Day 124 & 125 - EXTUBATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at that gorgeous face!!!

CPAP

Well today has been HUGE!! Jett had his ventilation removed at 10.30am :) He spent a little time with nothing on his face while they got the CPAP organised.. To see my beautiful son without anything on his face was the best!!

About CPAP

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. Jett is breathing on his own, but the CPAP keeps the air sacs in his lungs open so he doesn't have to work so hard to breath. At the moment the PEEP (pressure) is 8. They generally slowly wean down to 5 before coming off it.

About today :)

There were so many nurses visiting Jett today, around the time of his extubation he was surrounded by about 4 nurses.. One nurse commented there was a party at Jett's cot Lol.. He was cool about it all. Had no idea what all the fuss was about! I got a video of the extubation and then a couple more since.. I LOVE hearing my baby cry!!!!!!! (well, I don't want him to cry, but it's nice that I can hear him without that bloody tube!) It's so hoarse and soft. It sounds like a cat.. Very cute!

He had about half an hour off CPAP again with his cares this arvo. He tolerated it sooo well, he had sats of 100%!! It was a shame to put it back on him, I hope he's not on it for long. One of the nurses picked him up and passed him to me! I had a cuddle of my son, unplanned!!! I was standing, rocking him like a normal Mum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was looking up at me cooing. We were talking to each other it was so cute! He is so clever!! We had a lovely conversation!

After I put him down I changed his nappy and there was a little poo!!! He had done one this morning about the same size. It's so exciting.. The surgeons gave the ok to start feeds this morning, they can hear bowel sounds with the stethoscope and his aspirates are fairly clear. One thing at a time though, breathing came first! Feeds will probably start in the next couple of days..

I asked Dr D what we needed to get home.. We need Jett to be off breathing support and for him to be tolerating full feeds. Full feeds means 60mls 3hrly.. Dr D is happy to let us go home with an NG tube, so suck feeds will come slowly, but they don't have to be fully established before we go home.. Yay!

Jett had a wash and weigh last night he weighs 4430gms, so he'd lost some weight but it was fluid anyway, so all is good. We had a cuddle last night too. I can't wait til I don't have to schedule cuddles anymore :)

Jett has not struggled at all to breathe which is amazing. He has been ventilated for such a long time! He has come off the vent all by himself, with no steroids!! He could have done this weeks (months) ago, if not for his gut issues.. I will be interested to see how he goes overnight. He was awake literally all day today.. We were joking that he is scared to sleep in case he wakes with the tube back in! When he sleeps though, he may forget to breath and have apnoeas and bradys. It's normal though.. As long as it's not too many! The lowest his oxygen sats went today were 90% even when he was off it. It's awesome

This is a day I have been waiting for. Today, makes it all worth it. My son is such a star. I'm so proud of him. I am so so happy. Bringing my son home is becoming a reality!!!!! :)