Post-op Day 2

My, how fast things change. Left her last night looking great. And when I called the night nurse this morning to see how she did over night, it was a whole different situation. She said she had a rocky night and was up all night coughing and had to go back on oxygen. She said she had finally settled a bit and fell asleep at 5:30am. Oh, my poor girl. So hard to think of her being awake and uncomfortable all night long.

When Maggie and I got to her room, she was a mess. She was very upset because she had to go potty and didn't want to go in the bed. Unfortunately her nurse didn't quickly understand what she was signing. It got Harlie so messed up from a medical perspective (meaning it got her out of breath and she just couldn't recover) that her sats went down to 53! She looked terrible and her chest and shoulders were really moving with every breath. She was working so hard, and she just couldn't recover on her own.

So they had to put her on bipap via a face mask, which she's never had. You could tell she was EXHAUSTED because she didn't fight it going on at all.

They took more xrays and they said she has something brewing (pneumonia) in her right lung. It could be fluid related or maybe some blood got in there.  They gave her lots of fluid during her surgery and she is way up in weight. She came in at 54 pounds and is now 59, and hasn't has any food really since Monday night. They started her feeds slowly yesterday, but they stopped them when she had that episode and I don't know when they will restart them. So, she's very fluid over loaded. She's on Lasix, which is a direutic to help her pee and get rid of some fluid.

So, she's staying in the ICU tonight for sure. We'll talk about tomorrow, tomorrow.

So, it's 4pm and she just had another episode. She took off her mask and when I tried to put it back on she smacked it out of my hand. Within seconds she was working so hard to breathe. She looked horrible. She looks like she has a lot of things that are making her hurt/uncomfortable and she just doesn't know what to do. I think she hit the respiratory therapist. She is a very unhappy girl today.

This was all so much easier when she had her trach. Can't believe I'm saying that. But I can't help but be nervous about what happens if she doesn't tolerate the bipap mask. She just looks so uncomfortable.

Honestly, the video doesn't do it justice. Her chest and shoulders were way worse when she took off the mask. Within two minutes of going back on bipap, she was sleeping. Her body is so very tired.

Ok, the day isn't over, but I'm wrapping this up. Will fill you in on the rest tomorrow.

Thank you for the love. Can't possibly tell you how much it means to us.
xo,
Christy