Latest Katie update
Latest Katie update
Just posted on CarePages:
40 July 13, 2005 at 03:36 PM CDT
Well, our roller coaster continues..........I am not even sure if we are moving in any direction at all. We did not stay in sinus rhythm. Katie's heart rate will periodically escalate; her blood pressure drops. Then we adjust the meds, give her blood, and she stabilizes. Then we do the whole cycle over again just for grins............sigh! We are also having an enormous amount of chest drainage and bleeding out some.............. there is still quite a bit of heparin in her system from being on the machine twice yesterday.
The gameplan for the next eighteen hours or so is to not do much different than we are right now. Katie's chest is still open and she is on lots of support: 42% O2; dopamine, vasopressin, epinephrine, amiodorone, morphine, versed drip, sodium bicarb, heavy antibiotics (vancomycin & gentomycin), lasix, and diurrel (sp)and she has had two units of blood (since coming out of the OR), 2 bags of plasma (I think), and tons of albumen. THe jury is still out on whether to start the heparin later today - they are thinking not since she is still bleeding so much...............but they don't want to risk a clot.........They tried externally pacing her again and subcutaneously pacing her, but to no avail............ We still may end up with an internal pacemaker if things don't get back to normal. And Katie has been coming to quite a bit today - not for long periods of time as they are trying to keep her sedated without dropping her blood pressure even more. Poor thing goes for the vent everytime and starts gagging. They have restrained one hand. We hold the other one.
Everyone keeps reassuring me that all of this is to be expected after Katie's day yesterday - having such a huge surgery and being on the heart-lung machine twice. Yet, five minutes later, one of the fellows says, "Well, she is a lot sicker than most kids in here with just the fontan because she had the valve replacement, too, and had to go on the pump twice." Oh, yeah, that was comforting...........NOT!
Dr. Bove stopped by this AM and between surgeries. This last time, a staff cardiologist and a fellow grabbed him. They conversed out in the hall, very obviously about Katie. Dunno - haven't seen any of them since, but I WILL find out what is going on. I just really want to know his take on things and how they are going.
Well, I am sure that I am forgetting something..........like where I put my brain. Don and I are a little shell-shocked, but are weathering okay. I know I owe lots of people phone calls. Please forgive. It's just hard to find time out of the PICU right now. All of your prayers are so greatly appreciated. I can't tell you how comforting it is to read that Katie has been added to another prayer list or that some friend - old or new - is praying for her.
Please pray that Katie's recovery picks up and goes smoothly from here on out................that we are able to get that blood pressure up to an acceptable range, that her heart rate stay in a normal range and that it goes back into sinus rhythm and that she stays infection-free..........and, well, anything else y'all can think of.
Got to get back. Many hugs. Janet
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