Wife wakes up early to pump.

Phone rings, it’s the the hospital. Did he have a big event? Is he ok?  Did he yank his tube out on his own last night? Did he regurgitate some food and aspirate it again?  Maybe he is just angry and they are telling me so I can come in and try and comfort him.  Just a few of the many ideas that run through my head in the second between my phone ringing and me answering.

Hello,  this is Dr.

Dr: RT is ok. I just wanted to let you know Continue reading “Extubation? September 16th 2016” →

RT is 8 weeks old today!  Eye appointment scheduled for this morning.

Head up to the NICU, weight on the board is 1645, he has lost some weight 70 grams,  possibly from lasics, maybe it will be back tonight.

Checked his red blood cells last night,  it was 40, big jump from 26 before transfusion.

We look at his ventilator settings, settings remain the same but oxygen percent has been turned down to 23%! That is so close to room air!  I was thinking maybe high 20’s. Amazing!

Continue reading “September 15th 2016” →

Enter NICU, it’s one of the nurses that has had him a couple times!

Weight is down slightly to 1715 grams.

The nurse tells us they had another lung X-ray this morning. CPT has been discontinued because upper right lobe looks betterish. He is also now on NAVA mode of ventilation. He still has a ET tube down his throat and now has an EDI catheter too, we were on this system back in the first couple weeks of his life. The EDI catheter picks up the signals his brain is sending to his diaphragm and gives him a breath. Continue reading “September 14 2016” →

1720 grams on the board, that is 3 lb 12.7 oz. He is getting closer to that 4 lb mark!

He is at 38% oxygen! The nurse today is one of his primaries! She comments  It has been a little bit since she has seen him,  he is bigger now! Getting old RT! She tells us how last night’s nurse had him down to 33% oxygen!

Continue reading “September 13th” →

Weight in the board, 1655 Up 5 grams.

Oxygen percent still sitting at 53%.

They have a checklist out for another blood transfusion, we were guessing this would happen today after Sunday night labs. Last Sunday his red blood cell count was 29.8 that was before surgery and countless attempts at IV, picc line sticks, blood gas, and surgery. Now it is down to 26.

Continue reading “September 12 2016” →

When we went up to the NICU this morning his oxygen percent was up to 66. That is 9 percent higher than he was all day yesterday, and over the night all night the he was around 52%.

We wondered why he was needing more oxygen.  Is he building up fluid around his lungs which is a possible side effect of surgery that can take a while to present itself. Is he derecruiting lung volume again.  She says it sounds like he is breathing shallow.   Continue reading “September 11th 2016” →

When we came to the NICU this morning RT’s weight is up to 1640 grams or 3.6 lbs. A 20 gram gain since yesterday. He has been gainin weight steadily.
His heart rate is elevated at about 200 Bpm, he is angry. Mouth wide open with his sad silent screams. Continue reading “Sept 10 2016” →

0650 call from hospital, mini panic attack. Just calling and letting us know the plan to not use swedish transport team.

OK everything is ok. Deep sigh Continue reading “Sept 9th 2016” →