The Sattler Scoop: A Busy Week

We had a busy week filled with follow-up doctors appointments and ECI visits. On Wednesday, Casey had her ECI evaluation with a Registered Dietitian, and she did qualify for Nutrition services. This means we will get weekly weight and growth checks, and she will also be working with us to determine how to best help with her growth and to monitor her calorie intake. We are happy to report that we now have a 9 pound 1 ounce girl! The other good news is that she is now on the charts for her adjusted age, and she is currently in the 25th percentile for weight and just above the 50th percentile for height! She also had her follow-up visits with the surgeon who repaired her hernias and she got the all clear! Our most exciting news is that after her visit with the eye doctor, he declared her eyes to now be fully developed (no more ROP!!). After waiting over two hours to then watch a doctor pry my child's eyes open with an evil speculum and poke around in them with a sterile paper clip, I was more than overjoyed to learn we won't have to go back (and by her reaction to the torture, I think she is too!).

We also had our first official ECI visits this week, and both of the specialists were impressed with her progress. I really like our new Speech Pathologist, and after watching her eat she gave us some more helpful tips for further improving feedings. Overall her daily volume has been pretty good the last few days and we are going to try to wean out her 3 am feeding this week (we are crossing our fingers that she will continue taking enough at the other feeds so that the Sattlers can all enjoy a little more sleep!). The Early Intervention Specialist that came for our bi-weekly Specialized Skills Training already noticed improvement in her tracking abilities since last week's evaluation, and we too have noticed that Casey is following items and sounds with her eyes and locking in on our faces much more. She also noted that she seemed much more alert and active, and just this week Casey has started having much more head control and interacting more with us. She provided lots of ideas to try for "homework" before we see her again, which has kept us busy exploring rattles, toys, and her activity mat.

Our Doodlebug did give us a little scare this weekend when she started running a mild fever of 100.4. I could tell she was feeling pretty bad on Friday when our normally calm and content baby was fussy most of the day and not even her beloved paci seemed to soothe her (I don't know how moms of colicky babies do it every day. There is nothing more heartbreaking than listening to your baby cry inconsolably). After taking her temperature practically every 15 minutes and speaking with the after hours on call nurse through our pediatrician's office (and reminding myself only about a million times not to freak out), her temperature has remained just slightly above 99 with Tylenol. We were very relieved to avoid an ER visit, which we were told would have resulted in a full work-up and spinal tap. Today she has been almost back to her normal happy self, and we are hoping this means she is over the worst of it, but prayers that her symptoms will clear are definitely appreciated.

Yesterday also marked her 5 month birthday, meaning she is now 2 months adjusted. Enjoy the latest pictures of our girl: