Days in NICU..

Bad days in my life. Was more painful than the labour. I pray that, even my worst of worst enemy should not go through this..

Yes, my baby was in neo-natal intensive care unit.

It was just the second day after baby was born. I think it was around 9 pm. I was eating bread with milk in the room. I was sitting on a plastic chair. Baby was sleeping on bed.

Baby opened it eyes .

Appa( my husband): hey, kutti( means small in Tamil)..

Amma( me): finally appa is playing with baby??( smiles)

Appa panics and call MIL and MOM. I sit all confused on my chair. I am not able get up because of the stitches.

Appa: baby is vomiting blood.

Everybody is shocked. The nurse station is just opposite to my room. We call the nurse. And she in turn rings up the doctor in charge.

Jr. Doctor: what happened?

Appa: baby has vomited.

Jr.doctor: did you people give the baby honey or something?

Amma: no we didn’t.

Jr. Doctor: let me call the pediatrician

Pediatrician: did you collect sample?

Amma: ( thinks, what the hell? Sample?) no

Jr.Doctor: just give the bed spread with the vomit. And take the baby to NICU.

Amma is still struck to the chair. Appa and MIL carry the baby to NICU.

After they leave the room, Amma cries. She is just feeling depressed seeing the empty bed. Appa comes after ten minutes.

 

Appa: baby is crying. You need to come to NICU to feed her. Wheel chair is coming for you.

Day 1 at NICU.

Amma sits on wheel chair for first time. She is taken to NICU, which is in ground floor, 2 blocks away. Security in the NICU asks her to wear apron, gloves, hair cap, etc etc.. ( amma is crying and angry at him for delaying)

The nurse comes with baby and takes Amma to feeding room.

Amma: what happened to my baby?

Nurse: nothing. We have just kept the baby for observation. You don’t have to worry. You will be called every 2 hours to feed the baby.

Amma: can’t I stay here?

Nurse: no no, baby will be kept in Incubator. There is no place for you here.

Amma is taken back in wheel chair to her room. She is holding Appa’s hands and crying. Amma goes back to room to see both MIL and MOM sleeping.

Day 2 at NICU.

Amma is taken to NICu every 2 hours in wheel chair. Appa accompanies her. In the morning, Amma is curious to see the Sr. pediatrician. Appa bring old reports and tells about spleenomegaly  to Doctor.

Sr.pediatrician: nothing is wrong with the baby. We even did palpitation. She is all fine. May be the baby has eaten mecum before delivery. As the baby has not passes motions till now, lets observe for one more day.

Amma continues her routine of going every 2 hours or 4 hours based on need. 

Day 3 at NICU

Amma: has baby passes motion?

Nurse: not yet. But Doctor was saying that baby’s eyes are yellow. So, we need to take a blood test.

Amma: why?

Nurse: doctor thinks baby might have jaundice.

Amma: so, what is next now?

Nurse: don’t worry. Let’s hope for the best.

Evening, Amma meets Gynecologist and tells her the story. The sweet lady talks to the Pediatrician and confirms that baby had passes mecum before delivery. Nothing to worry, and baby can be sent back to room.

Day 4, which is day 5 for us in hospital.

We get discharged. We are back home happy.

Hey people smile, now we are out of it.. baby is perfectly normal.

Note: there is post coming about the spleenomegaly soon.