SCN D 6

We moved from "room E" into special care nursery D, bed 6 over a week ago now. The big move happened because Ms. N was stable and another babe went into isolation for MRSA (only found that out for sure today when said baby was crying and his nurse was tied up with her other baby and our nurse was on break, but the other nurse couldn't go in to help...unless it was a life threatening situation because it was a "MRSA" baby). There were 3 babes, including N in E. There are now 4 on the front side of room D and 2 on the other side where we are under strict orders not to venture. I must say I am less than impressed with the "new" family because they don't follow basic procedures for isolation including hand washing after they have been "in" (holding/touching their baby). I've seen the nurses explain the procedures several times and still they either don't get or ignore such a basic step. As I have mentioned, I was already a germ conscious person prior to kids and a sick isolation baby. I reported the mom the other day after she answered her cell phone (which aren't supposed to be on in the nursery) and then rushed out to take the call. As I told the nurse, she puts us all at risk and no way, no how do I want Ms. N getting something else before getting out of dodge. I also told the other family that I see to be careful and wash everything down because they are moving chairs back and forth. But, I digress.

The babe that has been next to Ms. N for quite awhile and caused the move into room E was born of a 16 year old girl who I have seen a few times mostly in the evening when I was able to stay past shift change. That poor babe is sick and the nurses spent all afternoon getting blood and cultures and x-rays on him. I hope he recovers. I've pondered asking the nurses if they thought he would be adoption or foster eligible because I know a few women who are still trying that would make an excellent mom put figured that would be too presumptuous on so many levels and probably just plain wrong. But, I digress.

Now, the other babe, born of an older couple who almost certainly did fertility treatments always had her own nurse in room E and I got the impression that she was in isolation for another infection. When we moved to room D, she and Ms. N have been sharing a nurse. Her mom confirmed the other day (when I saw her outside the room and had a chance to ask and warn her about bad hygiene family) that her daughter was in isolation for a bacteria infection called VRE or VME or something like that (haven't had a chance to look it up/research it). Now, it kind of pisses me off that they are sharing a nurse. Not so much because of the risk of Ms. N getting infected but because "they" (the hospital establishment) made such a big fricken deal about MRSA babies not sharing nurses for months on end. Now, all of a sudden, it is okay for some odd reason...not that they told me any of this as they try to play it off with statements like "we typically only share nurses with babes in isolation for the same reason". Bull. Now, I haven't been screaming to have N re cultured to get her out of isolation because they are so cautious that she is much safer in my mind in isolation than if she were taken out (as long as certain families don't put her at extra jeprody...thank goodness she isn't sharing a nurse with THAT family). But, anyway....I digress, again.

My twins between the two of them have taken pretty much all the spots on room D between one move or another except for bed 6, which was always baby Jason's spot. Baby Jason and his family have been on my mind a lot ever since that day he was brought in via ambulance a few days after being discharged. I strongly suspected that day and am almost positive at this point that baby Jason didn't ultimately make it. I haven't seen his mom around nor his name on the census list (which I happened to see on day while at the desk waiting on the receptionist for something). I can only imagine the pain and grief that Abby (the mom) endured. Baby J was born in March. She spent months and months and months with him in the NICU only to have him home for a few days to have him die. Like I said, I can only imagine how difficult that would be and hope and pray that I never find out. Ms. N may be occupying special care nursery D bed 6 right now, but it will always be baby J's spot to me. I'd love to know what happened, but can't really ask because HIPPA and privacy dictates that they couldn't tell me anything. And, really, I shouldn't know anything about any of it anyway. If I hadn't happened to be washing up right after J was brought in and overheard a conversation, I would be none the wiser. Or, if I hadn't seen Abby (through the window in room E) standing in the hall crying looking into room A, I would be none the wiser. If I hadn't spent the better part of a month with my two and baby J and his family hanging out in room D and talking to Abby, I would be none the wiser. But, in spite of the privacy and security measures in place, when you spend as much time someplace as I have, you pick up on things, you hear things...sometimes, you wish you hadn't. I keep reminding myself that N isn't baby J. They had different problems, different situations, different history's. Still it makes me a bit more worried about Ms. N not making it (in that irrational, non fact based way), but not as much as it makes me sad for Abby and baby J's family.

In other news, Ms. N is doing fine. Nippling all her meals. No more gavaging for her. She's really solid right now and just hanging out on IV antibiotics for awhile longer. More than one nurse has commented that she is going to be my "drama queen". Ah, I have seen it myself.

Ray was a crying PITA yesterday evening, night, and in the wee hours of the morning. Not much sleep was had. I got about an hour with him in the swing, then finally in desperation did the big no-no (which I would never had the courage to do if he was not on a monitor) and put him on his tummy at 4 am. He slept great for a few hours after that. Of course, Max woke up at 5. Oh, yes, loving life. :) He's been a perfect angel and sleeping next to me right now.

Max has also been a bit of a pill (and not a good one) the last day or two. In his own words, he's tired and crabby. As such, he has had early bed times and gone down without problems or drama and sleeping for almost 12 hours. We did a quick stop by the mall after church today to get him some new shoes for school (at 3, he is a size 11...okay, it was more like 10 or 10 1/2, but I insisted on buying a bit big because he is growing fast my young giant). I stopped in a Target to get a few things and he insisted in carting this hot pink CD player around the store (it was big and heavy) even though I kept telling him that we were not going to buy it, to which he replied that he needed it to listen to his lullaby's because the one he has is broken (so not true, but good try buddy). He also insisted on buying some underwear which he somehow spotted as I was sprinting down the isles. I agreed to this one since he has been quite good on the potty training and hasn't had one accident at gym camp (or anywhere else of that matter). He ended up getting Cars ones instead of the Mickey Mouse and Bob the Builder ones he pondered for far too long (as I was impatiently telling him to make up his mind already...remember...limited sleep last night :) and being drawn to several girls panties, which I thought about letting him get, but just couldn't. Let's just say, in spite of the expense and taking monumental effort to get out the door to the hospital this weekend, it was so nice to just be able to sit there and hold N and not have anything else to do or focus on but that. Ah, good thing I love that kid so much and know that this too shall pass.