Ultrasound Day

This is a day that his given Hope and I a lot of anxiety, with scheduled head ultrasounds for both girls. Being both preterm and growth restricted, they’re at an increased risk of an intraventricular hemorrhage, and sure enough, it seems like Sammi has a grade I IVH, with an additional choroid plexus cyst thrown in for good measure. Josie may have a grade I as well, but it might just be an issue with the image, so she’s slated for another scan soon. All things said, this is the least severe bleed possible and although we’ll have to keep a close eye on things, there’s a good chance that she won’t have any negative outcomes later in life because of it.

Otherwise, the girls continue to eat and grow. We love interacting with them at care time, they are so active and alert when we’re there. Sammi’s up to 2lb. 13oz. and Josie is at 3lb. 5oz. They’re both now weaned down to 3L HFNC and handling it just fine. I also had a minor heart attack this morning when I arrived at the NICU and found an empty bed at Sammi’s spot. Nurses must have been on the lookout for me because one rushed over to let me know that my daughter had not been abducted in the middle of the night and was just moved to another room because they needed additional bed space in the main NICU area, and she has been stable enough lately that they felt comfortable moving her to a wing. Hopefully sister will follow suit shortly so they can have their reunion!

Ultrasound Eve

We are remaining pretty status quo here in the land of Sammi and Josie’s time in the NICU. Chris and I are pretty nervous about the girls’ head ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow. Sammi has had a history of a swollen right brain ventricle and according to our doctors both our girls are at risk for a grade 1 or 2 brain hemorrhage. This is due to their small size and because they were born before 32 weeks. We’ve been reassured that even if they do have these findings that as long as they are grade 1 or 2 there should be no consequences developmentally and the bleeding will probably be reabsorbed into the brain. 

Sammi is still an escape artist; each nurse that has her is now forewarned before she manages to get to the portholes. When we do kangaroo care with her she will put up her hand and spread her fingers when she gets too overwhelmed or over stimulated. For example, mom was quietly singing to her and, well, I got the hand. I’m telling myself it’s probably because of the vibrations in my chest…but it’s probable that she was embarrassed of mom’s singing :)

Josie is such a cuddle bug that she occasionally forgets to breathe when she’s on my chest. It scares me half to death. Her O2 stats go down and she needs a little more oxygen than normal. According to the nurses Josie gets so cozy she forgets to breathe often and deeply enough.  This just tells me how hard their brains have to work to perform basic functions, especially since they shouldn’t have to be doing any of this in the “outside” world yet. 

PSU NICU in the News

The video below aired on ABC 27 (link to original article) on Sunday night. It really was great to meet that family, and I hope we can share a similar story in 21 years. I’m sure Sammi will still be collecting royalties from this segment at that time.

Current weigh in: Samantha - 2lbs. 10oz; Josephine - 3lbs. 2oz. Both on 21% 4L HFNC.

First Father's Day

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! Chris and I are so lucky to both have fathers in our lives that to this day would move heaven and earth for us, provide a sounding board, offer advice, literally fix our home, and be there for all of life’s smallest and largest milestones. Thank you so much dads, we love you and the girls love you very much. 

Chris, you are already a wonderful father. As soon as we found out we were pregnant you have fit into the role of father with ease and have only continued to grow and handle each new scenario, scare, and experience with aplomb. 

I can’t wait until you teach our girls how to ride a bike, play piano, and share your love of technology and bird watching. These are some lucky girls to have you as a father. We love you to the moon and back!

The Wahlmark Girls

It’s mom here! And because of that I have one fuzzy photo to prove I was in the NICU today and honestly, I have no idea how to upload a photo anyways so I apologize for all those who visit just for the adorable photos :)

Dad had to go back to State College to make the donuts so it was all about the Wahlmark girls today. I was able to help with care time and spend over an hour doing kangaroo care with each sweetie. 

Sammi is our wiggle worm! There have been 5 separate occasions when I’ve come into the NICU and find multiple nurses around her incubator laughing, “How did you do that?” “Where are you trying to go?” “Wow, she is a Houdini” She manages to get out of all types of soft constraints designed to keep her tucked in and emulating the womb as much as possible but she always manages to break out! There have been times she rolls towards the portholes and her diaper has come off! Tiny but fierce definitely describes this one, she’s gonna give us a run for our money. 

Josie is our cuddle bug, she loves being tucked in and as soon she is placed on my chest she settles in immediately. When we do kangaroo care the nurse notes that her respiratory rate improves so for those who require empirical evidence that this therapy works, here is one more example.  She is steadily gaining weight and even though she is still so tiny she feels sturdier than her sister (there is a 9 oz gap) I’m chalking this up to that fact that Sammi is burning too many calories with all her escape attempts!

I am so looking forward to holding them at the same time and reintroducing them.