Six Months

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Developing, Swallowing, Refluxing and Coughing

Life in the Lloyd house has been busy this month.

We spent the 8th, 9th and 10th at Pop-Pop and Nanny's house in Savannah. We celebrated Uncle Matt's birthday, opened Christmas presents and saw Emma play a cow girl in her preschool Christmas play. It was good to see our Savannah friends and spend time with our family.

Daniel was seen by a Physical Therapist (PT), a Neonatal Nurse Practicioner (NNP) and a Neurologist at a Developmental Clinic on the 15th. This was Daniel's first visit to the clinic. They evaluate preemies based on their adjusted age (age they would be if they were full term) instead of their actual age. Daniel's ajusted age is 3 months and his actual age is 6 months. Daniel is right on track with his adjusted age, he on a 3 month level with everything and a 4 month level with some things. He will start TEIS (Tennessee Early Intervention) after the holdays so that he will continue to stay on track.

Daniel had a follow-up Upper GI and Swallow Study done on the 20th. Daniel did not aspirate at all and is now getting all his feedings through a bottle with a medium-fast flow nipple. The Upper GI did show some slight reflux but that will be taken care of with medicine given at home a couple of times a day. We look forward to calling Apria (medical supply company) next week so they can come pick up the feeding machine. Our house will look a little less like a hospital and a little more like a home.

Daniel has had a busy first Christmas and it is only Christmas Eve. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy all your time with your families.

Cool Slideshows

Prayer Request

Please keep Jenny in your prayers has she under goes surgery on Monday, November 27 to repair a hernia.

Swallow Study Results

We want to start out by saying a big thank you for all your prayers, God is hearing them. We took Daniel for a follow-up Swallow Study today. Daniel aspirated once while feeding with a fast-flow nipple but he did not aspirate at all on a slow-flow nipple. The plan is now to give bottles when Daniel is alert and awake and watch for signs of aspiration (coughing, congestion, watery eyes). We will continue the continous feeds through the tube for 10 hours at night. Please continue to keep Daniel in your prayers.

Daddy's Gaming Partner

--Those of you that know Daddy (Richard) know his love of computers. One of Daddy's hobbies is online role-playing games (ex. Star Wars, World of War Craft). Daniel has become Daddy's gaming partner.

What Happens When You Become Grandparents

Before Grandkids

After Grandkids

We love you, Pop-Pop and Nanny!

First Professional Photos

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Happy Halloween

Daniel spent his first Halloween visiting doctors. His first appointment was at 9 a.m. with his Pulmonologist. Daniel got a really good report, his doctor feels like that he is ready to come off the O2 at night but wants to wait until the feeding problem is taken care of so Daniel is not going through too many changes at once. We met with the Nutritionist while we were there. We are to increase the number of ounces Daniel gets per day next week. Daniel will go back to the Pulmonologist on the 16th. Daniel’s second appointment was with his Pediatrician for his 4 month check up. The doctor is very happy with Daniel’s development. Daniel weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce and was 19 and ¾ inches long. He got all his shots (2 in each leg) and got some blood work taken. Daniel was a real trooper through the shots and blood work.

Bye, Bye Hospital - Hello, Daddy

Daniel was discharged from the hospital around 3 p.m. today. We headed straight to the airport to pick up Richard (Daddy) who was suppose to arrive in at 4:17 p.m. Richard’s flight was delayed and he did not arrive until 6 p.m. It is so good do have him home. We are all hoping for an uneventful week.

Good News and Bad News

We did not get the news that we were hoping for. The Upper GI showed that Daniel is not refluxing which is good news. The bad news came with the results of the Swallow Study. Daniel is aspirating when he eats (drinks). Daniel will be fed through an NG tube (a feeding tube in his nose) for the next 4 to 6 weeks. I was trained on how to put the tube down Daniel’s nose and how to check for placement. The doctor also increased the amount of calories that Daniel receives per ounce to 24 calories (he was on 22 calories). Richard and I will feed Daniel every three hours during the day through the tube. Daniel will receive continuous feeds for 10 hours during the night.
Please keep us all in your prayers as we adjust to these changes, especially Daniel. Daniel will return for a repeat Swallow Study on November 24.

Do I look sick?

Day 1 At Vanderbilt Children's Hospital

The doctor decided that Daniel should be admitted for an Upper GI and Swallow Study to check for reflux and aspiration. The doctor really feels like the problem is reflux and wants to see how severe the reflux is and if Daniel is aspirating when he refluxes so that the proper treatment can be given. The news that we are hoping for is that meds need to be given and we can go home. The news that we don’t want to hear is that surgery has to be done to put a band where the esophagus meets the stomach. This procedure would prevent Daniel from “throwing up” and refluxing. My mom (Nanny) is staying with us at the hospital. THANKS MOM, I LOVE YOU!

We Miss Daddy!

