Tuesday, June 24, 2008

A better day

Today was another day. A better day. I saw my favorite NICU nurse as I walked through the doors this morning. I calmly asked her who I would talk to if I had an issue with a nurse from yesterday, but did get a bit teary eyed as I ask. She immediately, without question, got me in the office to see the director of the department. The director listened to me and took immediate action. Not only will that nurse not be in charge of my children any more, she will no longer be working at that hospital. She was a contract nurse who apparently didn't even show up today. The nurse who had the babies next to mine both yesterday and today came up first thing today to apologize that had happened and he had reported it to the charge nurse who was already aware of the situation. He said that the nurse yesterday was completely out of line, that he had heard some of the things she had said to me, and that he felt I had handled the situation more than appropriately and much better than he would if he were the father and they were his babies. In fact he suggested and I had already thought the same thing, that the reason the babes had such a difficult day yesterday was because they picked up on the nurses stress and anxiety. The nurse today was polar opposite. Both babies were calm, very few alarms (dstats, bradleys, and decelerations) maybe almost none today. I got to change diapers and take temps and turn babies and hold Ray a bit. I didn't even ask to hold Nora today. Not only was yesterday a hard day for her, they changed the way that she is receiving oxygen flow this morning while I was there. I wanted to make sure that she was nice and stable for a bit and she was all day. The doc ran labs to make sure it wasn't an infection and they all came back looking good. He also did a brain scan to make sure there wasn't any small bleeds, but hadn't read the report yet when we last talked. However, my guess it was a combination of needing stronger pressure on the oxygen and a mean stressed out nurse that she didn't like either. Ray had is up to 23 cc's/ml's every 3 hours and the doc gave the order to remove his IV line as he told me that Ray is now what hey call a "preemie growing to go home". I like the sound of that. He reassured me that Nora would get there too soon enough.

A friend came to visit them for the first time and we did a quick lunch. My cousin came for a bit in the morning to visit as well. I stayed a bit longer than planned, but did get home to swim with Max for a bit in the pool before dinner and bed like I had promised. Max is loving the whole pool thing this summer and loving having CC and Aunt T here. But, was happy to have his mommy there for a bit too now that my OB gave the green light. He's been in the pool so much the last few days he got his first "bloody toes" that tends to come with the first week or two of every summer. Noemi was a bit concerned about him as she told me. I couldn't help but smile remembering all of my bloody toes (get them from pushing off the bottom of the pool so much at the first of every season until the toes toughen up a bit), but we will get him some swim shoes. Ah, the joys of summer as a kid.

Max was out within 5 minutes tonight at bed time after protesting he wasn't tired and didn't want to go to sleep. He was so worn out, but in a good happy way. He went to bed in a pair of my socks and a shirt of mine that he likes to wear. My sweet sweet boy. He sure is at a fun age right now. We had a whole conversation about monsters and how they weren't and couldn't get him. They live in the rabbit hole you know. :) I explained that not only were they just pretend that the couldn't get in the house because momma locked it up at night. "But, why momma? Why?" was used a lot in the conversation. The old stand by of "safety first" was the conversation stopper.

Now, if only all days could be like today...yeah right. I can't wait to bring my babies home.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's wonderful. That news is a nice way to end my night. :)

Laura in L.A. said...

Debbie, I am so relieved! No more mean nurse, and you also have the comfort of knowing that the hospital was "on it" immediately.

I had forgotten that a lot of the NICU nurses are contract employees. I was amazed at how many were even from out-of-state, and would fly in for 6-week stints! This does make it an easier situation to deal with if someone isn't working out.

Glad our Max is adapting so well, too-- bloody toes and all! :):)

Love, Laura

Anonymous said...

Oh Deb, I'm SO glad that nightmare NICU nurse is gone for good, and it warms my heart to hear that the other nurses and management were so 100% behind you. There's still no excuse for what you had to go through yesterday, but I'm so glad you won't have that experience again. And how great that Ray is now a feeder and grower!!! Yes, Nora will get there soon too, I'm sure, and you'll have babies at home before you know it. It just sounds like things are on the upswing for you - babies stable, you are healing, help has arrived. Yeah!

Jo

Solitaire said...

Oh I'm so glad that the nurse situation has been sorted out and you won't have to deal with that mean nurse any more. I'm very happy you got to have a better day!

Katrina said...

So glad that they dealt with the NICU nurse so promptly!

23CCs! Wow, he is almost up to an ounce at a time now! Way to go, Ray!

I see that Nora is on CPAP, I hope that she graduates from that soon and back to the nose oxygen thing... Sounds like you had a much better day today, hope you have more of those!