June:
8th:
Caleb's Born at Integris Canadian Valley
3:47 PM
12 3/4 inches, 1 pound 15 ounces
Billirubin light therapy begins as soon as he is admitted to Integris Baptist
Chest tube placed
12th:
Met Uncle Bubba (my brother) for the first time
Chest tube removed
14th:
Met Aunt Eden
PICC line placement
16th:
Blood transfusion
19th:
Had Grade I brain bleed
20th:
Met Grandpa Curry
21st:
Caleb made it to 2 pounds!
23rd:
Blood transfusion (all blood given to Caleb was from his daddy)
Changed to a conventional ventilator
24th:
Placed back on the oscillating ventilator
July
3rd:
Kissed Caleb on the head at 9:30 PM
1st Fourth of July
One Month Old
Uncle Bubba came to visit
10th:
Met Grandpa Cook and Nancy
Changed to conventional ventilator
Skin-to-skin: I held Caleb for the first time
First bath
Blood transfusion
18th:
Caleb made it to three pounds
Daddy held Caleb for the first time!
Second bath and washed hair
Third bath and washed hair
26th:
Met Uncle Mike and Uncle Rick
27th:
Was informed that I was not producing enough breast milk for Caleb and was talked to about donor milk
28th:
PDA is getting smaller
ROP exam showed no ROP
1st attempt off of ventilator
Heard Caleb cry for the first time
29th:
Placed back on ventilator
31st:
Was informed that Caleb contracted e-coli. He would be placed in isolation for over 30 days. We would be required to gown and glove up every single time we went into his room.
August
3rd:
Dr. Breed visited Caleb
6th:
Second time off ventilator
7th:
Blood transfusion
8th:
Two months old
PICC is out
First time swaddled
First time in clothes
11th:
Second ROP exam showed stage 1/2 (mild) ROP
13th:
Caleb made it to 4 pounds
14th:
PDA completely closed on its own!
19th:
Off ventilator completely
20th:
Diagnosed with chronic lung disease
21st:
Grade I brain bleed resolved!
23rd:
First bottle
Moved to PICU with NICU best friend
Caleb made it to 5 pounds
28th:
Open crib
31st:
Circumcision
September
8th:
3 months old
Passed newborn hearing screening
Caleb is now 6 pounds 4 ounces
9th:
Passed car seat challenge
11th:
Caleb was supposed to go home today due to his breathing treatment being stopped and the doctor wanting to monitor him for a few more days. This was some of the hardest hits Chris and I took this far into the NICU journey.
14th:
Released from hospital to go home
15th:
Grandma and Grandpa Curry came to visit
Caleb met his cousins, Wesley and Ce'Nedra.
Caleb met his Nana (my mom)
20th:
Caleb's original due date
21st:
Grandpa Cook and Nancy came to visit
29th:
Eye appointment for Caleb showed no ROP - ALL CLEAR
Caleb made it to 8 pounds
October
8th:
Four months old
Caleb made it to 8 pounds 13 ounces
1/8 liter of oxygen
Joan came to visit
10th:
Alicia came to visit
16th:
Was switched to soy formula indefinitely
1/16 liter of oxygen
17th:
Matt and Cara came to visit
22nd:
Caleb made it to 10 pounds
25th:
Mieasha came to visit
Caleb got to see his Grandpa and Grandma Curry. Thinking back on this day now, it was extremely bittersweet. Caleb was able to see his Grandpa Curry in his house one final time...
31st:
Caleb's first Halloween
November
3rd:
Received some very difficult news about Don (Grandpa Curry)
8th:
Five months old!
10th:
Met Caleb's pulmonologist who was able to give us uplifting news about Caleb's oxygen requirements.
Caleb made it to 11 pounds 5 ounces
12th:
First overnight room air study
14th:
Caleb's first OSU game
15th:
Received news that Don (Grandpa Curry) had an official diagnosis of a brain tumor
19th:
Received new medication for reflux
Smiles on demand
Went to preliminary testing for SippC
First Synagis shot
Was informed that Caleb no longer needed to be on supplemental oxygen during the day
Caleb made it to 12 pounds 1 ounce
26th:
Caleb's first Thanksgiving
Caleb's first Bedlam game
8th:
Caleb is 6 months old!
