We’ve survived our first week home. Kinley is doing well. Mom and I haven’t really figured out a system yet since we’ve both been balancing work this week.
Nightmares
Mom and I both woke up from nightmares our third night home.
I had dreamt that we arrived from the hospital to a full house of family and friends eager to meet Kinley. Walking into a packed room, even one made up of loved ones, scares me right now. But to make things worse, Kinley wasn’t even with us. We had had to leave her at the hospital.
Mom’s was a bit more dramatic. While giving her a bottle, Kinley’s head completely popped off. Mom desperately tried to reattach it. Ultimately, she had to take Kinley back to the hospital and hand her over to the nurses. They took Kinley away and left us back in our same eleventh floor room to wait.
Eye Appointment
We took Kinley to her fourth eye exam on Monday.
At the hospital, she laid in a bassinet for each exam while a nurse would hold her head steady. But, at the doctor’s office, there was no bassinet. I had to hold her in my lap throughout the exam. I came close to tears.
Her retinopathy has advanced to Stage 2, which isn’t great news. If it advances to Stage 3, we’ll need to start thinking about treatment. Stage 4 and 5 involve a detached retina and would require surgery. She could, and the doctor expects that she will, grow out of it. He said she has several factors in her favor — she’s growing and doesn’t require extra oxygen.
We have another appointment in two weeks to monitor it.
Weight Check
We had another weight check with the pediatrician this week: 5 lbs 0.4 oz. Or, in my book, 2279 grams. Not really much growth in the past week, but he thought she looks healthy and he is not concerned. We’ll have another weight check in two weeks and then will likely advance to more standard appointments.