Charlie Update!

The girls and I just rolled in from a super quick trip up to Dallas - we're soccer addicts, what can I say? - and found this update from Charlie from yesterday.

OK, everyone - let's get this cheer started - PUSH IT OUT!  SHOVE IT OUT!  WAAAAAAAY OUT!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Pursuers of Happiness Everywhere:

Baby Charlie here.  It's July 4th, Independence Day, the day Americans commemorate and celebrate their freedom by eating hotdogs and lighting off Chinese fireworks.  I'm writing to you from the NICU Level II Lockdown.  I'm confined to a 3X2' containment cell known as a "crib," shackled to four different machines that're monitoring my respiration, heart rate, oxygenation, and blood pressure.  If I do anything out of the ordinary, if my behavior deviates from the norm, an alarm sounds and a nurse rushes to my side, eyeing me suspiciously.  The wails of my fellow cellmates haunt my sleep.

All that being said, things are peachy keen here.  Grandpa Marty (aka "Old Granddad") and Grandma Sue ("Grammy") flew in last Tuesday to make sure Mom & Dad were holding up ok.  The whole gang camped out in my room for marathon sessions of Charlie Watch.  Old Granddad led everyone in Irving Berlin sing-alongs while Grammy kept saying things like, "We're not much, but we're here." 

They were a huge comfort to Mom & Dad in so many ways.  For one thing, they insisted on treating them to lunch and dinner every day, including three trips to The Cheesecake Factory and three to the Captain's Tavern, where everyone feasted on steamed lobsters and the best chowder this side of Cape Cod.  Mom's breast milk was extra yummy the morning after the double lobster.  

Best of all, Old Graddad gave them one of his famous guarantees.  It's so good, it's worth quoting in toto:


I, Martin Tolchin, do hereby GUARANTEE that my wonderful grandson, Charles Tolchin DeMarchi, will FULLY and TOTALLY overcome all the MISHIGAS to which he has been subjected in his first weeks of life; that he will grow up ROBUST in mind and body; that he will graduate with DISTINCTION from high school and college; that he will be a boy among boys and a man among men; that he will be pleasured by many beautiful women (a trend already apparent);that he will find MEANINGFUL work;  that he will be nurtured by warm friendships and a loving wife and children; that he will live a deeply SATISFYING and COMPLETE LIFE, in every sense of the word.

Witnessed this 24th Day of June, 2009 by
Susan J. Tolchin
Torie Tolchin

I'm not sure what "mishigas" means, but I assume it must be Hebrew for farting.  

Everyone should be so lucky to have a life like the one described in that guarantee.  Old Granddad is already right about one thing: I am pleasured daily by many beautiful women.  Look at the photo above.  See the Charlie sign?  That was made by my girlfriend, Nurse Danielle.  Looking at it—especially the orange frog and blue bear—brings me much pleasure.  So does getting changed and cuddled by Nurse Michelle, Nurse Lori, Nurse Kelly, Nurse Mimi, and all the other supermodel nurses of South Miami Hospital NICU.  Last night, Nurse Annie told Dad that she wants to take care of me every shift but that too many other nurses had requested the same thing and so she got bumped from the rotation. 

This is not to say I haven't suffered some pain in my short life, but it is far outweighed by pleasure.  

Speaking of pain, some of you have inquired about my surgery.  As Aunt Debbie said in Thursday's update, it was a success.  I got wheeled into the operating room at 9 a.m., intubated, anaesthetized, and the next thing I knew it was 11:30 and my ostomy bag had been replaced by a choo-choo train bandage.  I overheard Dr. Neville tell my parents that I lost barely any blood and that I was so strong she was able to extubate me as soon as the stitches were tied.  Old Granddad exclaimed, "Oh, what they do to a person!" and Grammy said, "Oh, he's a genius!"  Mom & Dad just sighed a lot, then Dad had to step into the hall to cry in relief.  Upon return, he sat cribside and sang "Baby's Got a Brand New Butt.”      

Now it's been 72 hours since the surgery and I'm still waiting to poop.  Dr. Neville told Mom that I can't be fed orally until I poop.  The average post-surgery wait for a CF baby is 3-5 days.  So I'm pulling a Gandhi and temporarily eschewing the bottle & boob.  Maybe "eschewing"'s the wrong word.  I mean, this isn't exactly voluntary.  The Gandhi comparison's a little self-congratulatory too.  It's not as if I'm making a grand symbolic gesture in an effort to free a country from imperial rule.  If someone put a boob in front of me, I'd lunge.  Plus, I'm getting TPN through my broviac, so my basic nutritional needs are being met.  Let's be honest: I'm not exactly starving over here, but my stomach is empty, and that emptiness is more uncomfortable than the incision.  I spend a lot of time gumming my pacifier and rooting around for any nipple that'll squirt milk or formula.  The nurses tell Mom & Dad that—incessant rooting aside—I'm recovering perfectly, that I'm fairly comfortable, that I can skip the morphine and stick with plain old Tylenol.             

