Sunday, March 25, 2007

Feeling Better

Medical Stuff

  • The IV came out last night. Dan said they came in with flashlights around 3 a.m. with the intent to replace it. He told them "You're not doing that tonight" and they left! Good job Daddy!

  • The doctors were concerned over Drew's blood pressure. They thought it was too low in his arms and too high in his legs. They wanted to stop his lisinopril, but we objected until they talked to cardiology. Cardiology said its no big deal and to continue his meds.

  • His oxygen sats were sitting in the mid 70s even while on oxygen, which is worse than yesterday. It turned out the pulse ox wasn't positioned correctly on his big toe and when the nurse moved it he's holding steady around 83-84.

  • Since his sats seem to be holding they've turned off the oxygen. If he can stay above 80 he won't need oxygen anymore and we're one step closer to going home.

  • The doctors want to treat him with antibiotics for 48 hours, until those blood cultures come back (around midnight tonight). Since we've lost the IV and I don't want to traumatize him by trying to get it in again, he'll be getting his antibiotics intramuscularly (that means shots). I figure they won't get his IV in less than two pokes anyway, shots are quick, and he gets over them pretty quickly. They even agreed to do them early (they were scheduled for midnight) so that he can go to bed afterward.

Other Stuff

  • I brought Ava with me to see Drew this morning. I think they were happy to see each other, until Ava started touching his things. But he did share some goldfish with her.

  • I convinced Drew to take a bath this morning. He didn't really want to at first, but once he was in there he had fun splashing and started to act more like himself.

  • After he had some clean jammies on we tried to go to the playroom, but its closed. :( So we went for a walk instead, with me pulling the oxygen tank behind us. Then he found one of those ride in cars and we took his rhino for a ride around the hospital looking for diggers (they are always doing construction around here). On our journey we found a fish tank and Drew was cracking up when the fish would eat some rocks and then spit them out again.

  • At lunch he ate all his pudding, most of his applesauce and a couple bites of PB&J. He also ate a bunch of goldfish this morning, and seems to be drinking enough water on his own.

  • When I got hungry for lunch I loaded Drew up into a wagon with his oxygen tank and cat and took him down to the cafeteria with me. We also stopped at the gift shop and I bought him a balloon and a lollipop.

  • This is Drew's first time in the hospital in a big bed. He is getting a kick out of pressing all the buttons, making his bed move up and down, turning on the lights and driving the nurses crazy by paging them every few minutes.

  • Today Ava is hanging out at home with my cousins. Dan is trying to get some sleep, as he didn't have a very good night last night. We plan on the same routine tonight. He'll come back and stay with Drew tonight and I'll leave around bedtime and stay at home with Ava.

  • It looks like if things continue going well we'll be going home tomorrow. Praise God!



Ava came to visit Drew. He said, "She's touching my bed."

Drew stops by the gift shop on his wagon ride

5 comments:

Mother in Chief said...

I'm so sad to hear about Drew's recurring bouts of pneumonia. But fortunately that IV is coming out and hopefully that will be a tell-tale sign that you are heading home. It was really interesting to read through the past couple days of your adventures... sounding eerily similar to some of our adventures -- complete with the fish that pick up stones in their mouths, the terrible experience with getting an IV, and trying to manage your home life and healthy kid with your sick kid's needs. I hope you can get home and resume your lives (and get some rest). All I can say is that we better not still be at UCSF when he comes in for his cath on May 1. xxoo Suzanne

Anonymous said...

Hi my sweet, just sending a love blog. Picturing Drew playing with the bed mechanism is a crack up! Glad he got to go on a field trip today, watch fish and do a little retail. Will be thinking really good thoughts around midnight. Love to you all.

Anonymous said...

Even though we've been in touch, I was very happy to see the pictures of Drew in the hosp. He doesn't look too bad and that makes Grandma happy! I'll never forget the all day attempt in May to get the IV in and I'm glad you remembered about the transport team. You are both great parents. I wish I was there with you, but am so grateful to Kate, Jen, Aunt Marie and Heather and John. Thanks to everyone who helped out my little family when I couldn't be there!

Mom

Wyndi said...

we are hoping all the test came back with results in your favor and your awaiting discharge today.

Jessica said...

I think it's great that you can stay so positive and focused on Drew that you are able to plan little distracting field trips for him, even when he's in the hosp. miserable. Good mommy! And yay Daddy for standing up to the hospital staff.
I had to do the same thing once. Why do they always want to wake up a sleeping baby? Why? So wrong.

Elizabeth calls construction vehicles "diggers" too...it must be in the three year old handbook!