Free at Last, Free at Last!

Today was a good day for Riley.  Started off with a visit to Dr. Nichols (pediatrician) for a weight check - she was 13lb 10oz.  Lost an ounce from last week, but still way up from last month.  In the afternoon, we had our checkup with Dr. Riva (pulmonary) - the doctor we had the unpleasant experience with last month.  She was pleased with Riley's weight gain and everything else, so she said we were free to turn off the oxygen during the day.  She wants us to continue to keep her on it at night, and wants us to spot check her oxygen saturation throughout the day, so we'll have to keep the wire on her foot all day, but thats a lot easier than having the tubes on her face and dragging around the oxygen tank.  Riley is now much more mobile and has a much prettier face!  We'll go back to her in a month, and as long as she doesn't back-track on her weight gain, or have problems with daytime saturation, we should be off the oxygen all together.  Immediately after that appointment, we headed over to Dr. Shah (neurologist) for her followup there.  He also was very pleased with her progress.  She has had no signs of any seizures since leaving the hospital, and her development seemed right on track.  He was so pleased, he said we didn't even need to schedule another appointment - unless Dr. Nichols or one of the OT/PT people see something that might indicate a neurological problem.  Both of these were obviously huge to us, and it really feels like we've had a monster weight lifted off our shoulders.

Yesterday, the Rainbows speech therapist was finally able to make it here to look into Riley's feeding issues.  She has shown signs of getting better, and at times eats very well, but still gags quite a bit and regurges a lot as well.  She had Pam make a few small changes to the way she gives the bottle, and also to how we do the solid foods.  Overall, it seems the main problem is reflux.  She called Dr. Nichols and today we have started her back on medication for the reflux.  Hopefully this will settle her tummy a bit and make all the feedings go a little smoother.

One more milestone, about an hour ago she rolled over on her own for the first time!  We had her on her tummy, and she pushed her elbows up and rolled to her left and onto her back.  Way to go Riley!

Riley and Mommy:

Riley and Baxter:

Riley with a clean face, no patches, and no oxygen tubes!!!

8 months old!!!

Today Riley is 8 months old.  I know I say it over and over again, but holy crap time has flown by.  I can't believe it has been that long since graced us with her presence.  She was just a little over 4 months old when she came home from the hospital, so that means here in another week or so she will have been home as long as she had been in the hospital.  Great news!

Pam has continued to take her into the pediatrician every week for weight checks.  The doctor wanted to do this to make sure her weight gain was significant and consistent, and to chart it all, so we won't have a repeat at Dr. Riva's office next week.  So far each week has brought good news.  As of last week's appt. she was up to 13lb 6oz!  This is a great jump from where she was 3 weeks ago.  On Thursday we had our follow-up with the Wesley Developmental clinic, not really sure what it was for since it is redundant with what Rainbows is doing.  They said she is doing great, is behind in a few small areas but nothing major and nothing to be concerned about.  Rainbows will be out again this Thursday to check on her as well.  The Dr. Riva appointment is a week from today, and also have our follow-up with Dr. Shah (neurologist) that day as well.  We are praying for great news from both.  Could be a really good day, or a really bad day... 

Last weekend we did end up making the trip up to Manhattan to see my sister, Nikki, and her family.  Took Baxter as well, made for a very fun trip.  Both Riley and Baxter did very well on their first road trip.  It was amazing the amount of stuff we had to take though just for a 3 day trip...filled up a minivan!  But we had a great time hanging out with Nikki, Eric, Landon, and Makena.  Got to see Makena's first basketball game, and I gotta say 6-7 year olds playing basketball is hilarious!  I was even able to score some last minute tickets to the KU/K-State basketball game on Saturday.  Wow, what a game!!  Since I should be going up there for work at least every other month, we may have to make this trip a regular thing until Pam goes back to work.  I think Nikki and family would enjoy that...or maybe not?  Haha

There's never a dull weekend in our lives, it seems like.  This weekend we'll have a house-full of people over on Sunday for the Super Bowl (or Skach-Bowl IX as we are calling it).  Everyone's invited, so let me know if you can make it!  Then we'll have those two big appointments next Tuesday, so I'll be sure to post updates after that...everyone please pray that I'll have good news to pass on.

For some reason, even with all the excitement of this weekend we didn't get any good pictures.  Nikki took some of Riley decked out in K-State gear to root on the Cats Saturday, so here's one of hers.  EMAW!