Christopher Lee Deschler, 4 lb. 12 oz., 17.3 inches, born 5:05pm at Good Samaritan
Regional Medical Center, Phoenix Arizona.  Photo taken at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
APGAR  score: 9/9
 

Alyssa Lee Deschler, 3 lb. 11 oz., 18.1 inches, born 5:06pm at Good Samaritan
Regional Medical Center, Phoenix Arizona.  Photo taken at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
APGAR  score: 7/8

Emily Lee Deschler, 3 lb. 2 oz.,  16.9 inches, born 5:06pm at Good Samaritan
Regional Medical Center, Phoenix Arizona.  Photo taken at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
APGAR  score: 9/9
 

Nicholas Lee Deschler, 3 lb. 3.6 oz., 17.3 inches, born 5:08pm at Good Samaritan
Regional Medical Center, Phoenix Arizona.  Photo taken at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
APGAR  score: 8/9

One day old

Babies are now recouping at Phoenix Children's Hospital NICU which is a hospital within Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.  They are all doing very well and breathing on their own -- no ventilators.  They are currently being monitored, being fed, and breathing room air mixed with oxygen with the assistance of many wires and tubes.  Babies enjoy pulling wires and tubes from their bodies -- ah, freedom!
 

Four days old

It's been four days since the Deschler quadruplets were born.  They were coincidentally born on the birthday of the oldest living quadruplets, the Morlok sisters, who live in Michigan and just turned 70.

With all of this excitement going on surrounding Pam's difficult c-section recovery, Pam was unable to see the babies during the two days after the delivery.  During that time, I provided her with video footage from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).  Last night a couple of nursing assistants wheeled Pam down to the NICU on a bed to visit with each baby.  It is quite a feat to navigate a bed through the very large, busy, and crowded NICU.  I was told that this NICU might be the busiest in the country.  I do not doubt that.  After her visit with the babies, Pam had a beaming smile all the way up to her room.

All four babies are tiny but still better off than many of the babies here in the NICU.  From birth, all babies have been able to open their eyes and look around.  They look adorable peeking out of their blankets while being held. Over the course of a few days, all babies have gone from three to five to seven cc's of formula which is fed through an uncapped syringe connected to a tube that goes through the nose or mouth to the stomach.  They also receive nutrition via an I.V. connected to a vein in the foot, arm, or forehead. Christopher, Alyssa, and Nicholas are all currently receiving ultraviolet light therapy to reduce jaundice.  They each have little masks covered with names, hearts, and/or eye lashes that the nurses have hand drawn.  Masks get changed every day.  They are expected to be under the lighting for a few more days.  They all frequently shiver due to underdeveloped nervous systems.  At day ten of life they will each get a head ultrasound to check for bleeding.

Christopher Lee (Baby A) was the largest and initially appeared to be doing best of all.  At first, he was placed on CPAP which is a tube hooked to a machine that goes into the nose to assist with breathing through pressure.  Christopher was the first taken off of oxygen and was first to breathe without any assistance.  Tuesday he had a setback and they placed him back on CPAP.  Recently, he has had multiple episodes of reduced heart rate and reduced respiration.  They ran a series of tests for infection, among other things and found that he is anemic.  He will undergo a two part blood transfusion starting Tuesday night.  His feeding of three hours ago went undigested.  They performed a renal ultrasound Tuesday to follow up on enlarged kidney-related organs that were detected in an ultrasound before he was born.  A urologist will check him out Wednesday morning.  Christopher may have to undergo a dye test to figure out if there is any blockage.

Alyssa Lee (Baby B) was initially placed on CPAP but is now off and is being fed room air mixed with oxygen through nose prongs.  Every twelve hours they try to reduce the oxygen level a bit in an attempt to wean her off.  Alyssa appears relatively comfortable and at ease.  In an ultrasound prior to delivery, a choroid plexus cyst was detected in the ventricle of Alyssa's brain.  This condition indicates a slight risk (about 1% chance) that she has a fatal genetic defect.  Nothing much to worry about as this type of cyst is relatively common and normally causes no trouble through life.  You and I may have one and don't even know it.

