Dispatch from the Hospital

by Marilyn on March 21, 2008

We got our private room!  It’s up on the third floor which is currently their “overflow” for the maternity ward.  And, because our luck runs that way, there is no kitchen on this floor for Kile to raid.  So if he wants pudding, he has to go down to the second floor and hunt down the kitchen there.  Not impossible, just annoying.  Plus, our room is small, comparatively.  Doesn’t REALLY matter, since we’ll be the only ones staying in here.  Another interesting factoid about our new room: while it’s not just on the same floor we were on after Jackson was born (not the same room, mind you), it is the same layout.  I recognize it.  So that’s a little on the surreal side.

It’s been a pretty mellow day.  As predicted, I’ve been up and moving around a lot.  It’s getting easier every time, but is naturally much easier to manage when I have been keeping up with my pain pills.  If they’re wearing out, then… not so much.  I’m finally going to get off the fershlugina liquid diet for dinner.  When I saw that tepid, liquid-y and decidedly gross lunch, I about cried.  Dangit, I want some real food.  So for dinner, I am graduated to soft food.  YAY!  This means I’ll be having mashed potatoes which sounds about heavenly right about now.  Yes, even hospital mashed potatoes sound good right now.  I’m just THAT hungry for real food.

Evie’s newborn portraitEvie had her newborn portraits done.  And she was rather gorgeous, if I do say so myself.  She wore a pretty dress given to her by her aunt (and middle name namesake) and I DARE you to say that it’s not just insanely precious.  The little bow they put on her head just cracks me up.  She came back to us in the uniform she left us wearing, which is a long-sleeved tie undershirt and a diaper and her generic hospital cap.  We discovered the bow when we took her hat off and had a good laugh.  Still, I have to admit, it looks pretty cute.  (Not as cute as the dress, of course)

I had a visitor today, my dear friend Jennifer.  I’ve known her since, like, BIRTH and it’s always good to see her.  She’s the only visitor we’ve had this far and it was a lovely change of pace.  It gets lonely here, even with Kile around.  And Kile is ditching me this evening (something about spending time with his mom and our boys… hrmph, as if!) so there should be good times all around.  I think I should be able to manage it though.

Right now he’s cuddled up next to me on the bed since the chairs here are hurting his back and he couldn’t find a good place to set up his cot for the time being to lay on.  But this also means he’s fallen asleep with his head on my shoulder and keeps twitching.  I keep hoping he doesn’t twitch too hard so that he falls off.  That’d suck.

Evie continues to do great.  Her pediatrician visited us today.  He told us she was at risk for jaundice because of the incompatible blood types (that thing again??), but so far she’s doing real well in that department.  They’ll continue to monitor her for that though, just to be on the safe side.  Breastfeeding is… a challenge.  But I think she’s getting it.  I hope she is.  The lactation lady I spoke to today was a little less than helpful.  She was more interested in telling us things we already knew than working with me for having a game plan ready to confirm that Evie is in fact getting nutrition from me.  I have my pump and it’s all set up.  I’ve used it twice and have gotten the most pathetic amounts of colostrum known to man.  But all in good time.

Anyhow.  I’m hoping to see my boys here any minute now.  My mother in law is supposed to be bringing them down and I’m a little surprised they haven’t gotten here by now.  But you know me.  Fret, fret, fret.  I feel bad for her stuck at our house, taking care of Liam all day by herself.  My father in law is coming later tonight for the weekend and I’ll be happier when he’s there.  And next week, we’ll be home so she won’t be on her own.  It can’t be fun or easy.  Guilt, guilt, guilt.  You know me.

Anyhow.  Thank you to everyone for your continued support and comments.  I love hearing from everyone who has left me lovely comments in the last day or so.  I want to be able to respond to them all, but I know that’s not likely going to happen.  But I do intend to have my YNTR post up tomorrow, so there’s that.

Now, maybe I can manage an actual SHOWER tonight!  Fingers are crossed!

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So NOT the breakfast of champions

by Marilyn on March 21, 2008

We all know that hospital food is a little lacking, right?  But usually you can count on some coffee and some toast, right?  Well, this is what they brought me this morning (at nearly 9am, I might add, I was STARVING!):

Chilled Orange Juice
Cream of Wheat (plain)
Low Fat Milk
Decaf Coffee
Non-Dairy Creamer (1)
Sugar (2)

And that’s IT.  Okay, so I’m still on a liquid diet, but come ON.  Decaf coffee?  And if I put the sugar in the cream of wheat (which desperately needed it), then I won’t have it for the coffee.  Good news is, I don’t drink milk, especially low fat (non-fat girl!) so I was able to add that to the coffee.  Still.  It sucked.  DECAF.  Do they not see me falling asleep in my cream of wheat over here?

God Bless Kile, though.  He went down to the kitchen and got me some jelly to mix in with my cream of wheat and switched out my lame decaf for caffeinated coffee.   Still, I’m looking forward to getting some actually RESPECTABLE meals for a change.  Lunch, perhaps?  My catheter and IV are out so I’m hoping with freedom comes better food!

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Still can’t believe I’m so lucky

by Marilyn on March 21, 2008

It’s early… I’ve slept in 10 minute snatches, constantly awaking to listen to her sweet coos.  She coos almost all the time, it seems, and it’s just about the most adorable thing ever.  It’s amazing how feminine she is.  I never figured that would be the case, right off the bat.

So, just to catch you all up on some things…

Her name is Evelyn Lanae Porter.  Yep, I went with Lanae!  It was Kile’s favorite, his sister’s middle name and one he always thought was pretty.  And, I had to admit, it went pretty well with Evelyn.  For the record, Lanae rhymes with Renee.

I’ve gotten out of bed already, walked to the bathroom and back though I still have my catheter in.  Woo hoo!   But I did pretty good, getting up and around and have high hopes for getting up a few more times in the coming day.  I know it’s the key to a quick recovery.

We’re giving breastfeeding a good go here.  I’ve gotten her latched on a couple times and she seems to enjoy it, but always seems hungry when we’re finished.  Since her blood sugar has been rather low, we’ve been having Kile give her some formula after she breastfeeds if she wants it and that has worked pretty so far.  Still, I have hope.  We plan to meet with the lactation consultant tomorrow and see what she thinks.

We’re in a semi-private room at the moment, but we have it to ourselves.  Still, the plan is to get us moved to a regular private room later today.  At least, I hope that’s still the plan!  I’ve been sure to tell every nurse I’ve come across about my wishes.  Heh.

Speaking of nurses, my c-section nurses were so fabulous!  Their names were Wendy and Laura.  Laura gets my undying devotion for suggesting she put in my catheter after I got my spinal.  I could have kissed her.  They were both very cheerful and friendly and sweet and I’m so appreciative of that.

I still can’t believe that I have a little girl.  I’m just floored by it.  She has Jackson’s hair, can you believe that?  It’s light brown, fairly scant (but not as scant as Liam’s was) and curls when it’s wet.  She has my mouth.  Kile’s eyes.  She sneezes all the time and has gotten the hiccups a few times as well.  Like our other babies, she loves to snuggle.  She has been a little poop factory so far and has had at least five meconium diapers since her birth so far.   Doesn’t make her less of a lady, of course.

We are very much in love.  And I’m anxious to find out what the days to come hold in store for us.

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