Page 32 - Journey of Hope by Raymond Moldenhauer

DAY48

NICU SUPER STAR

During her morning care, the nurse took out Alyssa’s C-PAP (it
makes the care easier and they need to replace the nasal tubes
every 6 hours). Heidi and the nurse changed her diaper, took
her temperature, removed the stoma bag, removed all of her
heart monitors and pulse-ox monitor, and then gave Alyssa her
very first bath in a basin of water. The neo-bar that was taped
from cheek to cheek was also removed for the bath. So, for the
first time ever, you could see just Alyssa!

Alyssa was not very fond of her bath and cried during much of it.
The cry was not very loud (yet), because she had never really
had the opportunity to practice it, and her vocal chords where a
little raspy from having the ventilator tube in for so long. But
I’m sure, that with practice, she will develop a very nice and
loud cry for her mom and dad! And, during the entire bath,
Alyssa was breathing on her own just fine. And, because she
was able to breath so well without the C-PAP, they decided not
to re-insert it. Instead, they taped a “nasal canula” (a very small
tube that provides the slight air pressure and oxygen to her
without being inserted) beneath her nostrils.

The nurse told Heidi that it was now time to begin to hold Alyssa
in swaddling, as you would a normal baby. She has graduated to
the next level in many things today, and has now been off the
ventilator for 36 hours!

The Nurse Practitioner and Care Team are calling Alyssa the
“SUPER STAR OF THE NICU” – which she is.