Emily Lee (Baby C) was born the smallest and was initially placed on CPAP but is now off with no breathing assistance at all.  She is breathing room air on her own.  Emily sleeps very soundly and looks comfortable but her heart rate occasionally drops.  In the first week of life, babies typically lose some weight.  Emily has just begun to gain weight back.

Nicholas Lee (Baby D) was born youngest and most wirey.  He was initially placed on CPAP but is now off and is being fed room air mixed with oxygen through nose prongs.  Every twelve hours they try to reduce the oxygen level a bit in an attempt to wean him off.  He is very fidgety but appears to be progressing.

There is a mixture of relief, happiness, sadness, and uncertainty as we all go through this indescribable experience of bringing four preemie babies into the world.  Pam, Christopher, Alyssa, Emily, and Nicholas have all been real troopers.  The road has been bumpy and even rocky, at times.  The pregnancy was known to be high risk and that is why we chose to take on the inconvenience and expense of moving to Phoenix where we have found the best place in the world to be.

Five days old Christopher had a setback and is again on CPAP.

Five days old Nicholas under daddy's hand with mask for ultraviolet light.

Six days old Alyssa on ultraviolet pad with feeding tube through nose.

Six days old Emily with I.V. in forehead and feeding tube and nasal prongs in nose.

Six days old Nicholas and daddy.
 

Seven days old

The four musketeers are a week plus a couple hours old at the moment.  They are improving every day.  The nurses think they are so cute.  They say that Alyssa and Christopher look alike.

Christopher (Baby A) is digesting his food now and taking 10cc of formula every three hours.  He is gaining weight and is now 4 lb. 7.8 oz.  He was taken off of CPAP and ultraviolet lighting yesterday and is now on oxygen via nose prongs.  He has had no heart/respiration drops today.

Alyssa (Baby B) is having her formula increased 3cc every twelve hours and is currently taking 12cc of formula every three hours.  She is breathing room air with no assistance and has had no heart/respiration drops today.

Emily (Baby C) is having her formula increased 2cc every twelve hours and is currently taking 11cc of formula every three hours.  She is on oxygen via nose prongs and has had no heart/respiration drops today.  Emily was moved across from Alyssa yesterday.

Nicholas (Baby D) is having his formula increased 3cc every twelve hours and is currently taking 12cc every three hours.  He is gaining weight and is now at 3 lb. 4 oz.  Nose prongs were removed about an hour ago and there have been no heart/respiration incidents.  He is still under ultraviolet lighting.  Nicholas is expected to be moved across from Christopher tonight.

Eleven days old

Because of mommy's fever, today was the first time in about five or six days that she was able to see the babies.  Due to daddy's head cold, today was the first time in two days that daddy was able to see them.  All babies recently had a head ultrasound looking for bleeding.  Results were negative.  All babies passed their hearing tests.  All are receiving caffeine to provide stimulation against heart and respiration drops.

Christopher (Baby A) is up to 24cc of formula every three hours and weighs 4 pounds 15.6 ounces.  A few days ago, he had a dye test and x-ray to check for blockage relating to his kidneys.  The test was negative.  He will undergo a renal ultrasound in one month as a follow up.  The urologist doesn't think he will need an operation.  Christopher is breathing room air and was moved into a crib today.

Alyssa (Baby B) is also up to 24cc of formula every three hours.  She is receiving Reglan medicine to control reflux.  Current weight is 3 pounds 12.7 ounces.  Alyssa is breathing room air and was moved into a bassinet a few days ago.

Emily (Baby C) is taking 21cc of formula every three hours.  She spits up a little bit once in a while.  She is currently 3 pounds 5.6 ounces and is on .1L of oxygen at 40% which gets reduced by 10% every six hours.  They expect Emily to be removed from oxygen tomorrow.

Nicholas (Baby D) is taking only 10cc of formula every three hours and is taking Reglan medicine to control reflux.  He wasn't pooping and had a big tummy so they performed an x-ray and administered a suppository.  He is currently 3 pounds 7.7 ounces.  He is breathing room air and has had one lapse in respiration and heart rate today -- twelve lapses last night.

Eleven days old Nicholas, mommy, and Christopher. 

Eleven days old Alyssa, too tired to wake up -- rough day.

Eleven days old Mommy feeding Emily who says, "More, more, I'm starving!"
 

