The Journey to Love

Chapter 12

They hang out, and they come to get the girls one at a time for a CT and ultrasound of their brains, which is around noon. They have Andy feed them before and after their CT and ultrasound. Once she fed them after they got back, they went down for a nap. While they're down for a nap, she gets on her computer and makes a list of stuff she needs to buy soon. Around two in the afternoon, Robert and Vic show up.

Andy: Hi, guys. Robert: How are you? Andy: Good. How's the shift going? Robert: Long. I miss my girls. How are they doing? Andy: They're in their beds sleeping. You may pick them up if you want since it's almost feeding time. (Robert picks Diana up.) Vic: Luke, what are you doing here? Lucas: Being a NICU buddy, and a month ago I was a bed rest buddy. I'm a good buddy. (Vic laughs and goes over to Amanda.) Andy: I've been doing some research and have made a list of what I need right now. Which includes more bottles, bottle sterilizers, and clothes. Plus, our stroller with infant carseats. Vic: I have stuff at our place that the team bought. Plus, Luke and I could possibly get some clothes and an infant seat. What do you think? Lucas: Sure. Andy: Okay. We need to start on the nurseries and get their rooms ready. That includes painting, decorating, and building stuff for them. Then turning our house into a massive daycare. Robert: Okay.

They stay and talk for about twenty minutes. They then leave and head back to the station. A little bit after they left, Lucas left for his meeting. A couple of minutes after Lucas left, Jess the lactation consultant came in to talk with Andy.

Jess: Is this the Herrera-Sullivan twins' room? Andy: Yes, why? Jess: I'm Jess a lactation consultant. What are the babies' names? Andy: Amanda Ayah and Diana Eve Hurrera-Sullivan. Jess: I heard you are having some problems nursing one of your twins. Andy: Yes, I am. Amanda prefers the bottle over nursing. Jess: Most preemies do, because it's less work. We can try a slower nipple, but there may be a chance she just doesn't like to nurse. Some preemies don't. How does Diana do? Andy: She does amazing. Jess: Okay. Can I see both of their latches? Andy: Sure. (Jess looks at their latch, they work on it some, and talk some more. After thirty minutes, Jess leaves. When she leaves, Kaylee comes in. It's now three in the afternoon.) Kaylee: How'd it go? Andy: Pretty good. Jess said that we're going to work on her latch, but there's a chance she may never breastfeed or she could only do it sometimes when she wants. Kaylee: I have something to tell you. Andy: Is it bad? Kaylee: No. Dr. Lori and I were talking this morning. We were wondering how you would feel about staying the night. Andy: Really? Kaylee: Yeah. You're breastfeeding the girls at most feedings, and I thought you'd like doing it all night long. Andy: I'd love to. Can I go grab some stuff from the house? Kaylee: Of course.

Andy heads home, packs a bag, and takes a shower. She then heads back, with a backpack of her stuff, and she decides not to tell Robert about staying the night with the girls. When she gets back, she feds the girls, and rests. Around six-thirty in the evening, Dr. Stein came back with the test results.

Dr. Stein: Hey, Andy. I've looked at the results of their tests, and there are no problems with their brains. There is no sign that there was a brain bleed, and they have a healthy-looking brain. I'd like to check them before they discharge and when they're a year old. However, they're good to go.

Andy: Thank you very much for the good results. Dr. Stein: You're welcome. I love how good their brains look; you did a good job growing them. Andy: I'm glad to hear most people say that. Dr. Stein: You should be, you did good. I'll see you before discharge. Andy: Okay. (Dr. Stein leaves, and Kaylee comes in to talk to Andy before she leaves.) Kaylee: Are you excited to stay? Andy: Very much so. I feel like I'm an eight in the morning to seven in the evening mother, but today I get to be a mom all day. It feels amazing. Kaylee: I'm glad. Just wait till it's you and two babies. Andy: I know. Can I stay on the nights Robert has shift at the station? Kaylee: Let's see how tonight goes, and see what Dr. Lori says. Andy: Thank you. Kaylee: You're welcome.: End of Conversation After that, Kaylee leaves and Kylie comes onto shift.

When Kaylee leaves, Andy talks to Robert about the girl's results from their brain tests, and she stays with her girls all night. She got up and fed the girls every two hours, and she was very happy to stay with her girls. Kaylee set up her bed right in between the girls. So, Andy saw one of them whenever she turned over.

