ABIGAIL NEWTON SMITH

Friday, 7th September 2001 - Day 22

Welcome back again, today I have started my 4th week of life here in the Intensive care unit of Southmead hospital in my little private room. It does not seem to be quite so warm in here now, they have turned the thermostat down to just about 31 degrees C and about 45% humidity. I used to on 35 + and 75% humidity so I must be regulating my own body temperature a bit better than when I was first here.

Yesterday my neighbour Dimitri left our ward and went out with the bigger girls and boys, it will not be the same without him as between us we manged to keep all the nurses amused and fully occupied. However now I seem to have a room of girls with me, including a pair of twins. However they are all a bit big for me to play with and I don't think they will be here that long.

Mummy and Daddy brought Auntie Cath in again and I was looking a lot better than last time as my Michelin man impression seems to have stopped. My weight today was measured at 648 gms, getting better but Mummy says I look very scrawny at the moment. If anybody can tell me what this means then please e-mail me as I think I should look better, as I am not sat on a washing machine and I have moved and opened my eyes a lot for them all. It was good to see Mummy and Daddy again as I have not seen them for a while, they always seem to come along when I have been concentrating on doing other things and cannot seem to open my eyes.

My milk has increased again today to 3 ml per feed and the nurses put a little on my lips instead of down the tube. I love this and show my appreciation by lapping it all up and trying to see if there is any more available. I would be quite happy to swallow it this way but it would probably take quite a while to drink up that sort of quantity. Daddy videoed me as well today for Mummy to watch, if he can help me I will try and get some clips onto the web site in a bit.

Last Updated : 09/09/01.