Saturday, March 15, 2014

Maybe Good Things Can Happen Fast, Afterall



Dear Ellie,

It's been almost 24 hours since you were extubated.  Since then, you haven't desturated once.  Your breathing is still steady.  Your heart rate is perfect.  You don't mind sitting on your side anymore or your back.  Somehow, someway, you are better off the ventilator than when you were on.  Compared to 24 hours ago, you are a completely different baby.  Your mother and I talked with the doctor.  If you hadn't experienced that little accident yesterday, you never would have extubated and we'd be hitting you with the steroids right about now.  Once on the steroids, your growth would be slowe.  Your immune system would be compromised.  The effect it would have on your brain would not be fully understood.  For now, the steroids are off the table.  If you can remain off the ventilator, we'll never have to go that course.

At first, it seemed that a return to the ventilator was inevitable.  But now, 20 hours later, we are cautiously optimistic.  Your 02 needs have even eeked down a tiny bit.  I never would have anticipated that you could make such a leap.  Maybe I was wrong before.  Maybe good things can happen quickly.

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