5/11 Shaun's going back into the hospital.

May 11 - Shaun's back in the hospital. 

On our first night home, Shaun had periods of duskiness around his mouth. So scary! As a nursing major, I knew that this was because of a drop in oxygen, but I didn't know what was causing it or how serious it was or wasn't. I listened to his rapid little heart with my steth, and his heart rate dropped a bit at times, but I'm not enough of a pro to know if it was due to his changes in activity level, if he has something like Zach's cardiac dysrhythmia (which is harmless to him), or if he was experiencing a more serious cardiac symptom (due to his prematurity and that he's a multiple). Why do these things never happen during the day?? At 10 pm, I was calling the on-call Kaiser nurse, my good friend who's an oncology nurse, who called our pastor's wife, who's a pediatric nurse, and I was texting my pediatric nursing professor. I am so thankful to have such *wonderful* resources!!! As he was having no other symptoms, we determined that we could safely stay home if someone was watching him all night. His grandmas volunteered for the shift so Dave and I could get some sleep and just do the feedings. They made a pot of coffee and stayed up with him—aaallll night. (Go moms!!!) The next morning, after calling his doctor, Shaun was allowed direct admission for overnight observation, and bypassed the germy and lengthy wait of the ER. *So thankful for our doctor!* Shaun's oxygen levels averaged in the low 90s, dropping to 80 with the duskiness, and we learned that recent research is showing that the circumoral cyanosis is less concerning if it doesn't involve the lips. So, Shaun dropped to the 80s with his circumoral cyanosis, but if it had reached his lips, his O2 would have likely dropped to be in the more concerning 60s or 70s. So that was reassuring! After monitoring his heart and oxygen overnight and doing an EKG, it was determined that any heart issues were normal newborn issues (PDA, PFO), and that it was likely that he just was suffering from reflux, which, in him, was causing a vasovagal response, dropping his oxygen level.  So reassuring to have had him monitored and to have such reassuring reports! He was sent home with Zantac for his reflux and the tiniest dose and syringe for this 4 1/2 pounder! He's so tiny, but so perfect! (And even as our littlest, he's such a good size compared to many, many other triplets. Again, we are so blessed.)

**This was written in hindsight. Going through it was a lot more emotional—especially with sleep debt! :)**