Another Mother's Day in the Hospital

Braden's calendar buddy & seizure fighting friend, Addie Claire

Well, Braden has not been feeling well for about 8 days, fighting the yucky green junk. We began intense nebulizer treatments and diligent cough assist, extra pedialite all to help thin his secretions and keep his airway clear. After 5 days we saw green become yellow and an increase in his usual "juiciness", meaning things were starting to thin out.

Then 2 days ago he started dropping his oxygen saturation and started running low grade fever. We gave motrin a few times, continued diligent breathing nebulizations and sleepless nights, as Thursday night turned into a marathon of 4 cough assist and neb treatments, a trach change, and even vest therapy. He dropped his sats down to 69 and turned blue - hadn't seen that since before he got the trach. Some of it was due to airway issues, and the other half due to his stubborn "clamping down" he does when he has a sneeze or fit of bad attitude (remember when we would hold his breath as a baby when we gave him a sponge bath??). We put him on some oxygen, and his sats only stayed at about 91 - 93 even with the help. We decided Friday morning, even though he had done better for a few hours, that we would take him in.

Typically, once we supplement oxygen, it's 24 - 48 hours that we end up in the ER. This time we decided to move ahead of the curve. Getting him accessed through the mediport in the ER was a giant ordeal, as has been the case sometimes - but they finally got it. Blood gas, CBC, and chest xray all showed pretty normal readings, but we also brought in a sputum culture to get thing growing in the lab.

Today they said the cultures are growing the usual suspects - staph and maxilla (I think). They will wait to administer any antibiotics until tomorrow to see if it's really needed. My guess is they will add something tomorrow - as he continues to secret mucous out of his eyes and his g-tube area is "yucky" - indicating he's fighting some kind of infection.

While we are here, the pulmonologist wants to address his leaky trach and finally try the TTS trach - he thinks it will help his oxygen saturation level and function in some ways even better on the ventilator settings - as they aren't quite where they should be because of his leak. His leak usually just sounds like a snore:-)

So that's all for now... we got to spend last Mother's Day outside of Our Lady of the Lake, but evidently, this is Braden's idea of mommy-son "quality time", so we will be here for our third Mother's Day together in the hospital. We started that way, celebrating my first in the hospital with him in the NICU, the second in the PICU, and now a 3rd in the PICU. It certainly makes me give thanks for our special snuggles and our struggles too. He proves he is a fighter over and over, and that prayers of all those looking in on us really do get answered - GOD IS SO GOOD!

As Brad and I prepare to take our 10-year vow renewal trip to St. Lucia, we are thankful to have time to really get Braden healthy in time for our trip away. LaTacia, our absolute God-send of a sitter will be moving in with Braden while we are away, and JazMyn will have lots of time with the little boy she affectionately refers to as her "white brother":-) We are thankful for Braden's "daytime mommy" LaTacia, and the other caregivers at Kidz Korner who also learn to care for him - Christie and Ebony, and of course Ms. Carolyn, Tacia's mom. We love all of you for loving our son and providing a safe and warm environment for him while allowing us to earn two incomes to provide for our son.

Happy Mother's Day to our own Mothers - we love you for all the special ways you love us and our son. Happy Mom's Day to all the moms and grandmoms out there - your work is evident and appreciated!

Braden, Kodi & Brad