Fifteen days old

Mommy made it down to the NICU today on a wheel chair which was the first time in about four days.  She held Nicholas.  Christopher, Alyssa, and Emily were sleeping.  Our visit was cut a bit short so we could receive a tour of the continuing care nursery (CCN).   All babies are now off of oxygen and are all off of caffeine which will hopefully reduce stomach upset.  They are all on Reglan to control reflux.

Christopher (Baby A) has dropped down to 10cc of formula every three hours and weighs 4 pounds 15.7 ounces.  A few days ago he appeared lethargic and was not digesting formula.  They took him off of his feedings and performed abdominal xrays.  His blood culture came back positive for bacteria.  He has been on three antibiotics but they reduced him to one today.  He is back on feedings today.  Today was the first day he "nippled".  He is still on i.v.

Alyssa (Baby B) is up to 34cc of formula every three hours.  Current weight is 4 pounds .4 ounces.  Her i.v. was removed and she was placed on an iron supplement.  She has had discharge orders since Wednesday to go to the continuing care nursery (CCN) but they have been holding her back to be with her siblings.  She is expected to be moved at the end of today's shift.

Emily (Baby C) is taking 21cc of formula every three hours.  She occasionally spits up so they took her off of her feedings a few days ago.  She is back on feedings and is currently 3 pounds 9. ounces.  She had one respiration/heart drop last night.  Her i.v. was removed today and they are expecting Emily to join Alyssa in the CCN within a day or two.

Nicholas (Baby D) is still taking only 10cc of formula every three hours and is taking Reglan medicine to control reflux.  They took him off of his feedings the other day but he is back on them now.  He is currently 3 pounds 11 ounces and is still on i.v.

Seventeen days old

This morning I wheeled mommy down to the NICU where she was able to simultaneously hold three babies: Christopher, Emily, and Nicholas.  Alyssa wasn't available because she had already been moved to the CCN.  Later today Emily and Nicholas were moved to the CCN to join Alyssa.  Now, Christopher is all alone in the NICU and will likely join his siblings in the CCN in a few days after he is taken off of antibiotics and i.v.

Seventeen days old Mommy and three of the four "sleepy" musketeers:
(l-r) Nicholas, Emily, and Christopher.  Emily says: "Whew, Nicholas' feet smell!"

Seventeen days old Mommy with (l-r) Nicholas, Emily, and Christopher.
Emily says: "Give me some room... I'm stretching".

Seventeen days old Mommy with (l-r) Nicholas, Emily, and Christopher.
Shhh... Emily is telling Christopher a secret.

Seventeen days old Mommy with (l-r) Emily, Christopher, and Nicholas.  In the huddle,
Christopher says:  "Emily, you block.  Nicholas, you go long and I'll throw you the ball".

Seventeen days old Mommy with (l-r) Emily, Nicholas, and Christopher.
Nicholas says: "I feel like a sardine".

Seventeen days old Mommy with (l-r) Emily, Nicholas, and Christopher.
Emily says: "It's about time you covered me... I am freezing!".

Seventeen days old Mommy with (l-r) Emily, Nicholas, and Christopher.  Christopher says:
"Is he alive?".  Nicholas says: "Get that big lug off of me!".  Emily says: "Where did that
blanket go?  I'm freezing".   Mommy says:  "Yikes!  I just realized we're missing one!".
 

Twenty one days old

Christopher, the big guy, has been alone in the NICU since Monday when Emily and Nicholas were moved to the CCN.  Yesterday Christopher was taken off of antibiotics and i.v.  Since he is doing best of all with the bottle, they decided he could be discharged ahead of everyone else.  We took the infant CPR class yesterday as part of the discharge requirement and last night they moved Christopher to a "nesting" room in the CCN so that mommy and daddy could spend the night with him.  Mommy slept soundly through the night except for the occasional wake up call for pain medication.  Daddy had two babies (mommy and Christopher) to care for all night long.  Christopher ate every four hours and was given a pacifier when he started to fuss a little.  Christopher had a good night and didn't cry at all.  This afternoon Christopher was discharged into our care!  He's finally ours!  No wires attached -- literally!  They are starting to trickle out of the hospital!  Uh oh!