Friday, December 5, 2008

Second update Day 5

We have internet in our room here in he PICU, which is how I am updating. It's a savior when Serena naps!

We have better news to report. Although, Serena was turned up to 100% FiO2 last night to keep her sats up, they have decided that she does sound better and they are going to be a little aggressive in weaning her while she is awake during the day. She is down to 7 liters and down to 70%, (even though she was down to 60 yesterday, this is still good.) They also lowerd the dose of her albuterol, even though she still gets the treatment every hour.
I just talked to the nurses and respiratory therapists, they feel that the Drs are being a little too conservative and that the focus should be to turn down her flow and not the FiO2 because she will be at 100% O2 while on a nasal canula anyway. They also don't feel she really needs these nebs every hour because she is not wheezing. Of course her lungs are junky, but that is from the virus she has, and nebs aren't going to make that "go away."
She is off precautions since all her swabs came back normal. So we don't know which virus she has, but it not RSV, the flu, or the other viruses they check for.
Who knows why she got this sick, but at least she seems to be improving! Just wanted you to know because it's better news than what we thought this am with her settings turned all the way back up!

6 comments:

Twinmommy2boys said...

I'm very sorry your little girl is sick. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. Hope she feels better soon.

Vicky said...

I'm glad that Serena is making progress and that she's resting a bit better now.

I know what you mean about the kids getting terrified of medical professionals. My elder son was hospitalised with pneumonia at 1 year and a few months old. He had only a few words at the time but I remember he used "OUT" a lot - to the doctors as they stuck him, pulling on his tubes, pointing at the door, begging to be let out, rattling the bars of his crib, you name it. It was heartbreaking, and he had a phobia of white uniforms that lasted for a few years.

But now he's 12 years old, nearly as tall as me, has bigger feet and hands and stinkier armpits and he's lovely!!!

Yours will grow up to be just as big and stinky, so keep on looking forward to those days while enjoying them while they are still small enough to cuddle. I can only cuddle bits of mine now that they are so big.

Unknown said...

glad things are starting to improve for Serena.

Viruses can be very scary....my little one was hospitalzed for a week last year, they thought he was septic, and well, they were thinking the worst. His BW was so wacky, but nothing ever grew in the cultures, it ended up being a virus....some sort of stomach virus. He was a very sick little boy.

Hope she continues to do better.

1stson24weeks said...

Oh stephanie!

It has been so long since I have been online I am so sorry to hear you are going through all of this! PLEASE If you need naything call me! I am sending you my thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery for miss Serena. I hope you and Edwin are doing OK, I can't imagine what you must be going through! Stay strong and get well soon Serena!

Erika & Bryce

abby said...

Oh My God! I hadn't checked for a few days, and then I log on to see that Serena's been in the PICU for close to a week now. I am so sorry that this is happening and hope that she feels better soon. We're sending prayers and thoughts and lots of healing energy (or what have you) your way.

And yeah, the whole prematurity thing sucks. It never stops, and I don't think it ever will. We've recently been thinking that we're seeing the move from RAD to asthma here, too. For Hallie it seems related to physical exertion. Which stinks because she loves to run around.

Give the kids a hug for me, and tell Serena that her friends in Philly are hoping she feels better soon!

Sarah said...

I just got caught up. I can't believe how big Serena is. I'm glad she's getting by on the O2 and I hope hope hope that this swing stays in the right direction.

You're right. Prematurity sucks. It seems like a never-ending battle and some people just don't get it.

I'm hoping the next update is that you guys are on stepdown and heading home.

Lots of hugs and prayers :)