kadiera
04-01-2009, 08:10 AM
We brought Alexander home after 291 days in the hospital yesterday at around noon.
He's been amazingly good about the whole thing - especially after our extended stay over the weekend in an observation room, where he would not allow anyone to put him down without him screaming for all 8 hours we were there. He slept all the way home - probably the best sleep he's had in the two weeks on the home vent. He's spit up some, but he's also been smiling for nurses, most of whom he's met once.
We did get some sleep with the night staff here last night, but it was not great because he'd had a major episode right before we went to bed. The alarm on his pulse ox is set at 90. When I got to his room he was reading 83, and was already quite blue - and within a few seconds the pulse ox quit reading. As best we can tell, he was asleep, and pooping, and got so upset that he clamped down. I turned the O2 up, checked the equipment setup, and then checked his diaper (a known issue for him); he'd already started to calm down and breathe a little better, so I picked him up and rocked him, because I knew that while I could bag him, it'd be better to get him calmed down so he could fix himself. Within a minute, his sats were back up to 90.
Ah well. Back at work today; my husband is home with the nurse today and they have an appt with the pediatrician this afternoon. We're still waiting on a call from the pulmonologist at the trach/vent clinic to set up his appointment, but it's in progress.
It's nice to have him home, even if it is a bit stressful. :)
He's been amazingly good about the whole thing - especially after our extended stay over the weekend in an observation room, where he would not allow anyone to put him down without him screaming for all 8 hours we were there. He slept all the way home - probably the best sleep he's had in the two weeks on the home vent. He's spit up some, but he's also been smiling for nurses, most of whom he's met once.
We did get some sleep with the night staff here last night, but it was not great because he'd had a major episode right before we went to bed. The alarm on his pulse ox is set at 90. When I got to his room he was reading 83, and was already quite blue - and within a few seconds the pulse ox quit reading. As best we can tell, he was asleep, and pooping, and got so upset that he clamped down. I turned the O2 up, checked the equipment setup, and then checked his diaper (a known issue for him); he'd already started to calm down and breathe a little better, so I picked him up and rocked him, because I knew that while I could bag him, it'd be better to get him calmed down so he could fix himself. Within a minute, his sats were back up to 90.
Ah well. Back at work today; my husband is home with the nurse today and they have an appt with the pediatrician this afternoon. We're still waiting on a call from the pulmonologist at the trach/vent clinic to set up his appointment, but it's in progress.
It's nice to have him home, even if it is a bit stressful. :)