Yesterday (Saturday) Marcus had his first visit to the Emergency Department at the Hospital. He had woken up at 7am crying, and by midnight mum and dad were getting a bit tired. His temperature was fine, he was feeding well, was doing the stuff down below that needed to be done, but wouldn't stop crying, or throwing his arms, legs and head about. So mum and dad called the PlunketLine who suggested a trip to the hospital.
We got down there about 1am and were seen to, along with the sixteen year-old suffering from alcohol poisoning, the fifteen year-old having his jaw wired after a fight with some teenage thugs looking for some fun, and the party-pill-popper who had been at Cuba St Carnival and whose tongue had swollen for some reason.
The doctors couldn't find anything wrong apart from the crying and the flailing. So they recommended a night for observation. Mum stayed with Marcus in Ward 19 at the children's hospital, while dad headed home at 4 for a couple of hours sleep. The next morning, when the senior pediatrician and the Professor came around to look at him he was a little angel!
So Marcus is now home, with no-one any the wiser about what was going on (bad wind is an opinion shared by several).
Marcus hopes to not have this experience again, but what he liked about it was that everyone at the hospital took him seriously. When people weren't sure what was wrong, they kept bringing in someone from higher up the food chain. The hospital staff were fantastic, in the emergency department (which Marcus now knows is referred to as the ED) and in Ward 19.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Friday, February 25, 2005
Marcus meets a new friend (1)
Yesterday Marcus met a new friend. Ayesha Ann Zodgekar-McLean was born on Tuesday and Marcus visited her yesterday in ward 12 at the hospital, where Marcus spent his first five days. Ayesha was only 6.1 pounds, compared with Marcus' 8.5 pounds so he looked a giant next to her. Hopefully we'll have a photo to put on here soon of them together.
Evas vs. Evas
Marcus has now tried both Eva Dixon's cafes (Miramar and at the Zoo).
On Monday we had to pop out for a bit. He seemed nice and settled so we thought "let's try and have a coffee somewhere". We went to Miramar and had a coffee and sandwich - their sandwiches are fantastic. Same thing happened yesterday (we went to meet Marcus' new friend, Ayesha, but we'll describe that in the next post). Afterwards we thought "let's try and have a coffee somewhere" (not much in the way of new thinking going on at the moment). So we went to Evas in Newtown. Mum and Dad had coffees and scones - really nice.
Marcus seems to have a preference for Evas at the Zoo. Whether it's age (he was only 8 days when he went to Miramar whereas he was 11 days old when he went to the zoo - almost 50% older!), or whether it was the meerkats in the window we're not sure. But we'll have to give them both another go.
Or we might try a different combo next week - maybe Chocolate Fish vs. Elements?
On Monday we had to pop out for a bit. He seemed nice and settled so we thought "let's try and have a coffee somewhere". We went to Miramar and had a coffee and sandwich - their sandwiches are fantastic. Same thing happened yesterday (we went to meet Marcus' new friend, Ayesha, but we'll describe that in the next post). Afterwards we thought "let's try and have a coffee somewhere" (not much in the way of new thinking going on at the moment). So we went to Evas in Newtown. Mum and Dad had coffees and scones - really nice.
Marcus seems to have a preference for Evas at the Zoo. Whether it's age (he was only 8 days when he went to Miramar whereas he was 11 days old when he went to the zoo - almost 50% older!), or whether it was the meerkats in the window we're not sure. But we'll have to give them both another go.
Or we might try a different combo next week - maybe Chocolate Fish vs. Elements?
What's going on?
Today we're in a state of shock. After being warned by several people yesterday that their sleep is random and we wouldn't get a repeat of Wednesday night where Marcus slept all night, it's happened again! So, we're rested again!
We're doing what some people have suggested - moving him towards a routine that suits us. Baths happen in the evening (when I go back to work we want to bath him when I get home). At 11pm, while the TV stays on for whoever's on the nightshift, the lights go out. At 8am the curtains are opened, radio is turned on, etc.etc. We don't expect him to be a great sleeper from now on, but if we can start to have a routine around him we're sure it will help him move towards it.
We're doing what some people have suggested - moving him towards a routine that suits us. Baths happen in the evening (when I go back to work we want to bath him when I get home). At 11pm, while the TV stays on for whoever's on the nightshift, the lights go out. At 8am the curtains are opened, radio is turned on, etc.etc. We don't expect him to be a great sleeper from now on, but if we can start to have a routine around him we're sure it will help him move towards it.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Every day is different
From a night where he (and I) got NO sleep to one where Marcus slept for six hours, no day is the same. Which is strange for a policy analyst, used to looking for patterns and cause-effect relationships to solve problems, and for an editor/project manager used to spotting mistakes and being in control of systems and processes.
So today is a good day - everyone is well rested.
So today is a good day - everyone is well rested.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Butter wouldn't melt...
This photo was taken during the long stretch in the afternoon when Marcus tends to sleep. He tends to be wake up at 11pm, and stay awake until about 6am. Then he sleeps for long stretches during the day. We are desperately hoping this changes soon!
The first family portrait
We've done our first family portrait. Unfortunately, Marcus isn't too responsive yet to posing for the camera when he's awake at the moment...I'm sure that will pass.
Thanks Aunty Rhonda!
Rhonda - just for you, a photo of your flowers, with shelley and Marcus taken on Monday.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
All tuckered out
On Friday Shelley and Marcus came home. It was pretty tiring for all concerned, and Karl and Marcus had to have a mid-afternoon nap!
Photos
The black and white photos were taken in the delivery suite (done in B&W because you don't want to see them in colour!). The colour ones were in the recovery room straight after.
Born 9.14pm, Sunday 13 February, 2005
I'm going to use this blog site for a while to keep people updated on the trials and tribulations of our first-born. The writing will be a bit cursory while I get up to speed on the events of the last nine days!
Marcus was born on Sunday 13 February 2005 at 9.14pm, caesaerean, weighing 3.84kg, 8.5 lbs.
The brief gory bits!
Shelley's waters broke at 2.30 Sunday morning. We went into hospital for a checkup at 9.15am and the midwife decided to induce. By 6pm Shelley had dilated 4cm (which is what she had done by 2pm), and the baby was posterior, which wasn't good. At 8, they decided to do c-section. At 9 we went in, baby born at 9.14pm, with the cord wrapped around it's neck 3 times. At that moment we had forgotten all the pain and misery Shelley had gone through during the day!
I'm going to be adding some photos - I just need to work out how to do it...
Marcus was born on Sunday 13 February 2005 at 9.14pm, caesaerean, weighing 3.84kg, 8.5 lbs.
The brief gory bits!
Shelley's waters broke at 2.30 Sunday morning. We went into hospital for a checkup at 9.15am and the midwife decided to induce. By 6pm Shelley had dilated 4cm (which is what she had done by 2pm), and the baby was posterior, which wasn't good. At 8, they decided to do c-section. At 9 we went in, baby born at 9.14pm, with the cord wrapped around it's neck 3 times. At that moment we had forgotten all the pain and misery Shelley had gone through during the day!
I'm going to be adding some photos - I just need to work out how to do it...
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