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| 04/07/06 Ugh...not again PLEASE?!?!? David is getting diarrhea again. Last time he got diarrhea we ended up in the hospital for dehydration. At about 1am I began replacing his formula with pedialyte, which is what the doctor told me to do the other day when we were in the hospital. She said that she hoped it would keep him from getting so dehydrated that it made it hard for him to breathe. Ugh. Please send good thoughts that we don't have to go through this AGAIN.... UPDATE OK - here's what happened. Last night at about one am David had his first diarrhea. I immediately started pedialyte to try & keep him from getting dehydrated. But - it didn't work. His lips started to get real chapped and his mouth started to get real dry. This morning at about ten am he went into respiratory distress, and we rushed him to the hospital. They were unable to get him breathing deep again and they intubated him. Apparently he got so dehydrated that he was unable to breathe. So - unfortunately he's back on the vent. The doctor said it was just until they are able to get him rehydrated so he can breathe again. He's sedated. They were unable to get an IV in so they put some sort of needle into his bone - I don't know much about that right now, but they were able to take it back out once they got a central IV in. So, that's the update for now. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for the prayers - I really need them now. *************************************** 04/08/06 Need lots and LOTS of prayers for David. PLEASE. Tonight at about 10:30 David went into a pulmonary hypertension crisis. Apparently this means his blood vessels contract and there is no way to get blood to the heart or to oxygenate him. His heart stopped one time for two minutes (I gave some people incorrect information earlier). He was satting in the 20-30s. They were not able to bag him to get his sats up, and they put him on the high frequency vent. Some of you might remember he was on this vent back when he was a month old. They had to give him lots of drugs to paralyze him so he will not try & breath against the vent. The doctor said he is lucky to be alive right now, that alot of times it is very difficult to pull babies out of this situation once they are in it. She said her outlook still isn't very optimistic.. They pushed alot of different medicines into him to keep his heart beating. Because of all this cold medicine his body temperature dropped to 92 degrees, so they put him under this blow up thing that keeps him warm. His hemoglobin dropped (I think to a ten?) and they are giving him blood. I'm not even going to go into how I feel right now. I can't bear to type it. All I am going to say is hold your babies tight tonight. And please pray as hard as you know how for my baby boy. I cannot live without him. --------------------------------------------- Update Nothing has really changed since I've updated everyone before - he's considered critical but stable. He's still on the high frequency vent of course, and they've had to go up to 98% oxygen. They had him down to 75% at one point but he didn't tolerate that at all and they had to go all the way back up to 100% and they are SLOOOOOOOOWLY weaning him. They've started and stopped a few medications. The doctor still is reluctant to say that he will live - she says he's very lucky to be alive and we'll just have to play it hour by hour, day by day. So that's what I'm doing. I cannot even begin to thank you all enough for your enormous prayers and support right now. We certainly need it. Please, please, please don't stop now. We are by no means out of the woods. Maybe God will get tired of hearing everyone ask and let me keep my baby boy? I told David today that he's gonna have to tell God that it's not his turn to have him yet. I've chosen denial as my escape route. I've come home to update you all and grab some movies but I know I can't stay here long because it's too hard to look at all his stuff laying around - the empty syringes from his last medicine dose, the feeding pump, his boppy, blankets, bouncy seats. I can't be here because I know deep down that he may never use them again. OK - I have to stop this. I can't cry anymore. Thanks again for the prayers. |
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So, I wanted to do something special for Dr. Chavez. The plan was to bring David up to the hospital today to give her a letter and a plaque with this picture:
However, he's been sick with RSV and it snowed today anyways, so I decided against bringing him up there. If he's better within the next week or two I will bring him up there. If not, I will mail this letter to her:
Dr. Chavez,
One year has come and gone since the night that you saved my little boys life. I wanted to write this letter because I think it’s important that you realize what an effect your efforts have made upon my family.
I’ll never forget that night, as long as I live. I‘ll never forget how you looked at me and told me that you and your team were doing everything that you could, but the prognosis was poor. I’ll never forget pleading with you, desperately trying to convey how important David was to me, and I’ll never forget you telling me that your work is so much more than just a job. I’ll never forget how important my baby’s life was to you that night.
This year has brought so much joy to my family. This past year I got to experience David laughing for the first time – and millions of times after that. There is nothing sweeter than hearing his laugh. I got to celebrate his first birthday. I got to choose a Halloween costume for him. I was able to watch with delight as he opened Christmas presents for the first time. I got to teach David how to kiss and hug. I got to teach him where his nose is, and more recently, where his cheeks and forehead are. I got to take him to the park, take him to see Santa Clause, and the NICU reunion. Just recently I got to put him in the bathtub and let him color Easter eggs. I got to cuddle with him when he was sick. I got to teach him how to eat. This year, David learned how to sit up, roll over, and put weight on his legs. Soon he will be able to stand on his own.
I realize that none of this would have been possible without you. Because of you I was able to experience all of this, and so much more, with my baby boy this past year. Because of you, I will have the opportunity to continue to watch him grow. I have the chance to raise this baby, and help him be a good person. I will never forget that. And neither will David.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Sam
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