Rin's pain manage plan was a lot better generally speaking but we were having trouble with her not wanting to take deep breaths and holding her breath. That in turn would send her oxamerter into a frenzy with her O2 saturation diving and her hear rate rising. With the help of a wonderful nursing staff we finally deduced that she has a soar side. Most kids who have this spinal fusion do. Usually the side they had to manipulate the most. Guess what side that is, Rin's right side. Guess what side she was crying in the PICU, the right side. Guess what side she was panting on? The right side! These little things that could have been so easily fixed if she could have just had the ability to say, "Mom, that side hurts more." makes me loco. Such a simple fix and yet for her she has to wait out the dodo bird parents until they can figure it out.
We finally got a couple of hours of rest in somewhere between 3-5. Ethan came in to relieve me and I headed back to the hotel room. I really thought I would get a shower and take a nap but that didn't happen. I did get shower but then I ended upon the phone for a while. I cleaned up the room and got my things together and headed back over.
I was mad when I got to the room and realized I had missed her doctor coming in and changing her dressing. The doctor had also given us some goals to reach. He wanted Korinna to sit in a chair, he wanted her to show us that her GI tract was moving. (Read betweens the line) and then if she gets a fever we have to do chest therapy.
She tolarAted the moving and sat in a chair for a long time. When I left to go home we were in high hopes that everyone would get some rest. I was wrong.
When I called back up to the hospital Sunday morning Ethan sounded exhausted. They had both had zero sleep. Korinna had cried all night long and was not resting. By the time I got to the room at 10:30 it was obvious Ethan was barely keeping his faculties due to the exhaustion and Korinna looked weepy and sad. I relieved Ethan and then settled in for a hard day. Lots of tears, lots of just being unhappy. At 5ish we saw the doctor again who reminded me that there is a phase of just extreme exhaustion and crankiness. Well, we are there! He was happy with all the progress especially from her GI "movement" and we started her back on foods. Yes, yes you are correct she hasn't eaten for real since midnight Thursday.
She handled the feeding well and has rested soundly since then. I think we might have just turned a corner. I hope we have. I am ready to see her happy eyes and mischievous grin.
My set up. You can't see but there is a chocolate bar and sweet tea beside the chair.
Our view. This picture does not do it justice. We have a gorgeous view of Vulcan and the sun rises right over him. Spectacular though this morning it was lack luster due to the clouds.
My sweet patient. Her thoughts are, "just leave me alone and don't touch me. "
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