Molly Goes Camping

Molly - 26th Sept 2008

Well...back by popular demand....I'm getting "Why isnt Molly blog updated?" Hate mail!! So here goes...Molly on tour ! Molly hasnt been home a week and she's been on tour. Shes been down to Somerset to see Nan & Grandad and also been camping in the motorhome in the New Forest.



Heres Molly enjoying a nice cup of coffee and checking out the view of the 'Needles' on the Isle of Wight. She was so excited she went to sleep. The 'Needles' in the back ground.

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Here is 1 of 34234 pictures, mum and dad trying to get a decent photo for Mollys Passport picture ready for her hols. No Smiling for this official photo please...oh and take off that wig.

The passport sites says the photo must be:
• of you facing forward, looking straight at the camera;
• with a neutral expression, your mouth must be closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows);
• of you on your own (no babies’ dummies, toys or other people visible);

Easier said than done...but with the power of double sided sticky tape we managed to get Molly to keep her head still long enough to get a photo. I'm sure the bald patch on the back of her head will grow back before she starts school.


Monster Pegs? Nope....Mollys washing!

Molly Blog (Day 22- Day 28)

Not in the . . . .

Molly - Day 28 - 19th Sept 2008

First night at home. She just grunted through the night but didnt cry, Molly is fine too , ha ha :-)


Molly - Day 27 - 18th Sept 2008


Lost in Space!


4pm , Thursday - After 35 days of daily hospital visits
Molly has now left the building!


Leanne & Mike - Thanks SO much!
and look....the bottle....its been in the building for over 4 hours and the cork is still in....unprecedented!
(it wont last 24 hours - we have to celebrate.. CHEERS! - see you soon)

Molly - Day 26 - 17th Sept 2008

The hospital phoned today to let us know that Molly is definitely being discharged tomorrow!!!
:-)



Molly - Day 25 - 16th Sept 2008

Today Molly is demanding 80ml per feed! GO MOLLY! She has gained a further 160g in the last 4 days which means she is now 2000 grams = 4Ib 7oz (ish). The hospital has started to draw up her discharge papers. All is looking good for a Thursday checkout :-)




Useful chart for us prehistoric types



Molly - Day 24 - 15th Sept 2008

We had a constructive chat with the Hospital today regarding MRSA on their ward, which was interesting. Molly is oblivious to it all, and her food has increased to 70ml feed. Mollys eye infection is clearing up even though she and her eye are both still testing positive for MRSA. Also Molly pulled out her Gastric Tube for the second day running so they decided to leave it out and consequently they have changed her to on demand feeding. For the first time in 24 days we can see her face without a tube up her nose and stuck to her cheek. She’s very content, the doctors are very happy with her progress and have said, if she keeps this up, she will be home in 2 days.
** PARTY **

Wave your hands in the air like you just dont care :-)



Molly - Day 23 - 14th Sept 2008
Today Molly’s eye is still sticky and when we arrive in hospital its quite often stuck together. As she has gained weight, Molly’s name tags around her ankles were getting tight, tonight she had them changed.



Molly - Day 22 - 13th Sept 2008

Today Molly is polishing off all of her food without using the tube which is excellent. Her MSRA positive eye infection is still looking sticky and receiving antibiotic eye drops. She is looking physically bigger to the eye now she is starting to put on weight :-)

Molly Blog (Day 15 - Day 21)

Molly - Day 21 - 12th Sept 2008

Today we had a chat with the chief doctor on the Intensive Care Ward and also with Infection Control. They seem adamant that Molly will "shed" the MRSA when she leaves hospital.

Molly has an eye infection which tested positive for MRSA, they are treating her with anti-biotic eye drops. They stressed this isn’t in her blood.

The good news is she gained 80g (1.84kg) in the last 4 days. Her blood test indicated low phosphate levels (normal for premature babies) she is receiving phosphate supplements to boost her levels.

Her food has increased to 60ml every 4 hours hoping she will gain more weight. The doctor also said that Molly is above the weight threshold they like to see before allowing a baby to go home, but she isn’t completing a whole feed without the use of the gastric feeding tube.

Molly - Day 20 - 11th Sept 2008
No Blog update today.

