I have been waiting to write until I have more information. However, I know how antsy some of you get without regular updates, so I am writing to you know with what we think we might possibly know as long as nothing changes, maybe.
1. The doctor believes that Thaddeus does in fact have a staff infection.
2. He is working on the assumption that it is a surface level only infection. The lab doesn't have the exact infection figured out yet, but since Thaddeus is acting mostly like his old self, all of his numbers with the exception of a light fever are good, and the surgery team found nothing besides the fluid, it is highly unlikely that he has a nasty deep reaching infection.
3. As a result, Thaddeus will most likely be on antibiotics only until Monday when he might be able to go home.
4. Since he is doing so well otherwise, he may get moved to the 8th floor and out of CICU. However since he is still a cardiac baby, they may keep him in CICU regardless.
5. I found out more about PIC lines yesterday. I had mentioned that they basically are just using a larger artery. Well what I learned yesterday is how that happens. When they go to put it in, they take him to radiology. There they use ultrasound and x-ray in order to find the arteries they want to use. They used his thigh, but they aren't just putting it in at the surface level. They snake it through until it is located right near his heart. So by the time the medicine, antibiotics in this case, enter his body, they are right near the heart.
6. Since they put that in, he has to be on an anti-clotting medicine called Heparin. (I always think of the great Katharine Hepburn). However that is normally administered through the same system currently delivering the antibiotics so they can't do that. They are giving him a different version (Audrey Hepburn?) that has to be injected.
7. They put him back on oxygen to put the PIC line in. They started lowering the amount last night, but he is still on some. They will keep lowering his amount and keep an eye on his numbers.
8. Fever is still hanging around but it is lower than it had been.
9. He had some visitors today and he sat while I held him for about 25 min. He smiled frequently and hammed it up for the camera.
10. If you ever find yourself in the hospital, you are the primary person. Ask, ask, ask and do what you can to understand. Speak up if you feel the need. The longer I am here the bolder I am getting and they tolerate it very well. They'd rather have that than too little involved.
11. I've said it before and I'll say it again. GO HUG A NURSE!
1. The doctor believes that Thaddeus does in fact have a staff infection.
2. He is working on the assumption that it is a surface level only infection. The lab doesn't have the exact infection figured out yet, but since Thaddeus is acting mostly like his old self, all of his numbers with the exception of a light fever are good, and the surgery team found nothing besides the fluid, it is highly unlikely that he has a nasty deep reaching infection.
3. As a result, Thaddeus will most likely be on antibiotics only until Monday when he might be able to go home.
4. Since he is doing so well otherwise, he may get moved to the 8th floor and out of CICU. However since he is still a cardiac baby, they may keep him in CICU regardless.
5. I found out more about PIC lines yesterday. I had mentioned that they basically are just using a larger artery. Well what I learned yesterday is how that happens. When they go to put it in, they take him to radiology. There they use ultrasound and x-ray in order to find the arteries they want to use. They used his thigh, but they aren't just putting it in at the surface level. They snake it through until it is located right near his heart. So by the time the medicine, antibiotics in this case, enter his body, they are right near the heart.
6. Since they put that in, he has to be on an anti-clotting medicine called Heparin. (I always think of the great Katharine Hepburn). However that is normally administered through the same system currently delivering the antibiotics so they can't do that. They are giving him a different version (Audrey Hepburn?) that has to be injected.
7. They put him back on oxygen to put the PIC line in. They started lowering the amount last night, but he is still on some. They will keep lowering his amount and keep an eye on his numbers.
8. Fever is still hanging around but it is lower than it had been.
9. He had some visitors today and he sat while I held him for about 25 min. He smiled frequently and hammed it up for the camera.
10. If you ever find yourself in the hospital, you are the primary person. Ask, ask, ask and do what you can to understand. Speak up if you feel the need. The longer I am here the bolder I am getting and they tolerate it very well. They'd rather have that than too little involved.
11. I've said it before and I'll say it again. GO HUG A NURSE!
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