Richard has been gone for a little over 24 hours and I am ready for him to come home. Daniel woke up around 3:30 a.m., I fed him, burped him and put him back to bed so that I could get a couple more hours of sleep. I had gotten all comfortable in bed and I hear Daniel “throw up” so I get out of my “comfortable spot”, clean him up and put him back to bed. I again get back in bed and get comfortable to be woken up by the gentleman that we care for and I decide at that moment that I will just stay awake and take a nap later. Daniel and I spent the day relaxing at home and I even got to take a nap. I decided that Daniel’s 4 a.m. “throw up” was just a “one time incident”. Now, fast forward 10 p.m., I bathed Daniel, read him a book, gave him a bottle, burped him and put him to bed for the night. I started putting some clean clothes and I heard Daniel gagging and his Apnea monitor alarmed. I ran to him and he had thrown up what appeared to be the whole 5 ounces that he had just eaten and he was a grayish color. Panic set in, I cleaned up Daniel and called 9-1-1. Daniel was taken via ambulance to Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital.

Planes and Reunions

Our day started early today. We left our house at 4 a.m. to take Richard to the Nashville International Airport for his 6 a.m. flight to California. Richard will be in California until Thursday visiting his son’s Everhett and Jarod and his mom and dad. Daniel and I returned home after a teary goodbye for a few hours sleep. Around 12 p.m., Daniel and I met my mom and dad (Nanny and Pop-Pop) and Pam (Granny 2) for lunch and then we all went to Centennial Medical Center for the annual NICU Reunion. The reunion was a little overwhelming but we enjoyed seeing nurses and doctors that cared for Daniel while he was in the hospital. We also enjoyed seeing some friends that we have made through our journey of having a preemie.


Create Your Own

Showing My Personality

I smile.

I laugh.

I pout.

Big Changes

Daniel had an appointment at the Pulmonologist today and we got GREAT news. Daniel no longer has to have O2 during the day. He is still on .1 liters at night because his oxygen stauration level drops to 90 or 92 while he is in a deep sleep. The doctor said that this is a normal process of weening babies off O2. Our other good news is Daniel has reached the 7 pound mark, he weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce and he is 18 and 3/4 inches long.

Making Daniel Happy

Daniel decided that he was bored with everything today...bored with his bed, bored with his swing, bored with his bouncy seat, bored with his gym and bored being held. We remembered that we had one of those jumping things that you hang for door ways, we knew he would be too small but we thought with lots of blankets we could get him to fit so we tried it and he loved it, except it wasn't a jumping thing for him, it was a swing.

Happy Fall

It's hard to believe it's fall. Daniel is is doing great. We have survived Daniel's "first sickness". Daniel and Daddy both got a stomach virus last week. Daniel did spend the night in Vanderbilt Children's Hospital so that he could get some fluids and not get too dehydrated. He is s-l-o-w-l-y gaining weight, his last weight was 6 pounds, .08 ounces. We are now in RSV season here in Tennessee so we are getting ready to "hibernate". We will keep the blog updated since we will not be able to see very many people face-to-face.


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I'm 3 Months Old

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It's hard to believe Daniel is 3 months old (his adjusted age is 2 weeks and 4 days). We have had him home for 3 weeks and we have loved every minute of it (even at 2 a.m.). He had his 2 month well check up on the 11th and got his shots. He goes back on the 25th for a weight check (his latest weight is 6 pounds) and his 2nd Hep. B shot. Daniel had his second appointment with the Pulmonary doctor on the 15th, his 02 was turned down to .1 and he has done WONDERFUL on .1, sating at 97-100. The doctor also said that his lungs sounded GREAT. We are hoping that this will continue and when he goes back on Oct. 2 he can be "weaned" some more. In "non-medical news"...Daniel has enjoyed spending time with his Pop-Pop, Nanny and Granny 2. He has enjoyed meeting his cousins Mary and Emma and his "Uncle Jim and Aunt Lisa". He still hates bath time, some people have asked us if he crys loud, come visit during bath time and you will see how loud he can cry. He sleeps really well, we are able to get 4 to 6 hours of sleep at a time during the night. He is eating a little over 3 ounces every 4 hours and he has gained 11 ounces and grown about 2 inches since he has been at home. We want to thank you again for all the calls, cards, gifts and especially the prayers. We are now "adjusted" to our new sleep schedule and we hope to start sending notes and returning calls soon.

48 Hours

It's hard to believe that Daniel has been home with us for 48 hours. We are all adjusting well to the "change". Daniel seems to be really laid back. He cries when he is hungry. He hates to be put on his left side and he hates to have his diaper changed and he hates to have no clothes on. He loves sound, he sleeps a lot better if there is music playing. He loves his bouncy seat but is not quite sure how he feels about his swing.
We gave Daniel his first bath at home last night and he seemed to enjoy it once he was in the water. He didn't like the getting undressed part and the drying off part but once he was dressed again he was happy. We took a few pictures of him after his bath before putting his new nasal canula in.

Going Home

--We woke up this morning in a hospital room at Southern Hills Medical Center and Daniel was in our room. It felt like a dream.
--We were taking home our boy today!
--We said goodbye to the night shift nurses and gave them our gifts.
--Carol (Daniel's first nurse) went over some final discharge instructions.
--Daddy loaded the car and Mommy got Daniel dressed in his "going home clothes".
--We had a "surprise" visitor. The CEO of Southern Hills Medical Center, Victor Giovanetti stopped by to say goodbye. His daughter was born while Daniel was in the NICU. He "met" Daniel and would visit Daniel at least once a week. He had heard that Daniel was being discharged and wanted to meet us and say goodbye to Daniel. We told him how much we loved and appreciated all the nurses and staff on the 3rd floor and in the NICU.
--We made one last round and said our final goodbye.
--We left Southern Hills Medical Center around 3 p.m.