annoyed today

I had an annoying day today. It started out with going to the social security office. I was told at the hospital that I needed to fill out paperwork for the babies with the social security office. Because of their low birth weight, they may qualify for some benefits. After waiting 45 minutes, I finally met with someone. I asked why they needed me to answer all of the questions and fill out all the papers. She told me because they presume the babies will be disabled ("you know with like Down's Syndrome or something"). I wanted to tell her she was an idiot because they don't have Down's Syndrome and if they did, they would have known that before they were born. It has nothing to do with being premature. Then I was told that because of our income we may or may not receive benefits. She said we may receive about $30 per month as presumptive disability checks. I really wanted to get up and walk out and tell her she could keep her $30 and her presumptions to herself!

After being completely annoyed by that, I called the NICU to check on the babies. Their nurse said they were doing great and she had just finished putting their eye drops in for their eye exams. I said, "What eye exams? They aren't supposed to get eye exams until next week." She said she was told they were getting them today and had already put the drops in to dilate their eyes. I asked to talk to the doctor, and after some checking he found that I was right; they were not supposed to get eye exams until next week. If I hadn't called, they would have went ahead with the unnecessary eye exams even though they aren't supposed to get them until next week. This doesn't seem like a big deal except that they both HATE getting eye exams. After the last two they got, their oxygen needs went way up and Camdyn had to be moved back to CPAP. Needless to say, I was very annoyed and called the NICU coordinator to let her know I was not at all happy about their mistake. I was mad that they are stressing the babies more than they need to be stressed - as if they haven't had enough trauma in their short lives already!

So that was my very annoying day today. But, the great news is that the babies are doing very well. Camdyn now weighs 3 lbs. 1 oz. and Cade now weighs 4 lbs. 3 oz. They did say that Camdyn is only measuring in the 10th percentile for babies born at her gestation; however, she is still putting on weight and following her own growth curve. Cade is in the 50th percentile. So, hopefully, Camdyn will start gaining a little faster. They are both in the 30-40s on their oxygen on high-flow nasal cannulas, so that is very good. The physical therapist has said that their muscle tone is good for their gestation. Overall, we are very pleased with their progress.