Saturday Night Report

Today had it's ups and downs. First of all, I've gotten a few emails of people poking jabs at Kevin leaving for class during all this. Don't give him too much grief. He can't take a semester off, he is in a cohort which means he has all his classes scheduled for him until he is done. He goes thru with all the same people. You can't just jump in and out of it as you please. Once you are in, you are committed. He started 2 years ago, just as we found out about Daniel. And we weren't expecting tranplant so soon. Also, Daniel was suppose to be incubated this whole weekend, but he had other plans. And lastly, it's the first weekend of classes for the semester, he had to go to get books and things. He is missing 2 possibly 3 other weekends depending on when we get to go home. Daniel and I did just fine! Kevin is taking 2 1/2 weeks off of work right at the beginnign (not to mention the rest of the time we are here), the 2nd day of it being the 1st day of school. So he is being a GREAT support and daddy! :-)
So back to Daniel. It started out a good day. He got to eat lunch, pbj and chicken noodle soup (just the noodles). Dinner he had chicken strips, tator tots (his favorite) and a little bit of apple juice. He did really well until about 7:30. I'll come back to that. He had a few bladder spasms today, but his nurse kept this b??????/opium suppository (I cant' remember the "b" drug that's in it) and that helped a LOT! He came off, in the morning, his drip pain med. So he is now strictly IV or oral (or rectal) pain meds. So he was awake a lot more! We read books, he interacted like my old little Daniel. He made animal noises and train noises. He responded to things on TV. It was GREAT! I even got to hold him for 2 hours until dinner came. So that was wonderful. Then about 7:30 he started crying and saying 'owie'. Then it got louder and louder and louder. I got pretty iritated at the 1st year fellow we had covering him. (She completed her residence as a pediatrician, now has 3 years to specialize in nephrology.) I told her earlier that his belly was really swollen and he was filling up with gas. She came right out and said, "No. It's not gas. It's all the fluids we are pumping in him." I said, "How can it be when his shoulders are fine, legs and feet are OK (the are still a puffy, but not as bad) and he just started eating foods? Can you give him a lasix for the water retention then?" "No. He is peeing enough." and she left. I was upset. SO when he started screaming and writhing in pain, I was DONE! I told her it has to be gas. Something is OBVIOUSLY wrong and what can he have for it. She said mithicone (sp?)drops wont' work and ordered more sedation. Well, that didn't work! Not only is he groggy, but he is still screaming! Finally she left and I asked the nurse what she can do. She ordered a suppository (she listened to his bowels and didn't hear much movement) and have him some more Adivent (sp? or even incorrect drug) to help with swelling. He has parts of his body that are SO swollen! Let's put it this way, guys....you would feel his pain! Anyhow, the nurse then called the on call doctor (the one over the fellow who she should have been calling all along) and talked to her directly. His liquid levels in his blood where high (I failed to mention his BP was like 154/140 and when he'd calm down they were 120/112...those 2 numbers I knew HAD to be farther apart than that! Resting heart rate was 140!) So they are cutting his IV until midnight and giving him lasix every 3 hours. That will help him pee it out. That will help his BP come down and make him more comfortable. Maybe he'll fall asleep and Kevin and I can go back to the house and get some rest!
Kelle is doing really good! She is feeling better and got to take a shower today. (Sorry if you didn't want that shared Kelle! Let me knwo and I can delete it!) And for any of you who have EVER stayed in a hosptial or even not been able to shower for 3 days KNOWS how great that feels! She is looking great and still scheduled to leave on Monday! She is hoping to get out and walk tomorrow and come up to see Daniel. That would be great! All Daniel's nurses know about her, so I'd like them to meet her! Kevin's sister Brenda and her family are also coming up. They live a little over an hour south of here. Well, I'm off to see if Daniel is asleep yet!