Post-Op Day 4

I'm going to try to be quick because I want to get back in her room.  But, I also wanted to give you an update. 

Unfortunately, Harlie has taken a turn for the worse.  And pretty much in every area.  And while I can't be as positive as I would like to be (in my writing, I mean) I am not overly worried.  Yet. 

Here's where things stand:

• She's back on pressure support (for breathing).  She was on normal trach collar for a while, but she just couldn't handle it long-term. 
• She is taking a lot more breaths per minute, which is not a good thing.
• Her x-rays today look worse than yesterday's, with more hazing in her left lung.  They are treating her for pneumonia at this point, until the respiratory cultures come back with a more specific growth.  They are hoping that the pressure support will help get air in the area that appears to have collapsed.
• They've added another IV antibiotic - so she's on two now.
• She hasn't pooped.  At all.  And her belly is distended (hard and swollen).  They have been giving her something to help with this for days now.  Seriously - 4 doses of Miralax, 6 doses of colace, 4 glycerin suppositories, and 1 enema.  They are stumped.  We turned off her feeds and are giving her another six hours (from 11am) to give her another enema. 
• Her blood pressure is down (not good and her non-pooping status probably isn't helping).
• Her heart rate is up (over 170s).
• She's on 100% oxygen and maintaining sats of only 80 (a normal person has sats close to 100). 
• And she went back into junctional rythm, but this time it affected her blood pressure and heart rate.  So, they are watching that closely.  Still haven't turned the pacemaker back on, so it must be okay.
• And her chest tube drainage dumped a lot of fluid over night - a large increase as it was beginning to taper down yesterday.  So that's a bummer.
• Her white blood cell count was still 29 this morning.  Bad that it didn't go down, but good that it didn't go up, either.
• She's still febrile on/off and the cooling pad is what gets her down, but after a while of it not being on, her temp climbs again.

I think I mentioned that one of her atrium lines was stuck.  Well, I got to hold her in my lap for a while yesterday, so maybe the moving around from the bed to my lap, etc. loosened it because when the surgeon came, he tugged and it came right out.  So, that's good.

I really do wish I had more a positive report for you.  She is truly miserable and hasn't really been awake since Thursday.  She tosses and turns every minute it seems.  Hopefully today will bring us some good movements (if you know what I mean) and hopefully that will start a good chain reaction. 

As always, I'll do my best to keep you posted.  I know some of you may be worried about me and my spirit.  But, I really am doing okay.  I have managed to get in all my training runs in the early mornings and even my long run today (a recovery week, so it was a short 5) and perhaps that has helped with my spirit and stress.  Plus, I have loved all of our nurses and laughing with them has been healing, too. 

Although last night one of Harlie's roomies (there are three patients to a room in the pod we're in) passed away.  She was three months old.  It was really weird to think that she passed just 10 feet away from where we're standing.  And the other little baby has been alone every day.  Not that I'm judging his family, because who knows what's going on there.  But, both patient situations made me want to crawl in bed with Harlie and hug her tight.  Harlie is so dearly loved.  And we are so blessed to be a family. So, don't worry about me. 

Thank you again for all your support and prayers. 

Much love to you all from DC,
Christy