Post-op day #7...1 step forward and 2 steps back

December 19th: Emmy continued to struggle to breathe throughout the night. Her labs are getting worse, indicating that her respiratory status is deteriorating. She will most likely be able to tolerate the increased work of breathing for a short period of time, but it needs to be corrected sooner than later to avoid re-intubation. The EZ-pap respiratory treatment has increased from every 4hrs to every 2hrs and she seems to be tolerating it well, but has shown no significant improvement from it thus far.

Her daily chest x-ray has gotten progressively worse and after a chest ultrasound this morning, the medical team decided she needs a chest tube for drainage of the fluid accumulation. They are placing the tube on the left side where they see the largest pocket. Hopefully, with the fluid drained, she will be able to breathe easier and we will move away from the threat of re-intubation. They are also starting her on Methadone this morning to help her wean off of the narcotics. I am hopeful that this will make her more comfortable and relax her so that she can breathe more deeply.

Evening update: Today was such a stressful day. I just feel so helpless...it breaks my heart to see Emmy struggle every step of the way. The chest tube is draining well, but I haven't seen any improvement in her work of breathing yet. She still has a lot of fluid in her tissues that needs to drain off and that process is slowing down which is frustrating since her improvement seems to be contingent upon that. I get mixed messages from the medical team, some of them continue to tell me she is doing well and recovering as expected, while others share my frustration and say these patients typically make bigger strides sooner.

I do feel that the physicians and nurses listen to my concerns and tailor her care around my requests when possible. I am thankful for their consideration and validation of my role in her recovery. I just keep waiting for the day that she will turn the corner and take off...I expect everyday to be that day, and everyday I'm disappointed. I suppose I would be less discouraged if I changed my way of thinking, but it's natural for a mother to hope for the best for her children. So I will keep hoping and possibly keep being disappointed, but it's better than the alternative of losing that hope.