A Long & Winding Road
Despite the fact that Emma is back on the ventilator and is getting help to breathe, she's not recovering as well as the team had hoped. There are a several issues we're dealing with today:
1) While her oxygen requirements aren't terribly high (typically running between 25-30% unless she's being handled by the nurses when she needs as much as 50% O2), her ventilator setting remains high (i.e., she's at 50 bpm and can't be switched to the CPAP again until she's stable at 15 bpm).
2) Although she received a tranfusion yesterday, her hemoglobin remains low (same as it was yesterday, pre-transfusion), so they're giving her another unit of blood tonight.
3) Emma hasn't had a pee since 3:00 p.m. yesterday. At first, the team wasn't overly worried and thought it was due to a combination of the morphine she was given during the re-intubation procedure, the several doses of diuretic she's had over the past few days (which "dried her out"), and the fact that she's been exhausted. As the day wore on though, they became increasingly concerned about her, gave her extra fluids in an effort to get her to pee, and eventually inserted a catheter. She still wasn't peeing, so they're now wondering if she has a kidney or urinary tract infection. More testing to be done tonight.
4) The trach. aspirate culture came back positive indicating Emma has a bacteria in her lungs/airway. They're not sure if it is the same infection she had a couple of weeks ago or not, but they've started her on another 'round of antibiotics.
We wish Emma could just get a break... it's so hard to see her struggling.
** Update ** - Emma finally had a really big pee for her Dad who was waiting to change her diaper this evening, so the team is not as concerned about it now... One less thing to worry about.
1) While her oxygen requirements aren't terribly high (typically running between 25-30% unless she's being handled by the nurses when she needs as much as 50% O2), her ventilator setting remains high (i.e., she's at 50 bpm and can't be switched to the CPAP again until she's stable at 15 bpm).
2) Although she received a tranfusion yesterday, her hemoglobin remains low (same as it was yesterday, pre-transfusion), so they're giving her another unit of blood tonight.
3) Emma hasn't had a pee since 3:00 p.m. yesterday. At first, the team wasn't overly worried and thought it was due to a combination of the morphine she was given during the re-intubation procedure, the several doses of diuretic she's had over the past few days (which "dried her out"), and the fact that she's been exhausted. As the day wore on though, they became increasingly concerned about her, gave her extra fluids in an effort to get her to pee, and eventually inserted a catheter. She still wasn't peeing, so they're now wondering if she has a kidney or urinary tract infection. More testing to be done tonight.
4) The trach. aspirate culture came back positive indicating Emma has a bacteria in her lungs/airway. They're not sure if it is the same infection she had a couple of weeks ago or not, but they've started her on another 'round of antibiotics.
We wish Emma could just get a break... it's so hard to see her struggling.
** Update ** - Emma finally had a really big pee for her Dad who was waiting to change her diaper this evening, so the team is not as concerned about it now... One less thing to worry about.
posted by Laurie at 21:29
5 Comments:
Emma our darling you are having such a hard time. We hope today gives you some relief. We love you baby....
Grandma and Opa
I hope Emma can have a bit of peace today and recoup some strength :~)
Although my thoughts and prayers are constantly with Emma, I often think of you too Laurie and Eric and what toll all of this is taken on you both. I do hope you have time to take care of yourselves as you need strenght to keep going down this long and windy road.
We can only hope and pray that Emma has a peacful day and starts re-buidling a little strength and gains a little weight. Along side Monsté, you are ALL constantly in our thoughts. Love, Nancy & Troops
Hurray Emma for a long pee for daddy!!
You have been worrying your parents and so it is nice to hear that one thing has got moving again!
Laurie and Eric, please know we are also constantly thinking of you and hoping you are keeping your strenght up!
Brenda
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