2/18/09

The neonatal fellow (doctor training to specialize in neonatology) indicated that neurosurgeon requested to repeat head ultrasound to look for any changes. A nurse from neurosurgery came to his room. If he does need a shunt (device to drain cerebral spinal fluid) it would be placed on Friday or next week. She assured me that it was not an emergency and it was okay to go home to Bremerton for my own follow up appointment on Thursday (I really did not want to leave because I have recovered well from the c-section, at least physically, emotionally will take some time). If he does require a shunt he will have a temporary one for now. It is unknown if he will require a permanent one. He might require a permanent one called a VP shunt (internal drain from the brain to the abdomen, cerebral spinal fluid is excreted out of the body). Some kids require temporary ones and some require permanent ones. I got to hold him again today. He wanted to get comfortable and put his face down against me, which closes the airway on babies and decreased oxygen level. I could feel the congestion in his lungs. When he is out of bed in the upright position this helps clear the chest congestion. Babies can’t cough the icky stuff up so he is suctioned. After he was suctioned a few times I did not feel the “rice crispy” feeling on his chest. His nurse was willing to provide care to him while I held him. I held him from 4:30 until 6:15. I was falling asleep and he was tickling me. When we left for Bremerton he his oxygen saturations, heart rate and respiratory rate were great. He looks like he is gaining some weight too. It felt weird to pick up my 13 pound cat at home because she is so much bigger than him. Good news: kidney function better, urine output increased, no sign of PDA being opened and no meningitis thus far. Please pray that his vital signs remain stable, brain damage to be healed and that the ventricles on is brain are normal size so that he does not need surgery. We received some cards today at our house, thank you so much for the kind messages.