We definitely have turned the corner! I got here a little before 7:00 this morning. Around 10:00 the doctor came in to reinsert the tube for meds and feeding (through the nose and into the stomach). That was pretty unpleasant to say the least. They put it in and then had to check the placement. They really had a hard time with that because Ian wouldn't open his mouth and bit the doctor. Anyway, after wrestling with him for quite a while they x-rayed, ended up having to pull the tube and reinsert it, and x-ray again. Unfortunately, he had and continues to be in restraints. We hate it, but he just will not keep his hands away from the tube. Anyway, after all that, he got settled, and started to drink some. He still hasn't eaten anything, but he drank a little carton of milk and started on another one. He also drank a little bit of water. They are giving him pediasure for his nutrition until he eats. Hopefully that will come tomorrow. He got his catheter out, so that's great. He's not even on the breathing monitor anymore. I don't know if they'll hook that back up before bed or not. We also got him out of the room on his stander, and then in his wheelchair to walk around a little bit. He did have a little bit of fever this evening but not much, and he smiled and let out a couple of laughs. So, things are definitely looking up, and maybe- just maybe- we'll be able to go home tomorrow night. I feel like we will be able to if he will eat tomorrow.
Olivia went to church this morning with one of her friends, and she and Colene came up here this afternoon and stayed around until 8:00. She enjoys playing in the playrooms and outside on the playground. She also got her own purple nursing gloves, ID bracelet, and syringe. I'm staying the night, and I think Brian is leaving at half-time. We're looking forward to tomorrow and the possibility of going home (if Ian eats). They delivered a stander to the house a couple of days ago, and Brian has the ramp ready when we get there. They'll also give us a return date to get the cast off. We'll definitely be marking the days off!
'Til tomorrow- Leah
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A New Day
Yesterday late afternoon until about 8:00 pm was really rough. Medicine was not being distributed through his body because the IV was wasn't going into the vessel properly. His arm and face started swelling, and they had to completely wrap his arm and hand in warm compresses, covered by plastic and tape to keep him from removing it- although eventually he did. Because he wasn't getting his necessary medicine, he was getting more lethargic, eyes dilated, a little fever, etc. Not good at all. Anyway, once the anesthesiologist came in to put in a new IV (since the nurses couldn't get one in) and he started getting his meds, things started to look up. Thankfully, yesterday is over, and we don't have oxygen, IV, or anything going this morning. But since he still isn't eating or drinking, they're going to put a tube back down his stomach to get his meds down and to get some Ensure in. This also means he'll have to be restrained, but at least we'll know he's getting meds and nutrition. We'll have to continue this until he starts eating/taking meds by mouth. Hopefully, that will come later today and we can go home tomorrow. Things have turned around though, and we're making progress.
Leah
Leah
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Breakthrough???
This is Brian.
Just a quick update to let you know we may have had a breakthrough late tonight. What started bad may have ended well. Once we finally got his Cortisol into him, he really came alive. As a matter of fact, he was so alive that he somehow fought out of his restraints, ripped out his new IV and then ripped off his oxygen mask; all in about 5 seconds. While the nurses tried to figure out if they could start a new IV, he continued to fight the oxygen mask so I told him if he could breathe without it, I would leave it off. I never thought he would actually do it, but we have had it off and he has been breathing at almost 100% for over an hour!
At this moment he has no IV, no mask, and is sleeping well! We are going to keep the mask off as long as his levels are fine. We are not inserting a new IV unless we have to and will not do that till tomorrow if we do. He got in plenty of fluids and other meds before ripping out the IV so we are in good shape for now and hopefully will have a good and restful night.
Hopefully we have turned the corner. Keep us in your prayers.
Just a quick update to let you know we may have had a breakthrough late tonight. What started bad may have ended well. Once we finally got his Cortisol into him, he really came alive. As a matter of fact, he was so alive that he somehow fought out of his restraints, ripped out his new IV and then ripped off his oxygen mask; all in about 5 seconds. While the nurses tried to figure out if they could start a new IV, he continued to fight the oxygen mask so I told him if he could breathe without it, I would leave it off. I never thought he would actually do it, but we have had it off and he has been breathing at almost 100% for over an hour!
At this moment he has no IV, no mask, and is sleeping well! We are going to keep the mask off as long as his levels are fine. We are not inserting a new IV unless we have to and will not do that till tomorrow if we do. He got in plenty of fluids and other meds before ripping out the IV so we are in good shape for now and hopefully will have a good and restful night.
Hopefully we have turned the corner. Keep us in your prayers.
Still Here
Ian seems to be a little better today. No fever, and his x-ray from this morning looked better. He was so compacted though that they think part of his breathing problems have been due to that. They gave him an enema yesterday and today, so I think that has given his diaphram some relief so he can take deeper breaths.
