Katie is my Trouble maker!

Well, no, not really. She's just given us two very eventful days. Yesterday, we rushed her to CHOP's Emergency Room because her J tube clogged and I couldn't unclog it for the life of me! So, after a 5 hour visit, Interventional Radiology put a new tube in................Then tonight, Katie decided to take her J tube out!!! Yes, her feeding tube was OUT! So, tonight I took her back to CHOP's ER-two days in a row.........however, IR was not around, and she was admitted. Docs were nice enough to put her in NICU with Matty, so I don't have to go far to visit two of my babies. We are unsure whether her J tube will be put back tomorrow (Sat) or Monday................While I was there, they stuck her four times for an IV, with no luck. Poor baby.............................

Matty is doing well. Still in a lot of pain, but that is expected. I peeked in on him tonight and he was sleeping soundly..............still no poopy diaper!

Matty had his surgery.............

So, Matty had his surgery today. It was very nervewrecking as they told us it would only be a 50 minute surgery, but ended up lasting 3.5 hours! Doc found 2 perforations in his small bowel, and a major abcess. This abcess infected his appendix, so doc removed that as well. He has about a 2 inch incision right below his belly button. He is in a lot of pain right now, and we expect it to last 3-4 days. The general rule of thumb is, that as soon as Matty poops, they can start introducing his bottle again to him..........so right now, we are waiting for him to heal and feel better and waiting for the poopy diaper!!

Matty's pics in the hospital

Where's Matty?????

We're missing a baby! Matty!

This is the first chance I had to update the blog in about a week. Last Thursday, Matthew was admitted to CHOP through the emergency room. I took him to the pediatrician that morning for fussiness, a puffy belly, and he wasn't eating well. After x-rays were taken, the ped thought Matty had a partially blocked intestine.

After many tests at CHOP, it was confirmed, Matty does have a partially blocked small intestine. This is a late complication of the NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) he had in the NICU. Apparently, it is only a small area that is a "stricture". This small area will be cut out, and the two remaining pieces will be sewn together. Poor Matty has not been able to eat since Thursday, and is on IV fluids for nourishment. He is miserable and cranky.

We hope within one week of the surgery Wednesday Matty will be home with us. Say a prayer for him, please!

Bumbo Seats!

Katie was finally Christened!

Yes, Katie girl was finally Christened today! She did great and did not cry at all when the water was poured on her head............what a good baby! We had a nice (well, actually, it downpoured!) day out at a restaurant afterwards-it was nice to get out of the house!!

Happy Easter!!!

Here they are, dressed and ready to hit the town!! We had an eventful day today. We first visited our great-grandmother's and then had dinner with our "Nanny and Poppy". We had a fun time and behaved really well! The Easter Bunny brought us a Fischer Price Play Gym that we're excited to get some use out of...............

This is what happens..............

when you leave your 4 year old son alone with a baby for more than one minute.................:)

Matthew ended up in a bucket!!!! Nicholas thought it was the funniest thing, and Matty actually enjoyed it!

Happy Easter!

Here is Katie girl, dressed in her Bunny outfit! And here is Nicholas, showing off his dyed eggs from tonight...............he is so excited for the Easter Bunny-I can't get him to go to sleep!!!

5 months old..................

So, off to the doctor's we went today.................and here is the brood ready to load into the Quest. We had RSV shots today along with weight checks.

Matty, still our lightweight, was 9 lbs 9 oz

Katie, getting closer to Emma, was 11 lbs 2 oz

Emma, weighed in at 12 lbs 4 oz

Austin, our big guy, weighed in at 15 lbs 8 oz

They all did great with their shots.............well, except for Emma. She cried BEFORE the shot, DURING the shot, AFTER the shot, and ALL THE WAY HOME!!!!!!! She is definitely our girly girl. All the other babies stopped crying within seconds after the shot was given. But no, not our Emma. She definitely let us know she was mad.....................................

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures...........

Matty

Austin

and Emma (on left) and Katie (on the right)

Our first walk around the block!

From left to right, Emma, Katie, Austin, Matthew.

It was so nice last night. Tom and I had an adventure walking the babies around the block for the first time. So many neighbors came outside and loved looking at the babies. It was nice. We think the babies enjoyed the walking-we had minimal crying and many cat naps!!!

Katie had an unexpected visit to CHOP late last night. Tom was bringing her to bed and when he grabbed her from the swing, her J tube got caught on another swing, and came out! Her J tube is what she eats through, so the visit to the ER could not wait! Tom spent the night at the hospital with Katie, and we are still waiting for the radiologist to put the J tube back in. In the meantime, they have an IV in her for fluids, until she can eat again. Oh, my Katie girl can't get a break.................

