Sunday, September 14, 2008

{LITTLE MISS BREATHING ON HER OWN}

Sorry to take so long on updating. I was able to go see Callie this weekend in Phoenix and had a hard time keeping an internet connection on the computer I was using.

Friday was a fairly calm day for our little lady. A lot like Thursday. She did mark off one of the things the Neurosurgeon had on his list of "To-do's" for the weekend, and that was that she got to have the C-spine Collar taken off! Yay! She also got some very special visitors Friday night! They younger kids were able to go see her and take all the things they had made for her! Everyone was so happy to see her and the progress she has been making!

Saturday started off well. Around 11:30 they began the process of getting her off of the respirator! It was a success and she was breathing on her own by 12:30! It was so good to see her without quite as much hoopla hooked up to her. Early in the evening the shifts changed and Callie got a new doctor, one who had not yet been on her case. He felt that because of the reading from the ICP (Inner Cranial Pressure) that she needed to have a CT Scan stat. Her breathing had begun to get rough because of an agitated throat and they felt that the safest way to proceed with the CT was to reintubate her. So they went ahead and put her back on a ventilator, this time a smaller one, and she will remain on that until they feel she is ready to go at it again. One of the nurses did say that this wasn't uncommon. The rest of the night was somewhat hard on her. She did suffer two seizures and is now on anti-seizure medication. She is however beginning to pick back up to where she was.

Even though she is back on the ventilator, the respiratory techs all agree that she maintains the ability to breathe on her own, which we are happy to hear. Because of her injury, she is at risk for seizures. They have been performing a 24 hour EEG on her, and after the first 12 hours, the EEG shows no seizures, more good news!

Also, the CT that was ordered on Friday night appeared to show no negative changes. That was good to hear! She has been able to get a lot of rest today and we tried to keep her room as quiet as possible. She has a lot of healing and recovering ahead of her and we want to make it as easy for her as we can.

My parents have been holding up so well! I can definitely see the wear on them physically, but spiritually and mentally they are all there! They are sharing a little couch/bed in a tiny ICU room and eating what people have been so kind to bring or what the hospital cafeteria has to offer. (Which by the way I hear is not that bad.) Today when we got to the hospital we were greeted by my dad in scrubs. No, he is not taking up a new profession, he was fresh out of clothes. Next weekend I will have to remember to help them out with their laundry!

Thank you for your continued prayers and faith!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's great she is making a little progress at a time and isn't back tracking! We will continue to keep her and your family in our thoughts and prayers!

Toni said...

Yay, I am so happy! What an amazing little girl! How are you holding up? Love ya Lots!

Mary said...

You tell the story about the new doctor so much more kindly than I heard it from your parents! You have an upbeat outlook, Ashley. I'm glad to hear Callie is still on track despite the disruption. Thanks for letting us know the latest!