Explaining nursing...

I have a major tendency to need to explain myself, even when it's not necessary.

So, here goes... Nursing. We get 46 hours a week. We choose to use 5-8 hour nights to sleep (and a 5-6 hour day shift). Now to understand why we use it that way, you must know how much I need sleep. I don't do well on little sleep. At all.

When you have a trached child, you get a few choices. Sleep in the same room as the child, rely on a monitor, or have a nurse. I will not rely on a monitor. I can't rely on power to not go out, and not hear his monitor (his monitor has a battery backup). So, when we don't have a nurse, Travis and I sleep on his floor. I live in fear that if it were just one of us, we might not hear his monitor, so we both stay in there. It's really an irrational fear, but if you're kids' life depended on it, you might be irrational too.

This week has reminded me why... even though I sometimes can't stand our nurses, I need it. We had Micah 4 of the last 7 nights. Two nights ago, between 11pm and 6am, I was woke up... maybe 6 times? The feeding pump malfunctioned, and had to be reset. Feeding pump needed refilled (so did his humidity, but in my tired stupor, I forgot) Feeding pump needed shut off. Pulse ox alarmed. Pulse ox malfunctioned. Micah kicked me from his crib. Last night was a little better. I think Travis was up once, and I was up 2 times. Little punk decided to toss and turn from 4:45am on= very little sleep. He sleeps so much better when we're not in there.. probably because he can't hear Travis snoring!

In an ideal night, I get up at about 1:30am and 5:30am. That's if nothing beeps, nothing malfunctions, he doesn't need suctioned, and he stays asleep. (Read: this very rarely happens).

So, yeah. Nursing. Maybe someday Micah will be able to sleep without being attached at the foot, neck and belly. Until then...