In, Out and In Again

Monday August 1, 2011

I'm in the parents waiting room at CHO (childrens hospital oakland) while Cayleigh gets another breathing treatment by the Respitory Therapist (RT). I thought I'd post a quick update for everyone following this most recent hospitalization. If you haven't already, please start reading from the very beginning to really get an understanding of just what a miracle Cayleigh is.

Today I've taken the day shift to be with Cayleigh. My husband is going to be taking the afternoon shift and staying the night.

When I got here it was explained that Cayleigh had been extubated this morning. This means that they tried taking her off of the ventilator, with the tube out of her throat. They did this because she was awake, alert and looking around and they turned the ventilator machine off (tube still in her Trachea) and she was doing ok breathing. So, they then pulled the tube out of her throat and watched. Apparently, from what I've been told, she had severe trouble breathing, air wasn't passing through her lungs, she stopped looking alert and around and began focusing on trying her very best to breathe but simply couldn't get past all of the secretions and mucus plugging her up. They then paralyzed her again, and reinserted the tube and turned the machine back on. While they had her extubated, they did another BloodGas draw and her PH went way down, and the CO2 went way up. Not good signs.

When I got up here you can see what she looked like in the picture below. She's out of it. I sat and was talking with her, and the nurses, and she began wiggling and squirming around...alot. Well, apparently that was too much moving around and she was given another sedation. Then, she was out of it again.

I met with the doctors, the nurses and we got her started back on feeds again. I gave her a bollus feed of half her normal amount. So thats an upside...she's at least going to be getting her feeds.

At this point we aren't really sure whats too wrong with her - aside from thinking it must be a nasty virus. So, it will be at least 48 hours before she's taken off of the ventilator again and assesed. They me vriuses usually spike between 3 and 5 days and today would be day 3.. they think. So, keep her in your prayers that this all goes away, that she can breathe and pass air successfully and that she gets the heck out of the hospital and back home where she belongs.