Friday, March 22nd, I was greeted by the nurse (I was still in the hospital) who informed me that Shalyn's billiruben was high (11) and she had been under lights since 5 a.m. and wouldn't be able to go home until she'd been re-tested for several different things and had been under the lights at least six hours. Since Ladd had hoped to come pick me up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., I started wondering how I was going to get home and if Shalyn would be able to go with me. It was a busy morning. I talked to both my OBGYN and the Pediatrician and the lactation specialist. The lactation specialist just didn't see the point in coming to talk to someone who'd just had her tenth child! I had to assure her that nursing wasn't my forte. "How about that!" was her response. I also talked to a man who was arranging for us to get a billi-bed to take home for Shalyn to use. After telling me he'd gladly exchange his insurance for ours, he told me I get the mother of the year award since it'd been at least a full year since he'd met someone who was in there with their 10th. After waiting for results from Shalyn's blood tests, they said her billiruben had dropped to 10.5 and that the other test had come back negative (which was a positive thing.) My lunch had sat getting cold for 2 hours before I got to it, and Ladd arrived soon afterwards. We packed up and headed home. The guy with the billi-bed and billi-blanket (really NOT a blanket by any sense of the word!!!) met us once we got here. After we got home and got Ladd off to work, I went to see how Cali was doing trying out for Westlake Dance Team. She made it!!!! I was soooo excited for her! The rest of Shalyn's first week flew by in a blur. That first night, I had only 2 hours of sleep. I took Shalyn in on Saturday to have her billiruben tested. They told me I needed to make it there between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. It took me two full hours to get out of the house and I'd started at 7 a.m.!!! It says something to my state of mind that a mother of 10 children forgot to bring even one diaper for her baby -- much less a diaper bag full of useful stuff! I also managed to set off an alarm while waiting for Shalyn's blood to be taken. Luckily, the snow was manageable that morning! Shalyn's billiruben's level went up to 14.4. Later, I went shopping with mom Hinton and even got my hair cut!!!!
Sunday dawned bright and terrible. I managed to get 6 hours of sleep, thankfully! I made it to the hospital to have Shalyn's blood drawn and still made it home in time for the choir practice I'd set up the week before. (I set the alarm off again at the hospital :() Ladd and I went back for the kids after the practice, and somehow, we lost mom Hinton on the way to church. I guess she sat in the back. The choir song turned out fine for ward conference. I very much felt public scrutiny that hour. I talked to a few people after Sacrament meeting who hurried up to get a peek before I left to get Shalyn back under lights. I was getting quite a bit concerned. Shalyn just couldn't seem to go throughout the night without choking several times as well as spitting up or throwing up all she was getting from the bottles or from me. I found that Shalyn's billiruben had gone up to 15.2. After church, we had choir, and after choir, we did calendaring and had the kids do their lunches for Monday before ushering them out the door for their visit to Mapleton. Mom Hinton and I had lots of talks. Maryam Cheney dropped a huge dinner off and Gayleen Bennett came over to help me with the nursing thing. She said that Shalyn wasn't bringing her tongue down far enough which was causing me major pain! Mom Hinton skyped with Dustin, Dad Hinton, and Melanie. I heard a little of it, and at least introduced Shalyn to them.
Shalyn and I didn't get much sleep that night. I only got about 2 hours of sleep and spent some time sobbing because of all my frustrations. I guess Shalyn kept mom Hinton up, too and so she only got 4 hours of sleep. The kids got off to school because of mom Hinton. Ladd had Deer Valley. I took Shalyn to the hospital to get poked again. I got done at the hospital with enough time to get to the doctor for Shalyn. Dr. Edwards said her billiruben was down to 14.0 (which was good), but that her weight was down to 7 lbs. 9.5 oz. (which was bad -- 10% below her birth weight.) He told me not to stress about the lights as much and to simply get her to gain an ounce in a 24 hour period. He also told me to get more sleep! (He did admit that was like telling someone not to breath) He suggested that we keep Shalyn upright after she'd eaten for a half an hour to see if it would cut down on the throw-up and spit up. That provided a drastic change! She seemed to do much better putting that small bit of advice into practice. I was almost only pumping by now. I was very close to simply pumping for the next year!!! It was proving to be less painful!!!
I got around 4 1/2 hours of sleep, and it seemed an easy morning since mom Hinton was still doing everything, and I didn't have to go anywhere until the afternoon. I took Shalyn in to get a weight on her and we found she was back up to 7 lbs. 11.5 oz. Yeah!!!! Ladd did Deer Valley again. In the evening, Ladd helped teach the YM/YW square dancing for trek. He was all decked out in cowboy gear! He looked great!
I got around 5 1/2 hours of sleep that night. I finally dragged myself and Shalyn into the hospital to be tested. It turns out Shalyn was down to 13.0. We turned off our account for the billi-bed and packed both of them up. (YEAH!!!) I turned my thoughts to conquering the whole nursing thing while mom Hinton was still around. Ladd went to Fidelity Investments in the early afternoon. Cecilia made the 2nd dance of Nicole's and she went to BYU Day of Dance. Dad Hinton came in the late afternoon. Mom Hinton was madly trying to get dinner on in time for Garrett and Cali's band concert. Mom and Dad Hinton had to take off after Garrett and Cali's band finished their songs. They took Ruby home with them. I left before the concert was finished. It was a mad scramble to get the kids into bed and everything ready for the next morning.
Thursday dawned bright and early! I managed to get everyone off with Garrett being the only one to forget something -- his lunch. So, I took him his lunch on my way to the hospital to get Shalyn poked once again. Mom Hinton had arrived shortly before I had to go, so I was able to leave knowing Lena and Alyssa were in good hands. Shalyn's billiruben dropped to 11.8 so they said we didn't have to have it checked again unless we saw her looking distinctly yellow or if she wasn't eating right or pooping right. Cali talked to Ms. Stowell on Wednesday about the summer conflicts between dance and marching band. It looks rather bleak for Cali staying on the dance team. I'm rather torn up about it since I'm thinking that was Cali's one time to make it onto the dance team during High School (she won't have the opportunities to be as well prepped as she was this year coming onto it from Alliance). Mom Hinton only stayed until the late afternoon.
Friday was awesome cause I didn't have to go anywhere!!! I'm struggling still with the whole nursing thing. Not fun for me! Mom Hinton came for a short period of time and helped me get the house looking a little better before she left for good. Luckily, my visiting teachers (Bonnie Sampson and Yosha Spens) brought dinner in for us that night! Ladd was home for the day since it was Good Friday. He had just found out he was being given another team that works down in American Fork Monday thru Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- all without interviewing!!! It still seems surreal to me. A great blessing, though! And, since it's supposed to start April 1st, we're feeling blessed that he's still able to take off for his two weeks paternity leave!
Saturday, Jarom went to the second day of BYU POWWOW. And, Ladd took James on down to the Easter egg hunt at Neptune park where they got candy and were able to see the Easter Bunny. Evidently, the Easter Bunny was the hit of the day for Lena and Alyssa!!! Then, he brought them back and took them over to the park for the HOA Easter egg hunt. We did some cleaning and Cali, Cecilia and I were able to go to the General YW's broadcast at the Stake Center. Given that it was Easter eve, it was a late night for Ladd and I!!!
Today, the kids woke up to find their Easter baskets filled with candy. We managed to get to church on time without too many incidents! The choir numbers turned out marvelously beautiful. I ended up leading the last song for Sister Wilkins since I was already up there. :)
Well, our house is a wreck, and everyone seems happy. Most of all, I'm hoping for no more pokes for awhile!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment