Homecoming
Latest pictures:
- Home at last!
- Nathan in his cradle
- Nathan being held by Mom
- Nathan's favorite sleeping position
- Kathy holding Nathan
Nathan came home from the hospital on New Year's Eve day. Dr. Murphy in Modesto released him "early" on the condition that we continue to monitor Nathan's blood sugar level at home. This meant I had to prick his heal twice a day for the first couple of days, and then once a day for about three days more, to draw blood and put it through one of those little testers like diabetics use. Not fun, either for me or Nathan, but at least he's home.
Six days after coming home Nathan had his first checkup with the pediatrician and was given a clean bill of health. No sign of infection, no hypoglycemia, just a healthy baby. Mom, Dad, and Nathan are now trying to settle into "normal" life. Normal means that every two or three hours Mom or Dad (or both) has to tend to Nathan (change, feed, entertain) for an hour or so. Lack of sleep is a challenge, but we're happy to have Nathan with us and he will eventually sleep longer and better.
NICU
Nathan was born with a few challenges. Doctors detected a low blood sugar level right away, which they took to be an early sign of a developing infection. Sure enough, a chest x-ray showed the beginnings of a respiratory infection (pneumonia). As Sonora Regional Medical Center's birth center is only set to handle healthy babies, Nathan was transferred to the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Doctor's Medical Center in Modesto.
This was quite a blow to Mom and Dad, who had been hoping to bring Nathan home. Nonetheless, Nathan has gotten great care in the NICU, and is doing much better. He's now finished his antibiotics, and is over his infection.
Unfortunately, his blood sugar has remained "marginally low". Doctor's opinion is that Nathan is in fact mildly hypoglycemic, and as soon as they determine a recommended course of treatment he'll be released, and at least come home (he's been in the NICU for nine days now).
Here are some recent pictures from the Modesto NICU:
Here are some early pictures from the Modesto NICU:
- Mom holding Nathan
- Close-up of Nathan
- Close-up of Dad holding Nathan
- Dad holding Nathan
- Sun lamp dude
Birth
Nathan Frederick Stone was born on December 20, 2005 at 5:49 AM. He weighed 7 lb 4 oz, and was 20" long. He was born in Sonora at Sonora Regional Medical Center, delivered by Dr. Teel.
Jerry (grandfather) was able to get some pictures in the first few hours, before Nathan was put on an IV and before Nathan was transfered to Modesto:
- Alex holding his brother
- Close-up of Nathan being held by Alex
- Jerry holding Nathan
- Mom giving Nathan his first feeding
- Dad holding Nathan
Pregnancy
We got a detailed sonogram done this summer. Momma is almost six months along in her pregnancy with Nathan Frederick Stone. Here are some sonogram pictures of Nathan:
- Picture 1: The left (I think) foot
- Picture 2: Full body picture, head to the left, knees to the right
- Picture 3: Full body picture, a bit blurry
- Picture 4: Full body picture, with a good view of arm and hand
- Picture 5: Apparently the region where the two arrows point is what enabled the doctor to make a gender determination
- Picture 6: Another full body picture
- Picture 7: Well, I'm not sure what this is
