Flashback Friday: Isolation

Mommy gowned up to spend some time with me behind the
blue wall! The OT is going to come by later and watch me
eat! I hope I do well!

As if being in the NICU didn't make us feel isolated enough from the world, a major event has occurred! When we got moved back to room 5 from our sweet spot in Room 6, it wasn't just a move back! When mommy arrived in the NICU the morning of the move back, some new things had arrived.  I (Melissa) was now in a BIG crib, high off the ground where mommy could no longer take care of me on her own.  Mommy had to ask the nurses for help for everything. It was hard, but it was ok. Mommy has great support from the nurses who have become more than nurses, they are friends. I was also behind these blue walls that mommy usually used when we were doing Kangaroo care but, this time it was different! Mommy wasn't even allowed to hold me Kangaroo care anymore! She had to wear a big yellow gown and blue gloves! "What happened?!", I thought. We used to love to kangaroo and now mommy was all gowned up with gloves and all!

My nurse friend gives me hugs when I'm sad
in isolation, I'm peeking around the corner at
mommy and Katelynn on the other side of the
room

Well you see, I had been really sick for a few days, spitting up and just not myself. I am requiring a bit of oxygen again! This isn't good news! I had been off the O2 for almost 2 weeks now and now I need it again! The doctors decided I had been spitting up due to severe reflux and they needed to try a new strategy so the big bed came because I am now on a wedge.  The wedge is big so it doesn't fit in a tiny isolette crib. That's the reason for my new bed but the story doesn't end there. It's much more serious than just some pesky ol' reflux that I've really been dealing with for quite some time. Well it turns out my labs came back this morning with some not so great news. I tested positive with the big M word (MRSA).  The doctors and nurses aren't sure if this is really a positive or a false positive, but they can't take chances. Other babies in the NICU can't be exposed to that so here I am, stuck in ISOLATION! This means, mommy has to hold me with gloves and a gown so she doesn't get exposed either. The nurses all have to gown up as well! I am stuck here in my little spot behind these blue walls in my new big bed. I am very sad :( Mommy is sad too, and very frustrated.  The roller coaster of the NICU is finally starting to take it's toll.  Lucky for mommy one of the best nurses in the NICU is taking care of me and my sister today so she will be ok.  One of the other best nurses is still on vacation! It's a rough patch, but we'll make it through, my nurse says.  By the time my other nurse friend gets back from vacation I'll be getting out of isolation if I get no more positive tests!

A year later now and I am ok! The big M word just means everyone who touches me has to wash their hands a lot! We don't want to get anyone sick again! We have to wash our hands a lot anyway because me and my sister and brother are preemies! We have to watch out for big bad germs!

Keep reading friends, we've got more in store! :) Signing off for now, Katelynn will be here next week to write for you! Until then, be good, be God's and hug a Miracle!

Melissa 8/6/12