12/27 5:55 pm

 

Ethan slept a bit this morning. I was able to go back asleep for a little bit. I hurt my neck in the shower because I am old. I think it is from moving Ethan. He’s kind of a load to roll around the bed.

He had his echo first thing this morning which is cool because I thought it was going to be on Monday. I am curious of how his right side of his heart is doing. They didn’t have results for rounds and rounds were late today. This floor has been hopping all morning.

Ethan was running a little low with his blood pressures today and his oxygen was upper 80’s low 90’s all morning. Last night he dropped to mid 70’s a few times. The percentage of red blood cells in his blood have also been dropping, so he earned another blood transfusion today. I am hoping this makes him feel better. It should help with both.

They took him off the cooling blanket to see where his temperature is at. Fever? No fever? We will see.  His lung secretions are nasty today. Like brown apple sauce. They were clear two days ago so we will see.  He also was not moving as much being paralyzed.

There has been bloodwork done and the white blood cells are NORMAL about the only thing normal about Ethan right now. Yeah for normal white blood cells.  His kidney values went up a little. It is hard to juggle all these things.  You adjust one thing and two other things go wrong.

I asked about his pro BNP results. That is the test that the normal range is 250 or less.  Ethan’s has been as high as 40,000. It indicates heart health.  It was supposed to be drawn yesterday and got lost in the shuffle. They drew it today after I asked about it. I am still waiting on results.

Some great news for Ethan, they removed his urinary catheter. That was bothering him terrible. I think that makes him a bit more comfortable.

He was able to rest this afternoon and so was I. I snuck in a little nap. Thank goodness I was so tired. 

Ethan watched the Comedy Central movie marathon today. I say “watched” but his eyes were open maybe 15 minutes total. It’s like he peeps around and then closes them. They are still red and likely sore. He is still getting them medicated. It seems that people only come in the room when the most inappropriate spots of the movies are on and make me look like a terrible parent for subjecting my kid to a cable R rated movie.

We had no events of Ethan scarring  the shit out of me. That is great news. I would consider today overall successful. Ethan was moving all limbs and slightly less delirious today. Tomorrow is the last day with the day time nurse we have had for the past few days.  I like him. He’s good.

They are waiting to see what Ethan’s kidney values are this evening. He has a lot of fluid. Fluid in his abdomen, fluid in and around his lungs, pitting edema in all extremities (which should go away a bit more once he is moving a bit more) and even his face is puffy. If his values have come down a bit they can add a third diuretic to help alleviate all his fluid retention.

We will see how tonight goes. I am hoping better than last night but am prepared for a repeater. Glad I napped. These are the harder moments but my eye is on the prize. I am glad I saw eyeballs today.  Every yes or no nod was so valued. I think of the poor parents that lost their baby this morning. Ugh! Hug your kids tonight. Talk about the bright side of the day, even if they have been a pain in the ass.