Robert Alexisovich de Gaston: Dad's 11th Child!

Born 11:55PM EEDT Monday, August 11, 2008,
(31 weeks gestational age almost to the hour!)
Weight = 1.9Kg, Length=42cm

Due September 25 but delivered by C-section during the night of
August 11-12.   Dad asks, "WHY?"

        Robert is Dad's 11th child.   Starting at 1.9 Kg, Robert lost weight, but about August 24th he was gaining and on August 29th he had gained back his lost weight, and another 170 grams to a total of 2.07 Kg.
        In the morning of August 11, Deana began to have some watery vaginal discharge...which Dad said was probably amniotic fluid...and was so confirmed when she went to the Clinic. She was ordered to the hospital.  In the late evening the OB specialist told Deana that she did not find amniotic fluid and the diagnosis was incorrect.  About an hour later she, upon Deana calling for her, found amniotic fluid (it just takes a simple literal litmus test), was very concerned, called another OB, and the rest is history.  There was no "informed consent" as is necessary in America.   Dad was not happy that the delivery was done so precipitously!


      Dad was allowed to see "Baby" and take pictures on Day 3.  Deana was afraid to come close to "such a frail & dark child".  The equipment is uptodate as that in America.  Baby still has a tough haul ahead of him as of this Day 3, August 14, 2008.
08 8 14 Dad-Neal w child No 11, Robert in modern incubator, Mogilyov, Belarus RED W510 H680 P814001308 8 14 Robert Alexeyevich de Gaston, almost 3 d old, in incubator, born 31-33 wk gest-lmp to almost the hr RED W450 H337 P8140009

08 8 14 Dad wi Robert, 3d old, Mogilyov, Belarus W450 H337 P8140011


On July 15, or 3 weeks and 6 days before baby was delivered, he was confirmed a boy.
08 7 15 Baby US 1, baby is confirmed to be a boy P7150151 08 7 15 Baby US 3 P7150153 08 7 15 Baby US10 P7150160



      Dad was again allowed to see and take pictures on Day 8.  Deana was still worried to come close to "such a frail & dark child" who not only appeared no better if even better at all, but now had an IV in his scalp!  But though he was having a tough time, "Baby" now became Robert Alexisovich de Gaston.
08 8 19 Neal-Dad w 8-d Robert RED60PCT P819003808 8 19 Dzina coaxed & almost smiles, standing behind Robert in nurse's hands RED60PCT P8190036

08 8 19 Robert Alexisovich de Gaston, 8d, IV & feeding tube, now in regional hospital CRPPD P8190039.JPG


On the 26th of August, Robert blinked. gazed some.
Dzina almost smiled as she posed with him for this picture!
(Note: The scalp IV is gone.)
08 8 26 Dzina successfully coaxed to pose w muich improved Robert RED60PCT P8260383


      Here we have pictures of Robert on day 18, August 29.  Though asleep here, Robert has begun to awaken for intervals, and to gaze at his surroundings.  His weight was 2,070 grams this day, which is at last more than at his birthweight of 2,000 gm from which weight he went down until now.
08 8 29 Robert sleeping in Neotatal Intensive Care Unit CRPD P829000308 8 29 Robert sleeps in 'box' in NICU a OBLBolnitsa RED60PCT P8290004


      Sunday, August 31, and Robert is now 20 days old (3 weeks old tomorrow which will be 4 weeks before he is due!).  He has gained more weight and is 2,150 Kg.  He awakens and remains awake more.  He blinks, and he makes little sounds.  We love him!  These pictures were all made today.
08 8 31 Robert eyeing Dad whose fingers are seen, 20 days old CRPD RED70PCT P8310029

08 8 31 Dzina holding Rober, Madonna & babe on Sunday RED60PCT P8310027		08 8 31 Robert, Neal's hand, Dzina, Sunday, 20 days old RED600CT P8310025

08 8 31 Robert w wide open eyes, such change in two days__ w Dzina RED60PCT CRPD MIRROR P8310028


      After Sunday, August 31, the gradient on Robert's improvement increased. By Friday, September 5 he weighed 2,250gm, then on the 7th he weighed 2,420!  September 8 he weighed 2,450gm, and on Thursday, September 11, we brought him home at a discharge weight of 2,650gm...and as near as could be measured, 45.5cm length.   Pics here are September 2nd and 4th in the top row, and both in the bottom row were taken September 4th.
08 9 2 Robert de Gaston, 22 days, milk on lips 2250 gms RED60PCT P9020003

08 9 4 Neal-DAD holds Robert for the first time, Robert is 24 days RED60PCT P9040015		08 9 8 Dad & Robert, another great pic RED60PCT P9080012

08 9 8 Robert in stepped-down to sanitary rm in unheated bed now, 4 w old today RED60PCT P9080006.JPG


      After three plus weeks Robert was put in the lowest weight pampers as seen in the picture below (as you can see, the diaper had to be changed only about every thrree days because of its capacity relative to the body mass).:
Pamper, w Robert RED50PCT 001.jpg

YES, THIS IS A QUASI-JOKE!



"La Pulga (The Flea)" since Robert was flea-sized at birth!
We pray that he will soon be as lively as a jumping flea!