Molly - Day 19 - 10th Sept 2008
Today...Molly has tested positive for MRSA!
The hospital does weekly checks on all babies on the
Special Care Ward. This week Molly tested positive.
Now she is sectioned off.
Molly is "colonised" with MRSA which means its
living on her skin but not currently in her blood
supply. She is too young to bath in an anti
MRSA solution (recommended for 37 weeks+ babies).
Unless Molly develops an illness, no further action
will be taken at present.
Another kick in the teeth on this rocky road.

Molly - Day 18 - 9th Sept 2008
Today...Mollys first bath, which went well
she loved it, backstroke, front crawl,
butterfly etc.

It wasnt a standard Hospital Bed Bath,
more like a bath at her bed, nice!

Then back into some trendy pink clothes
, a quick feed, and sparko!

Maggie is getting some "Hide and Seek" practice in
before Molly comes home.



Molly - Day 17 - 8th Sept 2008
Today is another great day. Mollys food has been
increased to four hourly feeds of 52ml of milk,
a mixture of bottle and tube. Also she has gained weight,
120g in the last 4 days, shes now
1.76kg ~ 3Ib 14oz :-) (heavier than her birth weight)




I NEED FOOOOOOD NOW!!!




I hope my wind doesnt get this bad, driving could be a problem!


phew...all recovered now.
Lots of food and back to sleep


Molly - Day 16 - 7th Sept 2008
Today Molly no longer has her heated mattress,
she was cooking herself so they removed it which
is great news...another step closer to coming home :-)



Molly - Day 15 - 6th Sept 2008
....a message from Maggie



*no animals were harmed during the making of this message :-)


Lots of sleeping today..lots of resting :-)
No change with food yet but will be aiming for
4 hourly feeds.


ZZZZZzzzzzzzz

Molly Blog (Day 10 - Day 14)

Molly - Day 14 - 5th Sept 2008
Today’s great news : Molly has been moved to
room 3 in the Intensive Care - "The Nursery".
This is the last room before babies are allowed
home :-)
The hospital say babies gain weight faster in this
room as its peaceful due to there being no incubators
or other equipment that beep a lot. Its a peaceful
room. Lots of sleeping again today which is good.
She opened her eyes for a quick peep , saw it was
us and then went straight back to sleep again,
don’t blame her really ;-)
Molly is now wireless, not connected to the monitoring
equipment, she still has her heated mattress(on the
lowest setting)
Before she will be allowed home she will have to
maintain her body heat without the heated mattress,
and gain some more weight.
Its all great progress...







Molly - Day 13 - 4th Sept 2008


Poor girl!


Not much action from Molly this evening but the
great news is she has gained 100gram in the last
4 days. She is almost back up to her birth weight.
Her heated mattress is also set to minimum as she
is starting to maintain heat herself :-) Her little
hands were toasty warm today.

Just in case you cant visualise 100 grams...
1 x Melton Mowbray + 1 x Mini Savoury Egg = 100g
Great work Molly ...keep it up ! :-)



Molly - Day 12 - 3rd Sept 2008

Molly is being weighed again this evening so we'll
know tomorrow if she's gaining weight. Thanks
for the pressies and flowers :-)


Sunflowers...well remembered Isabel & Mark
Thanks :-)




A small bottle feed today....but not for long
an instant nap is required as she collapses
backwards LOL


Its really hard work having all this food
**Big yawns ** then ZZZZZzzzz :-)



Molly - Day 11 - 2nd Sept 2008


Molly remained asleep for much of our visit today,
I think all that food is knocking her out. Shes
coping well with 37ml every 3 hours. The jaundice
results were below the limit today and we arrived
to find the UV light had gone :-)


Thanks to everyone for all the cards and flowers...

A bit tired to entertain the dummy today

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Molly - Day 10 - 1st Sept 2008

Molly is still under the UV light, her Jaundice levels jumped
again, although apparently this is common in premature
babies, it would be nice to see the UV lamp disappear,
hopfully not long now. We fitted the baby car seat today
in preparation for the big day....hopefully soon. Her food
has been increased to 37ml every 3 hours which hopefully
she'll hold down.










Some people are trying to sleep around here
can you keep the noise down please.

Mollys eyes are open more again today :-)

but not for long ZZZZzzzzzzzzz...thats better.

Shes been given a test on a little dummy, purely
to get some strength into the muscles she will use
for feeding..also try and get her to get into the habit
of using the dummy and breathing at the same time,
for future feeding...she seemed to enjoy it today.