NICU Day 31: The Girls are Thirty-One Days Old... Last night, was long, but amazing for Andy. Today, Kaylee and Kylie are here again.

Andy loved taking care of her girls. Which included feeding and changing them every two hours, plus Kylie coming in to help her. Plus, Kylie had to check the girl's vitals and everything else that she needed to do.

When the shift ended, Robert went home to see Andy, and Vic went to the hospital. When Vic got to the hospital, she was surprised to find Andy asleep on the couch, and her things in the room. So, she went and got Andy some coffee. When Robert got home, he was surprised to find the house empty, and not slept in. He was confused about why she wasn't home. So, he thought that she was at the hospital. So, he headed there.

It was about eight in the morning when Robert got to the hospital. When he got there, he found Vic in the lobby getting coffee. Conversation... Robert: Is she here? Vic: Asleep in the girl's rooms, I'm getting coffee for everyone. Robert: Okay. (They go upstairs and find Andy nursing Diana. Meanwhile, Kaylee is bottle feeding Amanda.) Andy: Morning, guys. Vic: Morning. Coffee? Andy: Sure. (Vic hands Andy her coffee.) Andy: Did I scare you by not being home? Robert: Kinda. Did you sleep here? Andy: Yes, I did. Can one of you get half an ounce of tube feeding ready for each baby? Vic: Sure. I'm glad they're eating so little. Andy: Me too. Kaylee: Today, during checks, they get to get weighed and measured. Andy: That's exciting. Kaylee: How was last night? Andy: I got up during every feeding, Diana preferred to nurse, and Amanda preferred the bottle. Which I'm trying to cope with, but it's hard.

Kaylee: It's okay to be upset that your baby prefers the bottle over the breast. Andy: I know. Kaylee: Have you talked to Jamie recently? Andy: Yes, we have coffee once a day. Ezra is going home in a couple of days hopefully. Kaylee: Okay. (They do the babies' checks and weigh them. Diana weighs 4lb and 5oz, and she's 16in long. Amanda weighs 4lb and 2oz and is 16in long. Around nine-thirty, Dr. Lori comes in.) Dr. Lori: Hello, everyone. How are you guys? Andy: Tired, but it's a good tired. I love taking care of my girls. Dr. Lori: I'm glad. What's the weight gain? Kaylee: Diana gained 7oz and Amanda gained 10oz over the past week. Dr. Lori: That's a good gain. Andy, how was the talk with Jess yesterday? Andy: Helpful. Dr. Lori: I'm glad. How's feeding going with Diana? Kaylee: Diana takes the breast, she then 1.5oz of milk from the bottle, and then the rest of the bottle in the tube.

Dr. Lori: What about Amanda? Kaylee: She doesn't want the breast. I'll put two ounces in the bottle, she'll drink less than an ounce from the bottle, and the rest in her feeding tube. Dr. Lori: Let's work on that bottle or even the breast. Kaylee: Okay. (Dr. Lori does an exam.) Dr. Lori: Andy, how are you doing? Andy: Good, I think. Dr. Lori: Well, you better start getting everything ready. Because of the way Diana's growing, she should be home within the next three weeks. Andy: Really? Dr. Lori: Yes. So, I want you to start painting and building your stuff. Plus, buy your carseats. Andy: Okay. Dr. Lori: Can I see some progress by Tuesday? It's only Friday. Robert: We'll try. Dr. Lori: Good. Andy: What about overnight visits? Dr. Lori: We can aim for every shift, and if Robert wants to come stay overnight we can do that once a week. Andy: Thank you. Dr. Lori: You're welcome.: End of Conversation After that, Dr. Lori leaves.

When she leaves, they all hang out. Around eleven, Vic goes home and gets some sleep. Meanwhile, Andy and Robert hang out and buy some stuff. Around two, Andy and Jamie have coffee like usual. After coffee, Andy comes back upstairs and finds Lucas and Vic there.

They all talk and hang out. They plan to all paint tomorrow. They leave around six-thirty, and Andy and Robert leave around eight-thirty. Which is after the last feeding before the ten in the evening feeding. When they get home, they eat dinner and get the rooms ready to paint. When they finish getting the rooms ready, they all go to bed.