A lot of you have been offering prayers and sending good vibes for my speedy recovery.  If you could maybe move from the general ("speedy recovery") to the specific ("hasty poopage"), I'd be most appreciative.  Aunt Lyn, Uncle Jesse, Aunt Karyn, Aunt Nancy, and Uncle Sam just sent me a helpful instructional video with pooping tips that include sitting on the commode and waving at the camera.  As soon as Mom & Dad secure distribution rights they'll post a link here.  But the sooner I poop, the sooner I'll be released.  I need your help is what I'm saying.  

It's nearly touch time, which means Mom & Dad'll be here to check the diaper for any big updates.  

In the meantime, Happy July 4th.  If you're shooting off fireworks, please run for cover as soon as you light the wick.  And go easy on those hotdogs.  Being stuck in the hospital with a major wound and/or constipation is the last way you want to spend a major holiday.  Take it from me.

Oooing and ahhhhing,
Baby Charlie

Comments

[RBlues]

As a gramma who has spent a few days in the
NICU myself, waiting for that all important "poop", here come my positive thoughts, prayers and energy. I know you can do it! My daughter Vanessa and son-in-law Jovon have asked me to add theirs as well. We know, from first hand experience, that this stuff really works. Poop, Charlie, poop!

[Alexandra]

Glad to hear the surgery was a success! I'm glad that we managed to keep Lily in until 38 weeks instead of 32 weeks when she wanted to come out! I'm so thankful that we didn't have to go through her having to stay in the hospital for weeks and weeks. But, any suggestions for a baby who cries every time we put her down?

[Linda S to Alex]

Ahhh, welcome to the wonderful world of Babies Are Smarter Than You Think They Are!

Babies like attention and it is always more interesting to be held on someone's shoulder than to be laying down.

Swings are really good at distracting them. If her needs have all been met (fed, dry, etc) then she is just enjoying calling the shots. She cries, you come running. :O)

I'm all for letting them cry it out at naptime / bedtime once they get older (7+ months). It doesn't kill them, they do not grow up feeling unloved. They get pissed off because of the detour in their routine.

This early part will pass quickly. For now, just cuddle her a lot.

[Lori in Texas]

"Michigas" = Yiddish for insanity; craziness. Can also be spelled "meshugas" or "meshuggas." I agree with GrandDad.... it's time Baby Charlie got a break from the michigas. I must admit, though, that I will miss these updates when Charlie is safe at home and growing up to be a healthy young man.

[RBlues to Alexandra]

To Alexandra:

Sometimes you have to just hold them. It will pass and believe it or not, you will remember it fondly. Have you tried the "burrito" wrap? Even if the weather is warm, they like to feel snug and secure. Just put her in a t-shirt and diaper and wrap her tightly in a receiving blanket. It should help. Good luck!

[Debbie0116 to Lori]

If he's anything like his wonderfully talented parents, or even his namesake, he'll be keeping us all entertained for YEARS. The writing gene, as well as the humor gene, are incredibly dominant in this family. :-)

[Theresa from Virginia]

Precious baby Charlie! Many prayers and much hearfelt love being sent your way! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy pooping schedule to keep all the Charlie Lovers updated!

[audreyf]

Okay, EVERYBODY!---"POOPAGE, POOPAGE, POOPAGE!" Glad to see the surgery was a success! Maybe they should let you nurse--breast milk has all the ingredients to get you "going"! :-)

[Alexandra]

We do swaddle her, she doesn't like it. She's very independent and likes to have her arms free. We also tried her in a swing and she didn't like that either. Believe me, she gets lots of cuddles, but I'd like some sleep too! Lol. I held her for almost 5 hours straight the other day; doesn't leave much time for housework or eating or anything. I'm sure part of the crying is her tummy or possibly intestines (we haven't figured it out quite yet). She spits up and vomits a lot; more than what would be considered normal. We've put her on Enfamil AR (mixed with pumped breastmilk)and we got an Rx for Zantac. So far, it doesn't seem to be helping. The next thing we're going to try is a soy based formula.
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. :-) I can't believe she is 4 weeks old (today) already!

[RBlues to Alexandra]

Another suggestion: My daughter prefered sleeping in her car-seat. You can keep it near you and rock it (with your foot even) as you are doing housework, etc. She is now a lovely 5'8", 13 year-old with no ill-effects on her posture from sleeping in that position (I kinda worried about that at the time).

[Nikki]

Little Man, holding good thoughts for you to rock that poop soon.

We all want you home ruling the roost asap.

But your girlfriends the nurses will miss you!

