Chinette I Love It!
Congratulations and best wishes!
Another Congratulations and best wishes. I’m so happy to hear that she’s progressing. Good luck to you and China wife and the little Chinettes.
First the update: delivered mother’s milk this morning and afternoon. Talked to the Doctor in charge, got an update and empty baby bottles returned. No bouts of apnea for past 24 hours. If this keeps up then tomorrow Serena will be moved out of the incubator and into a neonatal crib inside the ICU. other good sign is there are no real problems with digestion. Now that Serena is getting mother’s milk, hope that the quantity injested per time will increase and suckling action starts over the next few days. Audrey continues to do well at home.
It’s almost schizophrenic: one beautiful healthy twin and one having a real rough time. We brought Audrey and Mom home on 27 December. I’ve got to flip a switch on it. Enjoy one at the right time and worry about Serena at her time.
Assume that i’m pretty normal. Mind just races and some bad or negative thoughts pop up sometimes. Mentally recoil from those thoughts and wish I could peroxide them out of my brain. I don’t even want to acknowledge the kalidescope of thoughts with horrible snippets popping up during those 25 minutes before she could breathe in the delivery room. I’d like to take a belt sander to the portion of my head where those memories reside. Karma, what goes 'round comes 'round, devine retribution, by thinking the worst for even a split second might create an irrational jinx, ad nausem. All i know is i’ve got to be 100% on my game in case chinawife has a weak moment and I unthinkingly make it worse.
I went by the office for 5 minutes the other day to pick up some presents from a colleague. I avoided doing the new Daddy victory lap around the office. I just can’t bear to accept congratulations in person for the act of procreation whilst one twin is still having a rough (but improving) time. (congats on this board is different 
Jackalope absolutely no worries and you share my eldest’ daughter’s nickname.) Ditto on spamming my entire address book. Actually this holiday timing is okay. I’ve avoided telling most everyone to not dampen holiday cheer, and hopefully have Serena home soon and then send out the annoucement (‘difficult birth but now everyone is home…’)
Thanks to everyone on this board. It’s quite catharthic to be able to read and post in this thread. We, the Chinette’s and especially Serena in bed #29 can feel the positive thoughts.
Oh, ChinaGuy, I know exactly what you mean!!!
There was no way I could celebrate my baby girl, home safe with me, while my baby boy was in the NICU!! I cried and cried! I had those thoughts, too! One day when I was waiting in the lobby, which was shared with the non-NICU area, there was this jubiliant family hanging out, wanting to discuss their joy with me. But I didn’t have any. I just walked away.
Just know that in a few months’ time, all this will be a distant memory. You’ll be watching them both smiling and playing, crawling and laughing, destroying your possessions within reach. My son’s development caught up with his sister’s after a couple of weeks. In some ways he’s passed her!
You’re doing great, being strong and staying focused. It sounds like your little Chinette is getting excellent care and responding beautifully! Babies are so resilient. How fortunate that you’ve been able to provide so well for your family!
Keep updating us, we’re all with you!
- Coming out of the incubator today. Will bring mommy by this afternoon. -15 cc mother’s milk every 3 hours (up from 5 cc). Drinks around 10 cc and then rest via tube…very good news as lack of suckling reflex suggests some serious problems. Pediatrician explained that he’s seen many 1 month premies that took 8-10 days to develop sucking reflex as part of their tramatic birth.
-No temperature (26 dec had temp) for 4 days
-Jaundice return to normal levels
will update more this afternoon after seeing Serena outside the incubator. bringing chinawife so she can hold Serena for the first time! also bringing our own pediatrician for a quick look.
What an ordeal. I was so excited to see the title of this post because I’ve been curious about when your little girls would come, and I’m sorry Serena has had such a rough start in life. My thoughts are with the whole China Family, and I look forward to more updates on Serena’s progress and little Audrey as well. Hopefully someday this will just be a tale you tell when Serena asks you “Daddy, tell me about when I was born.”
(And then Audrey will say, “No, talk about me!” and Serena will say, “Ah, no one wants to hear your boring old story, I was the dramatic one!” And then you’ll hear “Ouch! Serena pinched me!” “No I didn’t, she started it.” “Dadddd!” And then you’ll roar "Quiet in the back! I will turn this car around…"
I’ve been following this thread, I’ve breathed a sigh of relief with every positive update, China Guy. You and your family are in my thoughts.
Thanks for the updates, China Guy. I know everyone here would be dying a little inside if we didn’t hear the positive news after learning of Serena’s problems. Congratulations on the birth of your daughters, and if Og knows what’s good for him, things will work out fine very soon.
Serena is out of the incubator but still actively monitored. Injesting 30 cc mother’s milk and/or formula every 3 hous! Serena’s nursing action has improved but she can’t suck down the entire 30 cc yet. Doctor at the ICU thinks maybe a week longer. Next step is moving from intermediate care to the monitored nurshery.
The birth room pediatrician at the foreign clinic graciously volunteered and came with us today. It’s his day off, new year’s eve and not even charging for it (When things settle i’ll make sure the clinic does charge for his time - my company has good insurance and charity matching programs). This Doctor examined the CT scan. He said the quality was not good enough for any kind of definitive judgement (he had also seen a similar scan/diagnosis of hypoxic damage done at a different hospital that turned out to be a misreading.). There may be ‘some’ brain damage, and there may not. We have to wait and see, and if there is damage babies are quite resiliant and I am extremely optomistic (and I don’t have an optomistic nature).
Will continue to update this board.
Just saw this…
Congrats and good luck! It seems things are going along swimmingly…
Take care in the new year-
-Tcat
You have every reason to be optimistic!
Wonderful news! Your little Chinette is coming right along!
Happy New Year!
Boy. Only on the Straight Dope could the phrase, " Suck harder, Chinette !!! " be a loving and supportive, non-obscene and kindly phrase.
I hope she continues to thrive and make amazing progress. And remember, China Guy, if she has small setbacks, they’re nothing compared to what she has already accomplished- and will continue to accomplish.
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are sailing straight into that incubator/crib… having named her, I feel a certain connection. 
Oh, China Guy, I’m so happy for Chinette. It sounds like she got off to a slow start but now she’s picking up steam and will soon be running neck and neck with her twin.
Fingers and toes are crossed in Orlando(ish).
I am thinking of the Chinette’s and your family all day long, China Guy.
Thank you for the updates.
A year from now, it will all seem to be a bad dream.
Wow, China Guy. What an experience for you and Mamachina.
I’m so (as my 5 year old would say, sosososoSOSOOO) glad that things are looking good with both babies now. Those are two healthy-sized twins!
Blessings on you all.
Just read this thread for the first time… it’s a nail biter! Congratulations to you and your family, China Guy! I look forward to continued positive updates.
Just saw the thread (I’ve been away) and wanted to say congratulations to the whole ChinaFamily. I’m glad everything’s okay with Serena. My son was a preemie and also had a low 1-minute Apgar score after an emergency c-section. I think it was a 2 or 3, but his 5-minute was an 8. Scary, though. He also spent about a week and half in the hospital and some time in the incubator.
He’s a healthy 8-year-old now.
Give both Baby Chinettes a kiss for me and Big Sister China Kid one, too.
Congrats again!
Chinawife diligently pumps milk and I deliver it to the NICU 2x a day. Haven’t spoken with the doctor for 1,5 days and hopefully they wilk have time this afternoon for an update. Isaw Serena yesterday morning brie ly, and shes really bundled up and feeding regularly.
Audrey had her first checkup yesterday, and is doing really well.
Hopefully, this is a good sign. If something had been wrong, they would have told you, correct?
C’mon, Chinette! You can do it!