going to be a slow progress.  Here is a link to my weight chart:  Miles Weight Chart

In general, my emotional development is important but not a criteria for discharge but that is going well since Mom and Dad can now hold me more and more.  Kangaroo time is great.

LUNG DEVELOPMENT: They have been able to wean me more and more off the vent with my rate today being around 29 (when I first came, my rate was 60)!  I need to get down to 20 and be there comfortably without lots of desats to be able to come off the vent.  So a while longer but making progress on that front.

FEEDING:  I am not up to 1oz/day of food - up from .2 oz only 3 days ago.

That is the excitement - hope all is well with you.