PICU

Well, it looks like we may be in the ICU for another couple of days.  She is still doing really great – drinking lots of milk and starting to eat some food.  We won’t leave ICU until they can remove her chest tubes and she is still having too much drainage from them.  Possibly tomorrow, but more likely on Saturday.  Once they get removed we’ll then move to IMC (Intermediate Care) and I’m guessing another one or two days there until we can go home.

She is completely off her morphine drip as of this morning (she was on a VERY low dose since noon yesterday and did great) and they are going to be giving her blood pressure medicine orally instead through her IV.  It’s extremely important for her blood pressure to remain steady to give the fix in her heart time to heal.  What they want to do is figure out her correct dosage to regulate it properly while we are in the hospital so they know what dose to send us home on.  She’ll be on that medicine any where from six to ten weeks.  I’m pretty sure this will be the only medicine we will have to go home on, which is pretty impressive I think.

This big bed for the both of us is working out great; I honestly don’t know how it would work without it.  She is very suspicious of anyone coming in, especially if they are dressed in navy (that’s the color of the RNs scrubs).  She does pretty well as long as I’m right by her side, but watch out if Mommy has to use the bathroom!  Even if Daddy is here that’s not allowed.  I try to time those trips with naps, but that’s not always possible.  I was able to sneek out for 10 minutes this morning during a nap for a much needed shower!

When she’s awake she’s really back to her old self (just with more naps) and we’re getting a little bored.  We can’t do much with all of her wires and I’m kicking myself for forgetting to bring some books with me for her.  We have one book from a cart that rolled by and I’ve been reading it over and over and over.  When Mike comes back from his PT appointment I plan to send him up to the third floor to check out some Elmo DVDs and some books to read.  I’ll also try to catch a Child Life Specialist and see if they have any toys we can borrow to play with.  We’re also thinking of letting Abe (and Grandpa) come up to visit tomorrow.

Overall, still no complaints.  This we can handle!!  Boredom is good in a hospital setting.  Thanks again for your continued prayers.  We’re still trucking along and doing well!!