GOOD NEWS!! ~ Sammy is Really Getting *BETTER*!!
http://petoftheday.com/i/our_smilies/biggrin.gif
Wednesday, December 14, 2005 at 12:59 PM EST
Sam is improving each day, and was extubated yesterday;
she's breathing great on her own, and slept through the night. http://petoftheday.com/i/our_smilies/smile.gif
She has opened her eyes, but doesn't stay awake for long --
her sedation is now off, but it will take a little time before she's fully awake.
She has managed to cry, though!
Her arterial line has been removed, and though she was puffy yesterday,
the fluids are coming off, and she's "deflating" as I type.
Dialysis won't be necessary, which is great.
She has bled a bit into some old wounds, so some of her scars are darker,
and she's had a little blistering/bleeding, but plastics has been alerted,
and we'll wait to hear what they have to say.
She did mouth a small kiss to me yesterday, and
gave her Barney a brief hug.
She received a shampoo & hairstyle (pigtails), and
is nearly ready to leave the PICU -- maybe tomorrow!
She will need to finish the course of antibiotics,
so she'll recover on a regular floor for a week or so, at least.
They are lowering the lasix as well.
They identified the bacteria; it's a GI bug, and a pretty uncommon one.
It's not an esp. resistant one, luckily, and
they feel they have it under control.
The PICC did not appear infected, but the fact that she had a
line in increases the chances for infection, so they still think it's involved.
We're hoping Sam will be hungry when she wakes up, and
have the menu in front of us, to order some of her favorites.
Thanks, everyone, for your support and prayers;
Sam plans on being home as soon as she can!
Jessica
PS: Yesterday was one year to the day when Sam was
first placed in my arms!
---------------------------------------------------------
Happie *Gotcha Day*, Sammy!!
Now let's see if you can make it Home to see Santa!
----------------------------------------------------------
Sammy's stuck in PICU - with a few more setbacks
Thursday, December 15, 2005 at 05:25 PM EST
Today hasn't been a good day for Sam,
and she won't be leaving the PICU yet. http://petoftheday.com/i/our_smilies/frown.gif
She's been in and out, but when her eyes are open,
she doesn't seem cognizant of anything or anyone -- even us.
She's begun having seizures, and has had 5 episodes today.
They did a CAT scan, which looked fine, but doesn't always offer a complete picture.
They have her hooked up to an EEG, and
will put her on anti-seizure meds. They're not sure why she's seizing,
as she never has before; the immunology folks have been by,
and will be doing some testing to rule out an immune deficiency problem.
They are also going to do a spinal tap to see if the bacteria managed
to cause any swelling or inflammation upstairs.
Her kidney function is stable, and they expect it to continue to improve,
now that the acute period is over, which is good,
but now we have this new set of worries.
Please pray hard for Sam, as her battle continues.
Jessica
-----------------------------------------------------
Dear God ~
Please, can You give Sammy, Jessica, and Rob a break?
We'll Pray that tomorrow is a Better Day for Sam.
Thanks God
---------------------------------------------------