ROP

I meant to blog yesterday, but the day got away from me.  After being scolded (by two different people) at work for not doing something I was supposed to do (that I did), I arrived at the hospital.  I said hi to our nurse Heather, and another nurse walked into my room.  She rubbed my back as she said, "Hi honey.  Has anyone talked to you about Lincoln's eyes?"  I replied, "No, but I'm guessing it's not good since you're rubbing my back."  I was right.  Each week Lincoln's eyes get checked by Dr. Cody.  Last week and the week before they were "immature."  We expect that, of course.  Well, yesterday's check-up showed "wonky" growth of his blood vessels.  He has stage 2 Retinopathy of Prematurity.  Obviously being so very premature affects many things.  One of those things is eye development.  Stage 1 is mild, stage 2 is moderate, stage 3 is severe.  Stage 5 is blindness.  Stage 1 can often go away on it's own.  Stage 2 has to be watched - that's where we are.  That doesn't sound so bad, except that I was also told that Lincoln is younger than when they would expect to see Stage 2.  So next week if Dr. Cody sees that it is progressing still, Lincoln will need laser surgery on his eyes.  This will protect his central vision.  We obviously want that.  Unfortunately, it will affect his peripheral vision.  One nurse actually said, "But that doesn't matter, because he's never had it so he won't miss it."  As a teacher especially I know how important peripheral vision is. So I'm praying for no progression.  Also I'm trying to tell myself that at around 8 days old we were supposed to be going for heart surgery to keep my child alive; therefore eye surgery is far more minor and definitely the preferred necessary surgery.

Then a team of four people came in.  Pulmonologists.  Lung specialists.  Luckily they didn't tell me much that we hadn't already heard.  Lincoln is wheezing - it's asthma.  Hopefully he'll outgrow it.  He has BPD, or essentially premature lungs.  Hopefully he'll outgrow that, too.  Now that he's off the vent maybe that will improve.  I should have asked that.  But the four people introduced themselves and said to get to know them as they would be following up with Lincoln even after he heads home.

After that team left, I went out of our pod and said to Heather, "If anyone comes to talk to me about immunizations, tell them to run away.  Today is NOT the day."  Sure enough, as I was leaving, an NP stopped me and said, "What do you want to do about immunizations for Lincoln?"  I said, "Nothing today."  She said, "I'll put a note on here to do it next week?"  I said, "Put a note on there to talk to me about it next week."