Road map of milestones: Part 2

DECEMBER:
Both girls have PICC lines in for easy/central access
Can I skip the rest of December...? Too many consults from Primary Children's Hospital (Pediatric Cardiology - Dr. Virginia Judd; Pediatric Neurology - considering a shunt in her head to help with her hydrocephalus; Pediatric Radiology - monitoring the "Grade 3's", both girls had a couple blood transfusions,...) We'll just skip to January and start fresh with a New Year and a new outlook on life - literally!

JANUARY:
1/1: Happy New Year!
1/6: Rebecca moved to Nursery B. Mary-Gail's electrolytes had been way out-of-whack, so she needed to stabilize before she could join Rebecca).
1/6: Nurses hooked us up in a Corner Suite with a window ledge and beautiful view of the Wasatch Mountains, BYU, and the Provo Temple.

1/7: Mary-Gail joins Rebecca in the "Kemp Kuties' Korner Suite." Both girls are still in their own isolettes, however.
1/8: I started back to work Part-Time at Dr. Joseph Glenn's office. Thank goodness his office is right by the hospital, and that my sister, JoJo, is the Office Manager. She was very lenient on me and my co-workers pick-ed up a lot of slack.

1/8: Weekly blood tests to obtain: hematocrit, hemoglobin, protein, CI, K, Na, O2, CO2, etc...
1/10: Family attends Occupational Therapy class taught by our fabulous Annie Miller to learn about premature babies and how to "interact" with them.
1/10: 1st of 3 eye exams by Dr. John Carver to rule out ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). Eyes are dilated no ROP evident.

1/13: Rebecca is on a "room-air trial." No nasal canula.
1/14: Rebecca's room-air trial successful - O2 stats remained high and in the 90's. No more 02 monitor either!
1/16: We're finally over 1800 grams - Hooray! We don't have to have our temperature probes on anymore!! Finally the wires are decreasing!
1/17: I cut my hair super-short. Mary-Gail receives 4th (and final) blood transfusion

1/19: Both girls qualify and receive the "Bear" Hearing Test - both girls passed!! (Mary-Gail pictured below)

1/19: Tony and I have a "Date-night" and go target shooting with Jack & Carol, out to eat, and then to the hospital to hold our kuties :)

1/24: Tony and I attend the required CPR class

1/25: 2nd eye exam - eyes are dilated again, and again no evidence of ROP

1/27: 1st time held by Great Grandma LaRae and Great Grandpa Carlisle "Red" Gourley

2 month stats:
Rebecca: 5lbs, 4oz; 17.5" long; 12 3/8" for OFC (Head circumference)
Mary-Gail: 5lbs, 2oz; 17 3/8" long; 12 3/4" OFC

1/29: Last of weekly head ultrasounds for Mary-Gail. Findings: brain bleed is gone; ventricles have decreased 2/3 in size. A modern-day miracle!