AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

[lukesdaddy]

Okay, here is the deal. My son Luke has been in the NICU for 4 months now. He keeps having Bradycardias when he sleeping, bearing down to try to go to the bathroom, and having reflux issues. The issue I have is that the doctors have told me that he is able to go home when he's had no Bradycardias for three days. Although some of the nurses say that babys have gone out of there with Bradys and released on monitors, but when I speak with the doctor about this he says that it is policy that a child who was born at 24.5 weeks be at the hospital Brady free until he is released. My other issue is that he is only having 1 to 2 Bradys (10 sec in duration and self recovers) a day or every other day and they still won't release him with a monitor, due to the decrease in spells. My last issue is that, I am wondering if the hospital is keeping him there for monetary reasons. He is covered under BCBS and Medicaid, leaving nothing but a whole list of charges the hospital and doctors can bill on a daily basis and know they will get paid. That's just what's going through my mind. 4 months of this stuff and I'm ready for it to be over.

Has anyone else had to abide by the no Brady rule for three days or longer in order to be released?

Thank you,
Patrick

[frogibe]

I have heard that they want no Bradys to release a preemie from the NICU, although every baby is different. Do you know why he is having problems with going to the bathroom or reflux? That could be related to the Bradys he is having.

[kara]

I would be asking for answers on the reflux and defication. Is he constipated? Do the meds for reflux need to be adjusted.? But also realize that he is just now "full term" if preeclampsia wasn't in the picture. I know that's easier said than done. Maybe you can have a meeting with a hospital patient advocate to
try to get some more answers. Sometimes it's all about asking the right question. Docs aren't always that forthcoming for whatever reason. "Why are these brady's concerning if we were to go home on a monitor? Why is there a Brady when he's
stooling? Why is the reflux not under control? Please explain your reasoning (this is a good one)?"

There may be a perfectly good reason they are keeping him, but they've forgotten to tell you...

Hang in there.

[annes]

The NICU is very hard, I am sure you are feeling "done" with it and want to get your boy home and start life there. I agree with Kara, try to arrange a meeting with all the major players involved in your son's care, ask the hard questions and let them know that your goal is to get your son home ASAP and ask them what can you and your family do to facilitate that (ie, monitors, visiting nurses, pediatrician visits etc..). Take care of yourself!

[preemomof2]

My daughter is 9 weeks and is still in the hospital. She was put back on a 7 day ALTE watch recently because her doctors took her off of EES and she started bradying when she was refluxing. Once she got on day 4 it was restarted because of the same thing and for the next 3 days it kept being restarted. Recently they have put her back on EES and restarted the ALTE watch so in order to be released she has to go either 5 or 7 days without any bradys.

[jacobkaden]

I know how tiring the NICU is! We were there for 9 months. Our son was still having brady's while pooping and/or with reflux too. They "seemed" to be resolved, he was discharged and kept having them at home. After a month, he was readmitted. After the second discharge, he was finally okay. In short, I would wait until the brady's are resolved. Better safe than sorry!

[kdreher]

I'm sorry this is ongoing and know how hard it can be to wait out the release. Luckily our son graduated the NICU after 6 weeks but they wouldn't let hiim go w/o having brady's as well...