Six month bummer

Cayden was six months old as of yesterday but will be on oxygen for at least awhile longer.  The doctor finally called this evening after reviewing the results of his overnight room air challenge from Wednesday night.  According to her calculations from the data provided from the oxygen company's monitor, Cayden spent about 25% of the time he was being monitored below the threshold of 87%.  I was surprised it was that much - I know the thing alarmed a lot the first hour or so, but I was also fiddling with the lead, trying to get it securely attached to his little foot.  I tried explaining that to the nurse who called to give me the decision, but since I didn't keep a minute by minute record of every little thing he did during those hours, she couldn't just write it off.  It went off half a dozen or so times throughout the night while I was sleeping, but never long enough for me to get up out of bed to make sure he was o.k. - his saturation always came back up on its own. 

The doc said we can take him off during the day when he's awake and just put him on the oxygen while he's sleeping or napping, but honestly, taking the cannula off and on that often is too much of a hassle, and we can't just leave it in his nose because it blocks his nasal airflow without providing any extra oxygen and it also gets condensation in it if there's no air flowing, which can lead to bacterial growth.  So for as much of a pain as it is to drag the 50-foot cord around all of the time, I think it's easier than dealing with taking the cannula off and putting it back on multiple times a day.  I am really bummed about it and I'm sure Cayden's not too thrilled about still having that thing in his nose all the time.  I guess we'll try again in a month or so and see how he does.

In other news, we had another visit from Alison, our home health nurse, today.  She weighed him and he is now 11 lbs. 5 oz. which is still right at the 25th percentile.  He is also still right on track with his developmental milestones.  She pointed out that she thinks he's going to have a dimple in his chin and cheeks.  Nonna Lena said the same thing about his cheeks, so we'll see!