Big Week ahead for Zoey

 Zoey kicked off this week with having her nasal cannula completely taken off that provided her hi-flow, meaning she's breathing COMPLETELY on her own, no help, not even putting extra oxygen into her tube (yes dear I know I should be calling it an isolette) or pressure/moisture from the c-pap.  While most are fortunate to have their baby's first milestone be crawling or something along the like, after 54 days after birth, Zoey's first major milestone is breathing on her own.  While Sally was back at work, I literally sent her the picture as soon as she was stable & handling it great, so in a way we shared the moment together as best as we could.  Nurses are repeatedly saying she looks more & more like me every day, while it may be unfortunate for her later in life (IT'S A JOKE), hopefully her big head & putting on the weight is what she needs right now.  Speaking of the weight, she went down a bit Sunday night, however she was a bit snuffly & could tell she had a bit of a upper respiratory thing going on Sunday.
She was great today however & while we KKare'd today for nearly 2.5 hours she never dipped once on her stats & held her own quite well.  I dare say I'm proud of our little peanut & her progression with her lungs.  Seeing the other babies come in & either stay or go with lung issues really speaks to the 36 hours Sally got on the betamethasone to help with Zoey's lungs.  They might have been the worst 36 hours of my life watching Sally go downhill but the payoff for Zoey (Sally really didn't know how bad she was so she doesn't get to use this one) has been remarkable while she has fought through the NEC, the infections, the blood clot, etc, etc etc.  I never really got "it," before having so in terms of being truly proud of something.  Sure we have our personal moments & siblings & relatives etc etc.  Nothing measures to the moments of your own kid though, now I get it.  Thought my uncle Andy was full of it on many things he's said about how things change, how priorities, perspectives, & many other things mold over time.  As has happened many times, he was right, & once again, I get to eat my thoughts on being how proud of your kids you will be.  Zoey's nurse for the night just called after finishing her cares & she was up 50 grams for the last 24 hours, so she's essentially even for the last 48 hours.  Hopefully she continues her trend of going up over several days & keeps packing it on.  She's 3 pounds 8 ounces (3.5 pounds) to the dime, so this next 1.5 pounds has to get on her so we can get this next surgery & get the #@*! OUT OF ROCHESTER.  I could deal with never being here ever again, which would be great for everyone since I'm cognizant of the good stuff the do here SOMETIMES.  (5.5 hours this morning spent at 1 appointment & infusion therapy misadventure has me riled up again obviously)

I digress. Tomorrow Zoey has her 2nd ROP (eye) test to make sure everything is developing along & Wednesday morning is another brain ultrasound to make sure everything is doing okay up in that noggin.  Ridiculously important tests that we pray go well.