We HATE this machine.....

So things are well at the Logan Compound....ESPECIALLY since this machine has run its course.  Existing parents, I don't know if you've had the "pleasure" (& I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible) of using this machine, but we used it for 10 days.  That's about 10 days longer than I recommend.  Average usage time is 2-3 days.  Parents-to-be, beware of this thing.... think long & hard about using it because your other option is to stay in the hospital another day or two.  

This contraption is called a "Billi Blanket".  It is what they have created to help jaundice babies get all of the "bilirubin"  out of their system.  From my best translation of what the docs & nurses say, jaundice is the liver's inability to process dead blood cells out of a baby's system.  This leads to a slight discoloration in the baby's skin -- giving a yellow tint.  If the liver doesn't process it out properly it can re-absorb into the baby's system....I'm not sure how bad that is, but probably not good.  But I digress....

The little paddle looking thing you see at the end of the hose is to be placed UNDER baby's clothes & in contact with the skin.  The tube then leads out to the box machine which houses a fluorescent light that is shone through a blue lens.  The light helps break up the bilirubin, thus making it easier for the liver to do its thing.  This gives off a nice little "glow worm" effect that you see here:  

While this is pretty cool LOOKING, it is probably one of the most inconvenient devices we've ever had to use.  It pretty much ensured that we couldn't walk freely with Ethan around the house because we needed to have it on him as much as possible.  As in, 24 hrs a day.  So we had to pick our place & plug it in & sit.  

The test to see the bilirubin level is a blood test that they draw from the heel.  We had to get this test 8 times out of the 10 days of wearing it..... so needless to say, his heels are pretty nicked up!

Granted, with all that said, the device DOES do what its supposed to do.  It got his levels down & frankly, anything that helps our child be healthy is a great thing.  Its what they recommended & while it was tough to use, it did a fantastic job of getting Li'l Man healthy.

The call from the doctor today that informed us of his levels being where they want them to be was the best news we've gotten since he was born.  This news included the instructions to call the company who provided it to us & have them pick it up.

Adios "Billi Blanket" -- good riddance!