A Loma Linda Visit

I really should be in bed but I am so excited about this post. Anthony had a doctor appointment today with a plastic surgeon at Loma Linda. He has a little dermoid cyst above his right eyebrow and his opthamologist really wants it taken care of. We went in today for a consult.

I checked in and they sent me to another office to update my insurance. The lady that helped us was so friendly. She helped me over to her office, chatted, played with the kids, helped me back to plastic surgery. While we were talking I found out she used to work for Dr Jacobsen, my infertility doctor. She still does his insurance stuff for him. Anyway, she came back over and asked if she could take a picture. For some reason I don't like people taking pictures of my kids but since she worked for Jacobsen I let her. I snapped a picture at the same time.

Michael, Jakob, Jaileigh, Anthony and Annie

After a long 20 minute wait we were finally showed back to a room. Michael and Jakob were playing memory in the window sill and Anthony was playing on the ipad. 

 

You can kind of see the cyst in this picture. He does have to have the cyst removed. It has actually made a dent in the bone so the doctor advised us to remove it. Surgery is scheduled in February. It will be a quick outpatient surgery but because of his health history {being a 28 week multiple in the NICU for 2 months} the surgery will be done at Loma Linda Childrens Hospital.

Michael and Jake

Jaileigh

Annie

After the doctor appointment we went upstairs to see Dr Jacobsen and Dr Corselli in the infertility clinic. They haven't seen the quads since they were little and they were shocked to see baby Annie! Dr. Corselli and I had another conversation about how I got 4 non-identical babies from a 2 embryo transfer. She has a couple of good ideas of what may have happened.  

Dr Corselli and the gang.

We drove over to the Childrens Hospital next. I thought I would take a picture of how we travel these days. Annie is in the stroller and I have Jake push her (with my help). He is my runner so giving him an assignment keeps him in place. The other three hold hands and we all walk together.

We were going to visit the MFM (my high risk OB office) but it was lunch time and the kids were pretty tired so we went straight to the NICU. We were so lucky to see our primaries! So many of them were working. I talk to the kids about the girls who took care of them when they were born so they recognized the nurses names.

Lindy was Anthony's special nurse. He gave her the biggest hug when he saw her.

Jakob ran over to Jessica when he saw her. Those two have a special bond!

Sharon rotated with all the babies but I think Jaileigh was her favorite. She loved to dress her up! Tabitha was Michael's. I remember having to beg her to primary for me.

 Annie, Mommy, Tabitha/Jaileigh, Lindy/Michael, Anthony, Jake/Jess, Sharon

It was so fun to make the rounds today! I loved it. It brought back so many memories. I'm glad those days are in the past but what good memories I have too!

Someones Coming Home . . . .

Dr. Fargo told us Wednesday that Jaileigh is coming home next week. Hooray! This is only if she behaves the next few days. She just barely hit 1800 grams, the weight needed for her to be able to come out of her isolette and to come home. That was her last milestone to get over and she finally did it.

Jakob is finally off his nasal cannula! Hooray again.



Jakob the night before his cannula was removed - you can see it taped to his cheeks still.



Breaking the rules at Loma Linda. Babies are not allowed to co-bed because of the risk of spreading infection. The quads are too cute to get in trouble though. They are in birth order- Anthony, Michael, Jaileigh, and Jakob


Jaileigh (no feeding tube) and Jakob (no oxygen)


Anthony and Michael

Birth order again- Jaileigh is trying to eat Jakob




The boys- Anthony, Michael, and Jakob







Babies sleeping and making noise

A few notes on the babies

I was able to kangaroo hold (skin to skin) Jakob and Jaileigh on the first day
We have been able to bathe Jaileigh and Michael
We have been able to change all diapers
All babies were intubated except Jaileigh
All babies were extubated by the end of their first day except Anthony
All babies are on lights for bilirubin
All babies are on room air except Anthony
The second day I was able to hold Jaileigh because she was the only one not on lights

Mom and Dad are still holding up. I am finally getting sore. I was on an adrenaline rush for awhile and didn't feel pain, it was sooooo nice too.


Anthony Joseph


Michael Huston


Jaileigh Addison


Jakob Thomas



We would ask all of you to give us some recovery time. I know everyone wants to visit but we are trying to spend as much time in the NICU as possible right now. I have changed rooms and no longer have cell phone service either. The best way to keep updated is the blog or leave messages and we will try to get back to you. We really appreciate all the calls and visits but are feeling overwhelmed at this time. Thank you again for all that you have done. We look forward to visiting you soon. Keep the comments coming, we really read all of them.