Life at Home

Now that the twins are home, Nick & I are much happier. We were both more than exhausted from spending our days sitting in the NICU. A few days prior to their discharge, we stayed the night in one of the hospital's FLC rooms. Those 2 nights helped us feel better about Hadlee's monitor & oxygen. Since they have been home, I cannot believe how unbelievably fast the days pass by! They are good eaters...pretty much ever 3 hours, which can be really hard on mommy because I am doing my best to breastfeed as often as possible. They came home on 24 calorie breast milk, which meant that I have to pump, then measure out, and then add NeoSure to make it higher calorie to help them gain weight. When they are not getting fortified milk from a bottle, then I breastfeed them. It sounds easier, but it takes so long to feed both of them! Hadlee also suffers from reflux and is on zantac to help, but she still has issues spitting up & laying flat. She prefers to lay on her belly or up on my chest. Throughout the day while Nick is at work, I have found it nice to place Kooper in his swing. He likes it most of the time which allows my hands to be free to tend to Hadlee. She unfortunately isn't permited to be in a swing yet until she can pass her car seat test.
On Monday, April 12, we had to take the twins to their pulmonologist. Hadlee had her 6 hour multi-channel lung test done, so we were there almost all day. Nick had to go with me in order to carry everything & help with Kooper while she was being tested. The test is important because it helps to show us if she is receiving the adequate amount of oxygen. Basically, if she is receiving too much oxygen, it can lead to eye development issues, but if she is not receiving enough, it can lead to pulmonary hypertension. This is a disease that could cause permanent damage and require lung and/or heart transplant. Thankfully, the test showed that Hadlee is at the correct amount of oxygen, but unfortunately, it showed that she is still requiring 100cc's of 02. We were praying that her lungs had made some improvement and her 02 could be decreased, but no luck yet. Kooper had his 6 hour multi-channel test done on April 19 and he thankfully passed his! Hadlee will have the test completed again in May- so hopefully she will do better then!
Exhausted after bath time

Enjoying an afternoon nap together

Chilling on Daddy's Harley blanket b/c it was 90* outside & we didn't have our A/C on yet.

Bright eyed Miss Hadlee

3 Generations of Dixon's