The nurses are in the process of a shift change, and we just now noticed that the IV had come loose and his medicine has not been going in at all. Hopefully it hasn't been leaking too long, but they are getting ready to do a new IV in a minute. Also, his arm is swelling because of the IV, so they just packed his arm. Well, at least his x-ray looked better, and he also smiled a couple of times. The nurses could not get the new IV in so they are bringing in an anesthesiologist in a few minutes to insert the new IV. That will be a relief. We are trying to get medicine down orally so I need to help out. We will try to update again later.
The nurses are in the process of a shift change, and we just now noticed that the IV had come loose and his medicine has not been going in at all. Hopefully it hasn't been leaking too long, but they are getting ready to do a new IV in a minute. Also, his arm is swelling because of the IV, so they just packed his arm. Well, at least his x-ray looked better, and he also smiled a couple of times. The nurses could not get the new IV in so they are bringing in an anesthesiologist in a few minutes to insert the new IV. That will be a relief. We are trying to get medicine down orally so I need to help out. We will try to update again later.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Water, Oxygen, and Fritos
It's a little after 9:00, and Brian just left. We've seen a little progress today. The nurse tonight said Ian's lungs sound much better now than when she started her shift at 4:00 or so, and he at some Fritos- his favorite! We would continually hold the oxygen mask close to his mouth, and put it over his mouth in between a chip and a drink. Getting him to eat and drink was quite a relief- even if it was just a little!
It's 10:30, and we just gave several meds and did a breathing treatment, so I'm going to try to sleep until they come back in at midnight. Hopefully, we'll see significant progress tomorrow. They're giving Ian an antibiotic to help kill the bacteria in his lungs, so maybe that will do the trick. We definitely won't be going home tomorrow but I'm sure hoping we can go Sunday. We're doing a lung x-ray in the morning. 'Til then- Leah
It's 10:30, and we just gave several meds and did a breathing treatment, so I'm going to try to sleep until they come back in at midnight. Hopefully, we'll see significant progress tomorrow. They're giving Ian an antibiotic to help kill the bacteria in his lungs, so maybe that will do the trick. We definitely won't be going home tomorrow but I'm sure hoping we can go Sunday. We're doing a lung x-ray in the morning. 'Til then- Leah
Ian's status is about the same. He continues to receive the oxygen and breathing treatments. He did take all of his medicine with water from a straw a little bit ago, so that is a step in the right direction. We may see if I can get him to eat some mac & cheese in a little bit too. That would be great if he would do that. None of this is a huge surprise. We just haven't experienced it before. The doctor mentioned the possibility to us before the surgery. (I think I mentioned this in the previous post.)
Try not to worry. They're taking great care of him, and we are fine. Helen and Colene are not planning to leave tomorrow, so Olivia is in good shape. We have a great nurse tonight and friends ready to help out too.
If anything changes or I get some mac and cheese down, I'll let you know. As always, thank you for your prayers.
Leah
Try not to worry. They're taking great care of him, and we are fine. Helen and Colene are not planning to leave tomorrow, so Olivia is in good shape. We have a great nurse tonight and friends ready to help out too.
If anything changes or I get some mac and cheese down, I'll let you know. As always, thank you for your prayers.
Leah
Doing Better
Today's x-ray looked better, so that's good. He is considered to have pneumonia though and is still on oxygen. They have taken him off pain medicine through the IV, and when he starts getting agitated, we can give him medicine by mouth. However, he hasn't really been willing to take anything by mouth, so when the time comes, that may be a challenge. He is resting fine, and since he's off the pain medicine, he should become more alert before long, hopefully leading to more willingness to drink, more movement, and cleared up lungs. Just lying here on his back is not the best things for his lungs right now.
They came in and trimmed and padded his cast and this afternoon will do more padding and wrapping. When they put the cast on during surgery, they leave slits in it for a few days to allow for swelling. Then they go in later and fill in the gaps with cotton "stuff" and rewrap it.
Brian has been gone a couple hours to shower, eat, and play with Olivia for a little bit, but he's on his way back now. I just finished eating Ian's lunch- since he's not eating!
Will let you know his progress this evening. We're holding steady- Leah
They came in and trimmed and padded his cast and this afternoon will do more padding and wrapping. When they put the cast on during surgery, they leave slits in it for a few days to allow for swelling. Then they go in later and fill in the gaps with cotton "stuff" and rewrap it.
Brian has been gone a couple hours to shower, eat, and play with Olivia for a little bit, but he's on his way back now. I just finished eating Ian's lunch- since he's not eating!
Will let you know his progress this evening. We're holding steady- Leah
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