Phototherapy

So, true to my word, I took the baby in to get his bilirubin checked today. The pediatrician called me back around 1:30 and said his number had gone up again, which isn't good, so the options are: Get some bili lights delivered here to our home and do phototherapy here - or - take him to the hospital and do it there. I said whatever he recommended is what I would do. He said to take him to the hospital. That would be better cause they could get an IV in him and monitor him and get it down quicker for sure, rather than therapy at home and then getting it checked to see. OK, hospital it is. Lucky for me Corey was home. He stayed home with Owen, who was still taking a nap, and a quick call to a neighbor let me take Sophia and Natalie over there to play. And I was off.

When the doctor called, I had asked him what entrance or building I go to. "Just go to the ER and that will be the quickest". So I go to the ER. They tell me they can walk me there or I can drive over to building 1, 3rd floor. I decide I'd like to have the car closer to us for when we leave, so I'll drive over to building 1, 3rd floor. I don't see anyone at guest services at the entrance, so take the elevator up to the third floor. Don't really see an obvious place to go here... I try the Mom and baby unit. They tell me to go down to the lab. I don't think I need to go to the lab... the baby already got it tested today, but I do anyway. Down the elevator to floor 1. The lab guy tells me to go to floor 3. I'm feeling irritated and frustrated. I go over to registration. They tell me to go up to the 3rd floor pediatrics. I go up, No, I'm not seeing a doctor here, my doctor sent me here though... She told me to wait and a nurse would come talk to me. A nurse comes out and tells me that they will deliver the lights to our house. And now I'm officially crying cause I don't even want to be here doing this. I told her my dr. said I could do the lights at home or at the hospital and he wanted me to come here. "You're going to do photothereapy here?" "Phototheraphy, yes, that sounds like the word, yes, I need to do that here." Ok, I'll take you there. "Thank you"... And I'm still red faced and teary as we walk to the Primary Children's Special Care Unit on the FOURTH floor. Nice that people told me the fourth floor. The nurse was very nice and sweetly asks "Is this your first?" perhaps thinking that was why I am all worked up and crying with worry. "No, he's my 11th. Sorry, I don't know why I'm crying..." (I'm not worried really, I just don't want to be here...)  So, after being here for an hour, we're now all checked in and he's under the lights and I'm still blowing my nose.

He's in good hands, I'll try to adjust my attitude about being here.

I do think the mask is super cute though. I love you my sweet baby without a name. Sorry about all this stuff. That darn bililrubin, they watch is like a hawk and we have to play along. He did not like having the IV put into his little hand. I didn't like that part either, He was screaming, and I just wanted to take him home and swaddle him in a blanket and kiss him. But I have to share him with the lights today. They checked his bilirubin at 6:30 - it was 18. They'll check it again in the morning and if it's lower again they'll take him off the lights, watch him for 6 hours, and see what it is then. So I get to be here over night, yay. Come on baby, get that number down soon so we can go home. Boy, I'm lucky this is like the most I've had to deal with - I don't think I'd endure it well if we had a child that was really seriously sick or injured and we had to be at the hospital regularly for visits. Praying for parents and their little ones in that situation, that would be hard. I can handle this, and will count my blessings.