Friday 25 February 2011

Friday 25th February

So, it looks like our fifteen minutes of fame are over. Not before one final nice surprise though. Word had got around to Dean Ween, guitarist of one of our favourite bands, Ween, that I was wearing a Ween t shirt in the photo on the Telegraph's website. So the link was posted on their Facebook page and we got over 150 messages from well-wishing Ween fans. Also, they are sending Willow and Stanley some autographed baby-grows, which they'll be able to treasure forever. Some good has come out of all of this, after all.

Back home in the Senior residence, all is going nicely. The kids are getting into a routine now, with awake playfulness and long sleepy periods at the same times each day. It looks like Stanley's reflux is coming back, after a few episodes where he's done a bit of choking and turned ever so slightly navy. Nothing like what was happening a few weeks ago, but we've started him back on some Domperidone anyway. Another syringe to add to the regular drug administration schedule.

We're noticing the difference in both of them every day, particularly Willow. She's always been a few weeks behind Stanley after the rougher ride she's had, but she's making great strides to catch up with him all the time. Her smiles have gone from small unsure smirks to huge full-faced grins. No matter what time of day or night it is, seeing either of them smiling right at you just wipes away any problems there might be in the world at that moment.

Thursday 24 February 2011

Thursday 24th February

Wednesday was another day of craziness for the four of us. We awoke to the news that our story was now not only in the local Echo, but also in the Mail, Telegraph, Express and Metro newspapers (with only a little bit of sensationalisation, courtesy of the Telegraph). It's all a little bit embarrassing; we don't really feel worthy of all this attention. The kind of thing that we went through goes on every single day in this country, we are by no means the only people who've suffered and there are a lot others who are so much worse off than us. At least it does raise awareness of the work that goes on in intensive care units on a daily basis, and it's nice to be part of a positive news story amongst all the misery out there in the world today.

I don't think Willow and Stanley noticed any of the fuss going on around them. They've had another good couple of days and continue to thrive. Willow was giving us some real smiles, reacting to both of us as we talked rubbish to her, as parents do. They slept for nearly six hours last night, which is more sleep than either of us have had in the last five months. If we can just stretch that out a bit we'll be more than happy.

We've been for a nice walk down the beach in the glorious spring sunshine, but are still a bit on edge and can't help but keep looking at the monitors all the time. I think we need to start weaning ourselves off Stanley's monitor at least, so we can get used to having a baby with no wires attached at all.

The physio from the Child Development Centre made a visit today to have a look at how Willow and Stanley are getting on physically. One of the main worries of everything they've been through - like being extremely premature, and all the events that occurred since their birth - is that they might have some form of cerebral palsy. It's impossible to tell at this stage just what exactly the outcome might be, but from today's examination there was nothing obvious with either of them which would necessarily indicate any problems. So, although inconclusive, which is all it can be at this stage, we'll happily go with 'no news is good news'.

The last few nights, both babies have been fast asleep all evening, from around 7pm til midnight. Hoping this will also be the case tonight, we are planning to sit back and watch a blu-ray with no disturbances. The good thing is, we can have the surround sound as loud as we like; because they're so used to the racket going on in NICU, they can sleep through anything.

We'll see how that goes...

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Tuesday 22nd February

Today was rather different. We almost felt like minor celebrities, expecting the papparazzi to be bashing down our door at any minute. The house phone rang at about quarter to nine. For the last four and a half months, that would always fill us with dread, as it could only generally mean one thing. Today though, after a quick glance at the two beautiful babies we were holding, we knew it wasn't NICU on the end of the line. Anyway, we missed the call as usual - we've always got our hands full these days - but there was a message from someone at Bournemouth News Service. Apparently we were on page three of the Bournemouth Echo, and our news story had gone national. That's the only time I'd like either of the two ladies in my life to be on page three of any newspaper.

By four o'clock this afternoon, we'd made it into the Daily Mail website, had an offer from a woman's magazine, and turned down the chance to appear on Channel Five. Not something that happens every day, and not anything we expected. We haven't really done much to deserve the attention; just had a couple of lovely little babies. All this fuss from a press release from Leela's school about the money they'd raised for NICU. If we do get any money from any of this, it will all go to NICU anyway, so it can only be a good thing.

As it turns out, there were no papparazzi, and we won't be competing with Kerry Katona for the front page of OK! magazine or the News of the World. But it did add a bit of excitement to our Tuesday anyway.

Back to the more important things in life, young Willow and Stanley were again thriving in their new environment of the Senior household. It's such a joy to wake up each morning and be able to see them again, even if it is 4:30am and they're screaming the house down. As soon as some food goes down their necks, the smiles aren't far away and it makes it all worthwhile.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1359503/The-premature-twins-tiny-arms-fit-inside-wedding-ring.html

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8867649.Premature_twins_back_home_after_143_days_in_hospital/


Monday 21 February 2011

Monday 21st February

We've been waiting for Saturday and Sunday morning lie-ins like this for a long time, and we finally got them this weekend; complete with bacon and egg sandwiches, and our babies on the bed with us. We're still not getting a terrific amount of sleep though, as both Willow and Stanley make continuous noises throughout the night.

We're still appreciating not having to go to NICU every day, and not having to worry all night about what our children are doing all those miles away. Of course, we still worry about how they're doing right beside us, but it's getting much easier. Their monitors are going off a lot less already; they seem to be even more stable than they were when they left NICU.

The health visitor came around this morning and was very impressed with how happy and settled the pair of them are. They were both even giving away a few smiles. They were weighed today - Stanley is 12lbs 4oz, and Willow is 10lbs 9oz - so both are still gaining weight really nicely.

We've been out for a few walks, complete with Infection Control rain covers to protect from prying fingers and germ-filled splutters. We probably look like neurotic parents, but we'd rather look neurotic than see either or both of our babies back in hospital. We're getting used to carting oxygen and sat monitors around with us everywhere, but really can't wait until we don't have to anymore. It will probably be a few months yet; although we are starting to turn Willow's oxygen down quite a bit more now, and Stanley's feeding has improved so much that he hardly ever de-saturates at all.

We still haven't quite got our own feeding regime on track. We tend to not have time to eat, so breakfast doesn't generally make an appearance until the afternoon. There is always a pot of filter coffee on the go and a small supply of cakes for emergency caffeine and calories. The kids are obviously getting a lot more nutrition than we are anyway. 

So, we're one week in to our new lives back home, which means that Willow and Stanley are one week stronger. The highlights of any of our days now is when either of them smiles at us; I suppose it means we're at least doing something right. Hopefully their memories of all the nasty things they went through are already fading, and are being replaced with dreams of a happy future.