[Cheryl S]

Alexandra - Don't know if this would help you or not, but my son's Pediatrician warned me against mixing breastmilk with formula because he said it can cause stomach issues. Also, try getting a bouncy seat that vibrates. Simon would instantly fall asleep in his bouncy!

Charlie - We're sending you hugs and healing wishes from Dallas!

[Paul]

Sending those vibes your way, Charlie, hoping to shake, rattle and roll those peristaltic contractions and generate a massive turd of truly biblical proportions. Go, Charlie, Go!
From the resident vibester...

[Irish M]

I never thought I would be actually encouraging someone to poop and in public yet! C'mon Charlie you can do it, hasty poopage! You are da man in all things.

[Julie G to Alexandra]

I feel your frustration, Alexandra. My Jake was 4 months old before he slept more than 90 minutes in a stretch. If you put him down, he would scream for up to 10 hours straight (until he lost his voice) although the doctors never found anything wrong with him. He hated his carseat and the car, too, and could scream all the way from Georgia to Indiana and back. Seriously. My husband worked rotating shifts, so he had to have peace and quiet to get some sleep whenever he was off shift, so I spent the first year of Jake's life walking him up and down the hallway to keep him quiet. There was nothing wrong with him except bad reflux, but the doctors said he was the most colicky baby they had ever seen. At one point, after a full GI scan at the Children's Hospital, the specialist told me "There is absolutely nothing wrong with your baby. It appears he's just got a serious case of ATTITUDE." Not exactly comforting news to a new mother who hadn't slept in over 3 months. Wish I could help, but the only thing that satisfied inquisitive and alert little Jake was learning to walk at 10 months. After that, there was no stopping him! From the time he was rolling himself over and holding his head up at ONE DAY OF AGE he was never content to be lying down or reclining in a swing or bouncy seat. He wanted to be in the carrier on my chest 24/7 facing OUTWARD. Ten years later, he's still into everything. Sounds like you've got a real inquisitive little lady on your hands! Wish I could be of more help. The only thing we found that helped was allowing him to sleep on his tummy (from the time we brought him home, he would roll himself over from his back to his stomach and tuck his knees up under him like a frog.) That's the only way he would sleep. Even if I swaddled him and put him in between those foam wedges on his back, he would manage within a few minutes to get out of the blanket and turned over onto his tummy. Now THAT'S ATTITUDE! Good luck!

[ChickyChick (Kathy)]

Prayers for Pooping Proceeding Promptly!

[Julie G]

Here's hoping everything comes out GREAT today, Charlie! :-)

[Kerry]

My cat recently had a little situation, and could not go outside until he pooped. I will tell Charlie the same thing I told Oscar....

"And the poop shall set you free!"

You "go" boy! (seriously. go. now. go on. Just "poo" it!)

[Katy]

Great news on Charlie!! And never thought I'd be rooting for a poopin', but here I am doing just that!! Go Charlie!!

p.s. get him a good magazine or crossword, that always works for me!

[Vickie in IN]

Dangit...I was hoping to see an updated good news Poopy Post from Charlie!

[Alexandra to Julie G and Cheryl]

Lily does seem to be in a hurry for everything. I was amazed the other day when I put her on her tummy (for tummy time) and she manged to roll herself onto her back. I was like, "You're not supposed to be able to do that yet! What, are you planning on college in a couple of weeks?" lol. Luckily, she will sleep up to 2 and a half hours, sometimes. She does sleep in the car, but I'm not about to go for a drive at 1:00 in the morning when I've had no sleep!

Thanks Cheryl for mentioning the mixing of formula and breast milk. Her doctor seemed to encourage it, but maybe it would help if I no longer mixed them.

[Theresa from Virginia]

Alexandra - like a couple of the other ladies here, my son had a similar issue. I think it was a combination of two things:

1) he needed to be on soy formula, which we resolved with the doc when he was about 2 months old

2) he wanted to be able to move. Once he was able to scoot/crawl around a bit, he was perfectly happy, and has been on the go ever since. He is now 15 years old and 6' tall, with no health issues. I don't know if it is an indicator of their personality or what, but he just hated to lay down, hated his swing, and I ended up letting him spend a lot of his time sitting in his car seat/baby carrier - he was happy if he could look around and see what was going on.

By the way, he wants to be a journalist - I guess he was starting young!

[Shawn in Lakewood CA]

Charlie, Charlie, he's our man, he can poop , yes he can! Go Charlie!

[Irish M]

Me too Vickie! I keep checking back to see if Charlie has completed his mission. I would never go near the diapers of my nieces and nephews and here I am waiting anxiously for poop news! Also, thanks to Kerry for almost making me spit out my coffee!

[Michele Watt]

I had a dream about this and I was asked by this boy, to let his parents know he was here to bring joy. That smile you get when your heart starts to melt, and in time God will fade the sadness you felt. Whether here on earth or Heaven above, I was sent to fill your Heart with Love. MGM Watt