Pink and Feisty

The Start 14

Picture of Kayden a few hours after birth

I got down to NICU about 20 minutes after he was born. He was in the incubator, wrapped in clear plastic and on a ventilator. 

The doctors were putting a long line IV into his hand and preparing for umbilical insertion. There was a lot of medical gear, doctors and nurses around. I got to see him a short few minutes and had to leave because it is a sterile procedure.

The umbilical insertion is two long lines going in at the belly button to just below the heart. Hoping I get this right, the UAC is an arterial line used to measure blood pressure and take blood samples. The UVC line gives fluid and medication. They stay in maximum 7 days and then they use a line through the hand or arm when required. They try not to keep lines in too long because its a foreign object in the body and there are infection risks.

So back to the story, I had to go back to my ward room to wait and lee arrived. I think he is in as much shock as I was. And feeling upset that he missed the birth. If had been there he would have been squashed up against the windows or pushed out the way. We are both very anxious to see how the baby is doing. 

I am still bleeding rather heavily and got a little dizzy spell while we were waiting. The nurse gave me some anti nausea, I think I’m best not to walk yet, it is a long corridor to NICU. 

We make it down together and he is unwrapped with his eyes still sealed shut in his incubator. He is so small. I remember thinking Sylvie was so small at 2kg but this, this is scary small.

They’ve been calling him “pink and feisty” which is really good to hear. He is going to be a little warrior, he has to be and so Lee named him Kayden.