Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

Hi all, sorry to have not posted yesterday but it was a really busy day for mommy and daddy. Lots to report so hopefully I can remember it all. Here goes...

I was being weaned a bit off the ventilator but we had to go back up again on that and my oxygen levels because my lungs are really full again. They think the move across the NICU stirred everything up in there. My carbon dioxide levels are also showing up too high when they take my blood gasses. This means that when I am exhaling I'm not getting rid of my own carbon dioxide. Also my red blood cell count is down (the nurses are saying its because of all the blood tests and because I still have some blood in my lung secretions). My nurse Sandy (I love her) is going to give me some packed red blood cells today (like a transfusion but the red blood cells are much more concentrated than normal blood). Overall, this should make me feel much better and respond better to the treatments I'm getting.

Now for the big task at hand. Getting my PDA (lung/heart tube) closed. As you know, they've been giving me the Neoprofin. They finished my first course yesterday and took an eco-cardiogram. Too bad, didn't take. So they have started me on a second course of the Neoprofin and they will finish it tonight. I have another eco-cardiogram scheduled for tomorrow morning to see if any progress was made. While mommy and daddy are still optimistic about the outcome we are all preparing that I will probably have to take a BIG ride in an ambulance over to big CHOC in Orange. There I'll have my surgery to clamp the tube. But we'll discuss that later when its time to report. That will happen either tomorrow or Tuesday. So what does this mean for me? I'll stay at big CHOC for at least two weeks recovering from surgery and then hopefully (everyone keep fingers, toes, legs and arms crossed) I'll get transferred back to Mission CHOC. Mommy and daddy are really worried about all the driving and being so far away from me.

On a funnier note, I pooped for the first time last night. Great that I did it, but there won't be another one for awhile. We thought that it maybe meant that my digestive system had kicked in but the nurses said no, they are actually suctioning air and bile out of my tummy which means nothing is moving yet. That is actually another side effect of the PDA so we really have to get that fixed.

I know it sounds like a lot of stuff is going wrong but we all have to keep up a good attitude and I am stubborn, so don't think this is going to throw me for a loop! Just keeps mommy and daddy on their toes.

I'll report in tomorrow!