hmmm pics not wanting to post... I'll work on that

here are some more details.... I am not capable of brevity!

On Saturday we finished up what is called the "on demand" test which is very similar to the 12 and 24 hour tests. Then, since we were going home on monitors and O2 we had to do what is called "rooming in". You spend at least 10 hours all by yourselves and the monitors, no nurses. I think this is just to ease the minds of the hospital staff more than anything.

Around 7pm on Saturday the guy showed up to the NICU with Greydon's home stuff. We unhooked his O2 from the wall and he showed us how to hook up the mini portable tank. Later at home we also were delivered a big huge O2 tank so we can save the portable tanks for going to doctor appointments and such.

They showed us how all of the regulators hooked up, we were pretty quick on the uptake. Then he showed us how the home monitor worked and where the new version of leads get stuck. There were three leads at the hospital for triangulation and one foot monitor for saturation levels. We no longer have the sat monitor and only two leads. Only having two leads means they get stuck in a little different spots, but same idea.

These leads come off easier though, and the alarm... let's just say it's not subtle.(understatement)

Anytime the leads get stuck to his clothes and then come half off there is this sound..... kind of like a banshee combined with a referee's whistle .....married to a fire siren, on speed.

If it is a solid beep, the leads came off, if it is a beep beep beep then it is actually alarming. Oh, and it may alarm like it is alarming even when it is just the leads coming off... just to keep things interesting.

There is the same alarm if his heart stops, heart rate goes to fast, too slow, or he stops breathing, or if he stretches to the left, yawns to the right, or kicks his left leg, very relaxing.

The rule to responding to the alarm, determining what is wrong, is to always look at him first and then work back to the machine. In other words make sure you stimulate him to get his heart going, or calm him to slow it down, or remind him to breath, if he is fine then you look at where the leads are stuck to him, then where they plug into the cord, then see if the cord is plugged into the machine. Usually it is the lead getting stuck to his jammies, or his hip.

Back to Sunday.... so after we were taught about the new machinery we were supposed to get into our room around 9pm because the people before us got into the room late also, but that quickly got switched to 10pm, and by the time 11pm hit we were told that we wouldn't be able to get in until midnight because we were waiting for that dad to get back from batting practice....... huh? If my twins were getting released from the NICU and I was at batting practice..... well insert your own base ball analogy about what my wife would've done to me.

We eventually got in the room, after it was cleaned. It is basically a hotel room at the hospital. The first thing that hit me was when we were finally by ourselves, he was sleeping, and moved his leg, and I heard it! It was never quiet enough in the NICU to hear much of anything subtle. We found out throughout the night, this is one noisey kid!

He really rarely cries, but he is a talker, whether he is asleep or awake at midnight or three in the morning. We're starting to figure out that not every noise requires a trip to his bedside. He can let out a nice normal "I'm awake" and by the time we get there he looks like Rip Van Winkle.

We're currently in the over analyzing mode, too much poo, not enough poo, not eating enough? trying to eat too fast.

It was hard to leave the house today.

I'm already getting skilled at one arm living. This post was mostly all typed just with my right hand, he occupying my left, so very very cute.

I can walk around with a portable oxygen tank slung over one shoulder, holding him in one arm and pulling the basinet with his monitors on the lower shelf as i walked around, prepared bottles, changed diapers and the like.

We now have a 50 ft oxygen tube hooked uo to the big tanks, but the monitor still only has a 5 foot cord. we can take him off the monitor if he his being watched 100% and is completely awake.

Kristen just mentioned that yesterday was the first day of his life he didn't see a Dr. weird

We have a Dr checkup appt on Thursday to see how things are going.

As we were leaving the hospital to come home one couple who was getting ready to pack up was congratulating us like we had done for so many others. It really is a festival atmosphere when anyone gets to go home. Hugs are common huge grins everywhere. The parents of Raydon, our latest neighbor, were so genuinely happy for us I felt guilty. Nice kids, young, been there a month longer than us. They were told they might be going home close to the same time as us, but the things started to not work out.

As we were walking to the golden elevators, she walked by and tried to act happy for us, but looked about ready to break down. I can't help but think of them tonight and wonder, wonder and hope. We'll keep in touch with some new friends for years to come.

Please keep the NICU in your prayers tonight and always, it is a very special station between heaven and home.