" ...this is the way we check the phe, check the phe, check the phe..."

      Today is Wednesday. Blood draw day/ errand day.  The draw is almost always on Wednesday at anytime, she just can't have any phe, no breast milk, two hours prior. The tests are run on Tuesdays and Thursdays and take a couple hours to do and only like three people in the whole hospital are qualified to run the machine that test the blood for phe and tyrosine.Yes, my health insurance covers these weekly test, thank goodness. I have seen the bills and it adds up quick!Casey, the nutritionist calls me on Friday mornings with the results and tells me if there are any changes to how much formula she is getting.
     On Tuesday evening I begin thinking about the draw and trying to time her feedings based on what time I am going to be going to the hospital vs when to pump or nurse. So there needs to be enough formula to last her through  the draw but then I have to consider my timing of pumping to ensure if she gets hungry before 1pm I can nurse her. It's a juggling act, sometimes I drop all the balls. But most of the time it works out .
      So today i,t worked out.  At around 7:30am she nursed on one side and then around 8:30 she ate about 2 oz of formula. Then she went down for a nap. While she slept I did dishes, pumped and ate breakfast. Then when she got up around 9:30 we played, and got dressed she was not hungry and we still had about an 1 oz of formula to eat before 1. She went back down around 10:30 since her morning nap was so short. I finished getting ready and around 11:30 I put her in her car seat and we left for the hospital. The drive to Childrens hospital is about 30 mintues. When we get there I always park in the garage because it is free for patients. I pop her and her car seat into her stroller and we head into the outpatient lab, getting our parking validated along the way. At the front desk I fill out a sticker that has Breeze's name, birthdate and time, plus I write the   phlebotomists that I want. Kelly, Marissa or Justine. It is not Children's policy to let parents hold their children while they are drawing blood. To me this is ridiculous and I only go to these three because the let me hold Breeze. Gravity, hello? While waiting she finished up that last ounce of formula, about 30 minutes before one, just in the nik or time!When her name is called we head into the room and pick the opposite heel from last week. We place a special warming gel pack on her foot to warm it up, makes the blood run better. The phlebotomists runs the paper work and gets out her tools. I hold Breeze and she pricks her heel with this razor blade and then squeezes her heel until the tiny tube is full. Breeze no longer cries unless she is hungry or tired. She mostly just squirms making it difficult for all involved. Today she tried to look over her shoulder, as if to say "what the..." We may start drawing from a finger, but I am not to sure how I feel about that. She is always putting her hands in her mouth and people touch them and then she would have a open little cut..., we'll cross that bridge when we get there I guess. Then once the band-aid is on we head upstairs to get weighed. We either see Marevel or Amy. Both love Breeze and make her smile lots. I take off her clothes put her on the scale and then get her dressed again. Sometimes if I am curious we do a length measurement as well. After that If Breeze is hungry I either nurse her or give her a bottle, depending on what time it is. Today it was past one so she started on her new batch of formula, and another 24 hour shift begins

The front of Children's Hospital

This is Marissa, Breeze's eyes are glued to the TV!

The tools of the trade

Putting on the warming pack, eyes still in the TV

 

Drip by Drip

 

The tiny tube of blood

This is Marevel, she weighs Breeze

  

A boo boo

      

This part is a piece of cake!

The hall way to the weigh in we go to hall F
or where I sit afterwardsand feed her