April 25, 2014 -- Room #15

Hello dear praying friends and family!  Hope is settled onto the unit now in hospital.  She is in the 15th room that she has stayed in at this children's hospital.  We kept lots of different number tallies for fun to help lighten the mood of the many room moves and trips to/from ICU 2 years ago.

Click on "Read More" below to read the rest of this post. . .

Her temp and heart rate have started to climb again over the last few hours but her blood pressure is good. She has the chills back again and is covered in goose pimples and can't have enough blankets. Her pain is also increasing again and she is feeling worse in general.  They started her on a continuous Morphine infusion.  And she's had Tylenol and Ibuprofen.  She has thrown up a couple more times and they were just able to give her some anti nausea medication.

Her oxygen sats were low again and we started the oxygen mask blowing by her face and that is working well right now. Yeah!  She just fell asleep as she is exhausted.  So good to see her sleeping after a very rough day. 

The ultrasound was done and there was bad and good news. Good news is that no pus or signs of infection were seen. But there is fluid present. However it is not like a balloon but rather like a honeycomb with several compartments of fluid. So bad news is that they absolutely cannot drain the sites without opening her back up in surgery because pus was not present, they decided to hold off on surgery for tonight and see what happens overnight with being treated with IV antibiotics -- the big guns!  

The ICU doctor just stopped by to check in on Hope!  Oh we love this doctor. She is an answer to prayer. So thorough and very wise!  What an answer to prayers and blessing to have her looking in on us from the ICU!  She was one of the wonderful ICU doctors who played a huge role in Hope's several ICU stays 2 years ago, and made life saving decisions for her!  We love this doctor!!!  : ).  She wants to add another IV antibiotic for better coverage. 

So the question now is. . . Where is the infection?!?!  Possibly a cellulitis in the tissue vs in the fluid of the seroma. Her white blood cell count is through the roof. So also blood infection is another possibility and cultures have been sent of her blood but they take 24 hours to come back. Or maybe it still is the seroma fluid but it's so early that there is not a lot of pus collection yet.  Or another source?  Her liver checked out good on ultrasound as well.  They are keeping Hope off all fluids and food by mouth still, so she is ready if surgery is needed. 

So we will wait and see how she does overnight and then more plans will be made in the morning.  Daddy is going to stay over with her tonight. Gabs and I will leave shortly. . . she's awake again and her neck is bothering her. . . feels kinked, she said. We'll get her settled again and then head home. I was scheduled to be at our church ladies retreat this evening and speaking tomorrow morning. So depending on how Hope does, I may drive out to it with Gabs, speak and then return to the hospital. But the dear ladies have already come up wth a backup plan if I can't make it!  God is gracious and always provides for these things that we aren't expecting, but He is!  Please pray for wisdom for me in whether to go there in the am or straight back to the hospital. 

Thank you so much for your prayers dear ones. We are tired and sad for our sweet Hope's suffering but we are so thankful for the Lord's strength that is so evident in her and God's grace that carries you through these little bumps or scary turns. Not knowing the next 5 mins, let alone the next hour or several hours, can be so scary and disconcerting. Worry can set in like a burr that just nags and nags at you. But I am so thankful for a God who is over it all, over our precious little girlies' body and all that has, is, and will happen in her life. . . so we can rest in Him, even when there is no physical rest!  We have an awesome God!  Lam 3:22-23

Thank you for your precious prayers and notes of encouragement, dear ones!  You are so very loved!!!