Sunday, February 14, 2010

Sunday Update

It's now Sunday. Unfortunately, she was moved from the PICU to the floor (trach pod) yesterday afternoon. While it is more "comfortable" in that we can eat, talk on our phones and get visitors in here, we also get less help, too.

She is doing great. And she is so ready to go home. Yesterday she signed "go home, shoes and get dressed." And she kept pointing to her monitor wires and signing "off." It kills me to tell her we can't go home yet. Especially when she FEELS fine.

All we're waiting on now is culture results. The infectious disease (ID) doc came by just a few minutes ago. He said that she has a "bunch" of organisms/bacteria from the bone infection. To spare you from the lesson in microbiology I received (another area of medicine I'd rather not know about ) when more organisms grow, it takes longer to find out exactly which antibiotic will work.

The good news is that it is not likely to be MRSA. So, that's great. The bad news is that one of them is Pseudomonas, which can be pretty resistant to meds, too. It's pretty common for pseudomonas to live on/around the trach. It really likes damp areas, and getting humidified air during the night makes a trached person more susceptible. The thinking is that it was on or around her trach, which was super close to her incision. And the germ could have gotten on her trach collar, which then rubbed on her incisions. At any rate, it looks like it got into her bone, which makes the germ worse than if it were just isolated to the trach. Once it goes internal, it becomes more serious and harder to kill.

I asked him if this changes the length of time she'll need to receive the IV meds, and he said no. Which I was relieved to hear. Although I know things can change, so I'm not counting on anything, really. But, it does increase the number of meds she'll have to take. I think it will probably end up being two different IV meds plus some meds through her g-tube.

Hopefully we will have the final results sometime in the earlier part of the day tomorrow. Then she will need to get one dose of the appropriate antibiotic, wait a little while to make sure she has no adverse reactions, and then we can leave. So, hopefully we'll be home tomorrow night. Although, if they still can't determine what's going on until too late Monday, it will be Tuesday.

Well, I'm feeling very tired all of a sudden, so I'm going to go. I want to upload some photos, but I'll have to do that later.

Thanks,
Christy

5 comments:

Suzanne said...

Cyber hugs from Michigan. Hoping tomorrow is the day you get to go home. I know how draining the hospital is for everyone. I hate thinking about any infection in the bone because I know how much harder they are to irradicate. But I also know that Harlie is one special little girl and she will fight it like a champ. Love, Suzanne & Parker

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update !! We are think of you all !! and are hoping you get home soon with Harlie doing much better XOXOXO Mike and Marcy

Allie said...

Wow, Miss Thing is ready to go! Thanks for the update, this will be DONE soon. Deep breaths.
Xoxoxoxo

Josie said...

Christy,

I am so very sorry that this visit has turned out to be so difficult. We'll be praying that this infection gets wiped out quickly and that Harlie is back to her normal self soon. I know it was an excruciating experience for you all and we're praying for you and Tom as well. Please let us know if there's anything we can do. MLH would love to send meals, if it would help give you one less thing to worry about.

Hugs,
Josie Kurz

B-Mama said...

Hang in there, girl. You are almost through. I love hearing that Harlie wants to go home. What a spirit she has, that one. Thankfully you're looking at no more than two days. You can do it!! You're a marathoner!!! Continued prayers...

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