Friday, March 10, 2006
All the pictures seem to look the same anymore. Poor little guy.
Sorry I didn't update yesterday, but hey, now you get a report and a half :)
Yesterday, he was completely off all narcotics. He's on a patch to stave off the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, although he was a little sweaty, and yawning a lot, which are symptoms, but if those are the worst of them, we can handle that. He's on a different type of drug for pain which isn't a sedative, isn't a narcotic, and doesn't knock him out. The name escapes me but I'll ask again today when we go up.
His kidney function and all the magic numbers on the monitors were really good, and he was more "with it" even when he was asleep. I know that sounds silly, but there's definitely a difference between a narcotic stupor type of sleep, and a plain ole' regular nap. The nurse was impressed - he slept for 4 hour stretches. We had finally gotten him to the point of sleeping for as many as six some nights before he went in for surgery. We figure that is a thing of the past lol.
He was breathing really well without the piggy-back effect of him fighting it or breathing "over" it. They weaned it down a bit on the pressure, and he was more comfortable.
We were only able to be with him for a total of 30 minutes yesterday, which I hate, but I felt really good about where he was and how he was doing when we left. Some days we're there all day, and I leave feeling stressed out and worried you know?
This morning before I even woke up Scott called to check on him and we have the same nurse as yesterday, whom I LOVE and wish she was on all the time. She's dedicated to keeping him off the narcs, and is willing to work to comfort him without dosing him with morphine, which can sometimes be work. She does this thing called 'angel wings' that creates the same thing as swaddling and works really well on him.
Anyway, she told him not to be surprised if he's in a different spot, because right now he's under an a/c vent and she doesn't like it. Besides, there's been some talk about putting him in a crib because he's so big lol. OK, a new spot is good for us, a regular crib is cool...
And then she says they plan to try to extebate him today too! This is big news, and a little scary, because he had a hard time last time they took him off, but he seems so much stronger now than he was then though, so hopefully it'll be more successful and he'll do well and stay off. BUT, some children take as many as 4 or 5 tries at breathing on their own, so we'll try not to be too disappointed if he has to be put back on.
It's good news in and of itself that they're willing to try again. That means they think he's improved enough to try, and it means that there are definitely no plans to do that cath next week. Now to get him EATING! He's losing weight, and I can't get myself over the idea that he
feels like he's starving.
posted by Erin @
11:26 AM
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