Today was Claire's third appointment with Dr. F since her release from the NICU. As always, it was a very positive appointment, and Bo and I walked away feeling extremely optimistic for the coming months.
Dr. F continues to be impressed with the progress of her "O" and said she is ahead of the curve. He confirmed that the "O" is now 100% covered in skin, which means that we no longer need to use the Xenaderm or Xeroform (both of which were to promote skin growth and prevent infection), but can instead simply use Bacitracin (or even baby lotion) to ensure that the skin does not dry out. We are continuing with the Kerlix/ACE bandage wrap combination for the foreseeable future, although Dr. F did tell us that, as far as time frames go, we are looking at closure surgery when Claire is around 6 months old. Claire could *technically* have the surgery now (just like she could have had it right after she was born), but the main goals have always been (1) for her abdomen to grow so it can hold all the organs without causing Claire any stress; and (2) for her core muscles to grow and strengthen as much as possible before the surgery to ensure (as much as possible) that a second surgery wouldn't be necessary in the future. Otherwise, we could run the risk of Claire developing a hernia down the road should the muscles not prove strong enough to stay together all the way. [Side note: This explanation might seem overly simplified, but it is basically what I took away from the appointment as it is almost impossible to remember all of the medical jargon Dr. F uses. I understand it at the time, but almost immediately forget the exact terms and phrases he uses the second we walk out the door.]
While all of the above is definitely exciting news, the biggest development from today's appointment is illustrated by the following picture:
That's right, no more car bed!!! Claire had recently sized out of the car bed 'bag' we were given at discharge (it is for babies up to 10lbs), so we kept our fingers crossed that Dr. F would release us to a regular car seat instead of having us move up to the next car bag. We were so hopeful that we risked jinxing ourselves by pre-buying a car seat, but I am glad we did!! The very first thing we did upon leaving the appointment was to remove the car bed and install the car seat for the ride home. [I think our installation time was slightly slower than Prince William's, but then again, we didn't have hundreds of cameras on us at the time, so I am okay with that.]
Our next step, now that we have a general idea of when surgery should occur, is to get Claire on the waiting list for daycare. Her next appointment with Dr. F is September 9th, followed by her four-month pediatrician appointment on the 16th (more shots!). In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy our baby girl, and will continue to be thankful for everyone who has been rooting, praying, and cheering for Claire Bear!
Love,
Val
Dr. F continues to be impressed with the progress of her "O" and said she is ahead of the curve. He confirmed that the "O" is now 100% covered in skin, which means that we no longer need to use the Xenaderm or Xeroform (both of which were to promote skin growth and prevent infection), but can instead simply use Bacitracin (or even baby lotion) to ensure that the skin does not dry out. We are continuing with the Kerlix/ACE bandage wrap combination for the foreseeable future, although Dr. F did tell us that, as far as time frames go, we are looking at closure surgery when Claire is around 6 months old. Claire could *technically* have the surgery now (just like she could have had it right after she was born), but the main goals have always been (1) for her abdomen to grow so it can hold all the organs without causing Claire any stress; and (2) for her core muscles to grow and strengthen as much as possible before the surgery to ensure (as much as possible) that a second surgery wouldn't be necessary in the future. Otherwise, we could run the risk of Claire developing a hernia down the road should the muscles not prove strong enough to stay together all the way. [Side note: This explanation might seem overly simplified, but it is basically what I took away from the appointment as it is almost impossible to remember all of the medical jargon Dr. F uses. I understand it at the time, but almost immediately forget the exact terms and phrases he uses the second we walk out the door.]
While all of the above is definitely exciting news, the biggest development from today's appointment is illustrated by the following picture:
That's right, no more car bed!!! Claire had recently sized out of the car bed 'bag' we were given at discharge (it is for babies up to 10lbs), so we kept our fingers crossed that Dr. F would release us to a regular car seat instead of having us move up to the next car bag. We were so hopeful that we risked jinxing ourselves by pre-buying a car seat, but I am glad we did!! The very first thing we did upon leaving the appointment was to remove the car bed and install the car seat for the ride home. [I think our installation time was slightly slower than Prince William's, but then again, we didn't have hundreds of cameras on us at the time, so I am okay with that.]
Our next step, now that we have a general idea of when surgery should occur, is to get Claire on the waiting list for daycare. Her next appointment with Dr. F is September 9th, followed by her four-month pediatrician appointment on the 16th (more shots!). In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy our baby girl, and will continue to be thankful for everyone who has been rooting, praying, and cheering for Claire Bear!
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| We just wish she wasn't so grumpy all the time. ;) |
Love,
Val
