The financial cost of having a preterm baby

This isn't an insightful look into our health care system. It is simply a tally of the costs associated with Lane's birth and visit in the NICU for 29 days. Guesses regarding the total would be entertaining.



Inpatient 6/25-6/28 for Jessica charges submitted 12778.04 benefits paid 6230.60 our cost 0
Jessica procedure 6/25 3500.00 2927.00 cost 0
Jessica surgery 6/25 250.00 133.00 0
I/P physician 6/26 160.00 49.00 0
anesthesia 6/25 800.00 545.00 0
neonatologist 6/26 258.00 204.00 0
neonatologist 6/25 548.00 449.00 0
neonatologist 6/27 258.00 204.00 0
neonatologist 6/28 258.00 204.00 0
neonatologist 6/29 258.00 204.00 0
neonatologist 6/30 258.00 204.00 0
neonatologist 7/01 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/02 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/03 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/04 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/05 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/06 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/07 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/08 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/09 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/10 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/11 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/12 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/13 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/14 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/15 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/16 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/17 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/18 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/19 258.00 186.00 0
hospital 6/25-6/30 71321.24 0 71321.24
Med Equip 9/23 425.00 323.80 0
Med Supplies 9/21 28.70 28.70 0
Med Equip 8/23 425.00 323.80 0
outpatient for Jessica 5/22 565.48 373.22 0
xray 6/26 28.00 16.00 0
xray 6/29 100.00 57.00 0
inpatient 7/15-7/24 13905.00 3900.21 0
inpatient6/25-6/30 9270.00 2600.16 0
inpatient 7/01-7/14 48146.24 6067.04 0
xray 7/13 224.00 131.00 0
neonatologist 7/20 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/21 258.00 186.00 0
neonatoloigst 7/22 258.00 186.00 0
supplies 7/23 21.00 21.00 0
supplies 7/23 21.00 21.00 0
supplies 7/23 36.40 36.40 0
med equip 7/23 425.00 323.80 0
neonatologist 7/23 258.00 186.00 0
neonatologist 7/24 168.00 136.00 0
professional 7/9 235.00 120.00 0
professional 7/9 75.00 39.00 0
professional 7/9 150.00 7.50 0
med equip 10.23 425.00 323.80 0
lab for Jessica 6/2 433.05 209. 0
outpatient for Jessica 6/2 493.91 325.98 0

Welcome Home LANE!

After 4 weeks and 1 day in the NICU, Lane Elizabeth is home. She came home after her 4 pm feeding. I'm holding her as I type this and can not believe she is here. I feel like I had her a couple days ago - the emotions are right on the surface. I'm overwhelmed, in love, frightened, excited, anxious, to name a few. We didn't tell many people that she was probably coming home because we were worried that it wouldn't happen.
Lane is home on a monitor to watch her heart rate and breathing. If she stops breathing for more than 20 seconds, the monitor will blare an obnoxious alarm to alert us. She will continue on caffeine, vitamins, and NeoSure 22. Once a month, the monitor will be downloaded to check her apnea episodes and we'll continue for there. The Dr did mention that outpatient testing might be required in the future in Omaha.
We brought her home in a pink dress, white tights, and pink ballet shoes. I can't believe I am holding my little beautiful princess.

.

Lyrics for I've Got No Strings

I've got no strings

To hold me down

To make me fret, or make me frown

I had strings

But now I'm free

There are no strings on me

Hi-ho the me-ri-o

That's the only way to go

I want the world to know

Nothing ever worries me

Hi-ho the me-ri-o

I'm as happy as can be

I want the world to know

Nothing ever worries me

I've got no strings

So I have fun

I'm not tied up to anyone

They've got strings

But you can see

There are no strings on me

Dutch puppet

You have no strings

Your arms is free

To love me by the Zuider Zee

Ya, ya, ya

If you would woo

I'd bust my strings for you

French puppet

You've got no strings

Comme ci comme ca

Your savoire-faire is ooh la la!

I've got strings

But entre nous

I'd cut my strings for you

Russian puppet

Down where the Volga flows

There's a Russian rendezvous

Where me and Ivan go

But I'd rather go with you, hey!

Preterm Labor Update

Since last Friday I had been having contractions, some times it was very strong. I hadn't had an FFN test the week before, probably because I had the boys with me but I'm unsure. I didn't know if I was another two week window when the baby would arrive but the contractions did not stay consistent, they were just strong and sometimes increased. I went about my routine but rested when I could in the afternoon.
On Tuesday night, I went to Elaine's Mary Kay party. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to receive my things. I was having contractions every few minutes but they weren't strong and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. On the way home, I almost had to pull over because one caught me by surprise. I called the office and Aldrich wanted me to go in to be monitored. I tried to convince her I would be fine until my appt. at 9:30 the next day. No luck.
I made it to the hospital around 10. I was having contractions every 5 minutes. The dr. decided to give me terbutaline. I told the dr that it doesn't work for me and sure enough, I was contracting every 2 minutes with no end in site. I was then given Procardia. Imagine the following scenario on top of having hard contractions every 2 minutes:
Terbutaline gives me a rapid heartbeat, jitteriness, and restlessness.
Procardia makes me lightheaded and dizzy. It also makes my face feel like it's on fire for a while.
By 3 am, the nurse said, "you are contracting like a bat out of hell and we don't know if you're progressing and don't want to check you in case it makes things worse." Swell.
The room became a buzz of activity with three nurses. I was hooked up to an IV for fluid. Then I had the Group B strep test done (joy), a Foley catheter inserted, and two more medications were added: penicillin and magnesium sulfate. I was officially bed bound and miserable yet the fun was to begin. I also received steroids for the baby's lungs. I am grateful I have that in my system. Poor Elaine was there while I got that awful burning shot in my leg.
I tolerated the mag pretty well until later that afternoon. On top of the side effects from the other medications which they continued to give me because I was having "break through" contractions, I had yet more side effects from the mag. These side effects were: muscle weakness, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, and headache. I also had tingling in my face, vomiting, and confusion. The medication made me extremely emotional.I begged the nurse to make me feel better. They had to run a test to see if I had too much mag in my system and then lowered the mag when it came back high.
I continued to have smaller contractions this morning (and some whopper ones) but they took me off the mag and sent me home on complete bed rest (I'm not allowed to leave the house until my appt. next Friday) and Procardia.
I also had another FFN test done and it was negative so the hope is that I'll remain pregnant until week 32 when another test can be done. That will be the last FFN test that can be given so I hope for another negative FFN and I would be headed to 34 weeks, at the very least.
I would not wish the experience of mag on anyone but I am glad it is there to help mothers because it is frightening to lay in a hospital bed knowing your 30 week baby can arrive at any minute if something does not work. It was out of my hands and lack of control is not something I deal with well.
Thank you for the phone calls and emails. I can not tell you how much it means to me to receive even a small note. My visitors were amazing - thank you Elaine, Michelle, and Maggie. I am blessed by such good friends.