Oxygen and Other Necessary Things.

Maddie has been showing lots of signs of improvement. She is OVER laying in bed, and loves to be in a swing, just like at home. One of her nurses found a swing for her and she has a blast staring at the lights and fishies hanging around her. She is recognizing people and gives big smiles to anyone who comes in the room. I love getting those smiles!! She had blood drawn for lab work and slept right through it, I couldn’t believe it. She is so tough.

Her Pediatrician is hopeful that she will be able to come home sometime in the next few days. We’ll believe it when we see it, since this whole hospital stay was only supposed to be for a night or two. Two of her breathing treatments have been discontinued because her lungs sound so much better, so we’re thrilled about that. Her antibiotics and lasix seem to be working. I don’t know if she’s going to have another chest x-ray or not. As always, it depends on who you’re talking to.

The big thing today is getting her off the oxygen. Her Pediatrician thinks that she needs to be pushed, and I agree. If Maddie is on oxygen for too long, her body will start to rely on it and we don’t want that. So her oxygen has been greatly reduced, down to 1/4 liter, and the hope is that she will be able to pull her blood oxygen levels up on her own. So far this has been met with limited success. We actually started with her completely off the oxygen, but her levels fell into the 70’s, which is why she is now receiving a quarter liter. If she can tolerate a quarter liter today, maybe tomorrow she’ll be on an eighth, and on Saturday she could possibly be completely off it. Otherwise, she’ll be coming home on oxygen, which, while not ideal, is better than not home at all.