Limbo

I think Tom Petty said it best -- the waiting is the hardest part.  Waiting for this virus to run it's course.  Waiting for the antibiotics to kick in.  Waiting for her numbers to go up.  It feels like we have been stuck in limbo these last few days, with no big changes.  The bright side is that things haven't gotten any worse, but progress is slow.

The team hasn't made any major changes as of late.  Elyse is still sedated and on the jet ventilator, and the respiratory therapists seem to be happy with it.  She is also receiving regular doses of a drug called Pulmozyme to break up the mucus in her lungs and make it easier to suction out.  In order to help maintain an ideal body temperature, she is surrounded by a "Bair Hugger" forced-air warming blanket (I only just found out today that it isn't "bear hugger" like I always thought...although I still prefer that name, don't you?).

wrapped in a "bear hug"

Another thing the team is watching is her net fluid balance.  They would like to see her with a negative balance (i.e. more fluid going out than going in), to help "dry out" the extra secretions in her lungs.  She is already on a diuretic to help expel excess fluid, but another option being presented is to fortify her milk in order to maintain her caloric intake using a smaller volume of liquid.  Anyone who remembers our troubles with fortifier in the NICU will understand our hesitation, and so we are keeping that option off the table for now.

On a positive note, tonight saw Elyse's saturation numbers climb into the high 80's, and even 90.  Fingers crossed she is reaching the turning point, and her numbers continue in the right direction.

from top to bottom: heart rate, arterial blood pressure,

central venous pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate