January 23, 2012

Today started out a little slower since Blair and I over slept and did not get to Riley until a little later.  When we got their it was right before the doctor and nurse practitioner's made their rounds.  We talked to our night nurse and we did not get a very good report for the over night.  Our nurse told us that Harli had six episodes during the night that required stimulation (when the nurses actually have to reach in and wake Harli up so she starts breathing again).  This is more episodes than Harli has had in a twenty-four hour period since she got her hole in her intestine.  While the doctor and nurse practitioner were making their rounds, which by the way we have a new doctor for three weeks, they had decided to turn her vapotherm machine back down to three liters since four liters did not change the amount of episodes she was having. The doctor said that since the x-rays of her lungs showed they were expanding perfectly having the machine set at four liters would not make a difference.  They also decided that they would keep track of her episodes and if Harli has more than six episodes in a twenty-four hour period that require stimulation they would talk with the surgeon about putting her on the CY-PAP machine.  The CY-PAP machine will give Harli a little extra stimulation, which should help her remember to breath, but can not be done if her intestine has not healed.

Once the doctor and nurse practitioner had left our nurse got curious and started looking at the episodes that were reported by the night nurse on the monitor.  To much surprise there were none that were recorded by the monitor so our nurse isn't sure what was going on, but said that she was going to check into things.   There were a little change in plans on the Upper GI that was scheduled today because they found out in order to do a full Upper GI Harli would have to go downstairs to the operating room.  Since the doctor did not think that was a good idea they decided to give the dye through her feeding tube and let it start at her stomach and follow it from there. They took an x-ray of Harli's stomach at 12:00p.m. and since everything looked good they gave her the dye, they took another x-ray and then took x-ray's every four hours.  She has another x-ray at 12:00a.m. and if that x-ray looks good then her intestine has healed.  If the intestine has healed then they will start milk in the morning which will hopefully allow Harli to start putting on weight.  The results from the x-rays so far are very good and show no signs of problems. I doubt that either Blair or I get any sleep until we get a phone call with the results of the final x-ray.

During the day Harli had a total of four episodes, but only two of those episodes required stimulation.  That is a great improvement since yesterday, but Harli still has a long road ahead of her.  She spent most of her time today on her right side since that allows the intestines to work faster on a new born, which is something we learned today.  Her activity level was high all day today, but she did not pull out any of her tubes.  Harli's weight remained the same today as yesterday which isn't a big surprise.

Talked with Dave Kennedy's family and they had nothing but positive information. It sounds like there is a very good chance that they might be released this Friday, which is an answer to prayers.  I ask that you keep them in your prayers for their child to continue to heal and to give the parents relief that the surgery went well.

Harli was completely out this morning when we arrived.

Harli posing for the x-ray technician.

All sprawled out