9th:
Caleb is beginning to teethe
15th:
Caleb sits up with the help of a Bumbo
18th:
Loving tummy time
22nd:
Caleb is finally at home longer than he was in the NICU
Caleb made it to 14 pounds 5 ounces
Caleb got to see his NICU girlfriend, Olivia!
25th:
Caleb's first Christmas
26th:
Caleb "asked" his Uncle Mike and Uncle Rick and they would be his Godfathers.
Caleb's Great Grandma Meeks passed away today
January
3rd:
Celebrated Daddy's birthday
8th:
Caleb is 7 months old!
Caleb made it to 15 pounds 6 ounces
11th:
Caleb was awake and asleep off of the oxygen and he did great.
13th:
Grandpa Curry became Caleb's guardian angel. Not a day goes by that we do not continually remind Caleb of his grandpa.
Follow up visit to Caleb's cardiologist to confirm that the PDA is still closed and there are no underlying heart issues.
20th:
Left Caleb overnight for the first time to go to Don's funeral. Caleb's smiles and giggles made both his mommy and daddy feel a little better about leaving.
26th:
Tried baby cereal, and it wasn't that great of a success.
28th:
Caleb put both of his hands on my cheeks and pulled me in for a kiss. It completely melted my heart.
February
2nd:
Tried avocados, and Caleb loved them!
3rd:
Caleb was chosen to be in the baseline group for the SippC study.
8th:
Caleb is 8 months old!
Caleb made it to 16 pounds 8 ounces.
13th:
Caleb's first overall experience.
14th:
Caleb's first Valentine's Day
19th:
Tried and LOVED sweet potatoes!
22nd:
First time - ever - going for a walk outside. Caleb LOVED it!
Sat in a high chair for the first time and loved it.
March
8th:
Caleb is 9 months old!
He made it to 18 pounds 5 ounces.
17th:
Caleb's first St. Patrick's Day
20th:
Caleb's bottom "toof" popped out.
28th:
Caleb's first Easter
April
8th:
Caleb is 10 months old
Caleb made it to 19 pounds
15th:
We have slowly started taking Caleb out to more places. His official lift date for isolation is May 1st.
Caleb had his first french fry
16th:
Outing #2: Farm Show
21st:
Outing #3: Festival of the Arts
22nd:
Outing #4: Roxy's Ice Cream
25th:
Three bottom teeth and two top teeth trying to break through.
May
2nd:
Celebrated Mommy's birthday
3rd:
Great report at gastroenterologist for Caleb. Weaning down on reflux medication and hoping to switch to regular dairy based formula so we can go to cow's milk.
4th:
Went back to visit some of the NICU staff.
8th:
Celebrated Mother's Day with Mommy.
Caleb is 11 months old!
Caleb made it to 21 pounds.
11th:
After 337 days on some form of supplemental oxygen, Caleb was released from any additional form of supplemental oxygen.
12th:
Outing #4: Buffalo Wild Wings
14th:
March of Dimes
16th:
Modeling debut!
Went over to Uncle Robert's and Aunt Eden's house!
21st:
Caleb went to sleep in his crib for the first time ever!
25th:
Caleb crawled!!
29th:
All of Caleb's oxygen supplies were finally picked up.
June
8th
After a year of fighting, a year of triumphs, a year of questions, and a year of phenomenal resilience and perseverance, Caleb turns one year old. God is so good.
With the rate that Caleb is continually growing and thriving, myself and my husband are certain that Caleb will make significant strides moving forward.
As a parent, there are no books to read from that will give you step-by-step instructions on how to care for a child. As a parent of a micro-preemie, the odds are always stacked against you and your miracle. However, with faith, prayer, love, and support, you and your miracle can get through anything. My beautiful 1 pound 15 ounce 25 week 4 day baby has proven that miracles do exist.
He is and will always be my miracle and my hero.
Reference:
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014). Placental abruption. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/placental-abruption/basics/definition/con-20024292
