**Updated at the bottom**

The good times just keep a comin'. Sh.awn now has traces of blood in his stool. They don't know why, but it is there. The doctors are "keeping a close eye on it" and waiting for more before they do anything. They did say that this couldn't be from the surgery (duh) so that means that something happened in the NICU itself. When asked why they aren't being more aggressive to find the cause of the blood in the stool, they down played that it was even there. That is the pattern. They tell us that something is going on in an off handed kind of way just so they can say that they informed us. Then when we press the issue, they say that it really isn't anything significant. When I stress my point that something that is new IS significant and deserves investigation and not the wait and see approach, I am being difficult. They stop talking to me and address only Isaac. I am not being unreasonable, nor am I being combative. I am just questioning their decisions, and they don't want to deal with me.

Looks like both boys have bacterial infections (same bacteria in both of them) from their intubation tubes. Hmm...wonder how that happened? I am so sick of the "I don't knows" and the blanket excuse that they are premature and this is how premature infants react. I might have believe that an infection was just a freak thing if one of the boys got one. But both? And the same bacteria? Give me a break. So you tell me that a collapsed lung is a preemie thing? You're saying that an infection from a tube is a preemie thing. No. These are things that happen because of sloppy work.

This is a teaching hospital. I struggle with that, too. Being a teacher myself, I understand the need for hospitals like this. Students need the opportunity to practice what they learn. I just don't want them learning on my babies. And the knowledge that many of the doctors I deal with are learning makes me feel like I need to ask even more questions about the babies' care.

Sadly, the attending in charge of the NICU doesn't make me feel any more confident in that place than the interns, residents, and fellows. I did tell her (the attending) that I would like the opportunity to speak to her supervisor on Monday. No one with any "power" is there on the weekends. We'll see how much work it will take to make that happen.

If the NICU life is so hard for us, what must this experience be like for the poor families without education or insurance or both? Both Is.aac and myself have good insurance and don't need to worry about the cost of all the care the boys are getting. I can't even imagine what the NICU care will cost. We are educated and do our research on what is going on with the boys. We come prepared to talk to the doctors and nurses with questions. I take notes on what we are told (mostly now so I can tell the who said what) and check dr. google about what they tell us. And still we are struggling maneuvering through all of this crap.

I really do think that this hospital and the staff are not used to dealing with people who ask questions about their child's care. They all get flustered and defensive. The more pointed a question is, the worse they are.

I am still pushing to have them moved back to our original hospital. Shit, the original hospital can give the boys just as many infections and collapse their lungs, too, if that is what this hospital is worried about. We don't want the boys to miss out on all of this excellent care or anything. At least then I would be close enough to visit whenever I wanted. (Isaac didn't think that my arguments should include that last little bit, but I am so tempted to use it anyway!)

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Thank you for the comments everyone. It does make me feel better to know that I am not just over reacting and that you all would do similar things. Plus, you are giving me valuable advice on how to proceed. I do appreciate it and please keep suggesting things!

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In response to a comment by the Madeira Triplets:

God, Jody, this scared the crap out of me! We called to ask about NEC. They assured us that they had done four clinical tests and ruled it out for now. They will continue to evaluate Sh.awn for NEC, though. I will go more in depth about it with the doctor tonight when I see the babies. I swear if it isn't one thing, it is another.

I had the feeling that there was a reason they had mentioned the blood in the stool the way they did. Had I been the one talking to them instead of Is.aac, I would have asked further questions about it. It had already rang some warning bells in my head when Isaac told me what they said. Sneaky bastards! Sigh.

Thank you so much!