Matty, Emma, and Austin are doing well. Austin has exzema (sp?) and he has scratches all over his face-his poor skin is so sensitive! Emma is still our little flirt-she will follow you with her googling eyes around the room, trying to get your attention, until you pick her up. Then when you do pick her up, she's all smiles.............And Matty is still growing! We can tell his belly still bothers him, and his teeth still hurt him, too. If it's not one thing, it's another!

And we can't forget Emma girl............

Some new pics.............

Are we getting teeth????

So, this is my Matty. He has been soooo fussy and having this piercing cry for a week or so now. He has not taken his bottle well either. I thought this was all due to his severe reflux issues, so I made sure I made a follow up appointment with the GI doc at CHOP............WELL, Tom bathed him tonight and noticed two white spots on his bottom gum in his mouth! They look like teeth coming in! They feel a little bumpy. Tom ran to CVS to buy some ambesol. Within 30 seconds of putting the ambesol in his mouth, he got quiet. Now, mind you, much like this picture, before the Ambesol, he was fussy and screaming bloody murder at times............my head was pounding! Instantly, he calmed down. I ran to put some of the teethers in the freezer, and he like them as well! So, he is only 4 months 3 weeks, but I think we may have some teeth coming!!!!

Katie is still in the hospital. Her sodium is down to 146 and doing well. Tom spent the afternoon with her, giving her lots of kisses! Tonight the nurses tell me she is doing great, looks great, and has not had a diarrhea diaper in some time. Yay! She is tolerating her feeds well, so I think she will be home soon...........maybe Sunday or Monday, but we're not for sure yet.

And lastly, I ventured outside the home today! (Thanks to my friend, Sarah!!!!) Sarah convinced me that it is possible to take 3 babies to the mall......................and we did! It was so nice to get out of the house and be among other people! I bought some things and just enjoyed being out of my living room....................The babies did well, they only slept a little, and enjoyed looking at the different surroundings. But, boy, were we a spectacle! Everywhere we went, people came up to us..................and most people were great. Nothing but nice things to say about the babies and me. They were just amazed to see triplets, not realizing we were actually quads!! Imagine all the other people we would have amazed!!! Next time, right, Katie girl?????

Katie Update

So, Katie is still at CHOP. Docs are working on getting her sodium level down. It should be in the 140 range, and hers is still 156. It was as high as 170, but has kind of plateaued at 156. When she was admitted to Mercer, her potassium level was double what it should have been. Thank God that came down right away. She has a blood IV and a fluid IV. Fortunately, her diarrhea has stopped. Any diarrhea she was having was replenished with Pedialyte in her IV drip. She looks a lot better, but still not 100%. She was moved from the PICU to a general floor today. So that is good news, that docs don't feel she requires an ICU level of care. Tom went to see her today and will go again tomorrow. We have no idea at this point when she will be home, but we want her to get better as quickly as she can. I have a feeling this is how our first year with Katie girl may be...............in and out of the hospital. With a "term" baby, they can usually get away with not being admitted in the hospital for rotovirus, but with Katie, I think the doctors are concerned because of all her health issues. And I want her home with me, but I agree, I rather her be in the hospital, where I know she is well taken care of.

Let's hope she makes a speedy recovery..............................

Back in the hospital...............

Yes, back in the hospital again.........Mercer this time. Katie has been having yellow loose stools (sorry-TMI) since she's been released from hospital. I think it is caused by the antibiotic she is on. This diarrhea has caused dehydration for Katie girl. Tonight, she just did not look good. She wasn't responding well to Tom or I, her extremities were cold, and her coloring was off. I knew something was just not right. She is doing okay now; the nurses put her on a warmer to get her nice and toasty. They gave her IV fluids, and are checking for infection and such. We hope to have her home shortly, and then MAYBE this will be our last hospital stay!!! (We can hope..................)

All four together...............

Matty, Katie, Emma, and Austin............together again! (one day they'll have matching outfits on, I promise!) At this point, I am happy they have clean clothes on!

Oh, and this is "scary Nicholas"! He made his scariest face for this pic....................!!!

Some new pics............

Katie, Matty, Austin, and Emma (looking so big holding herself up!)

Katie girl is home!

This is a cute pic-Katie looks shocked she is actually coming home! lol

Yes, Katie came home tonight. Radiology fixed her J tube early in the day. So, now we are hoping for no more stays in the hospital!