Mon 12:30 AM (Post #16)

The Dr.'s are concerned they may be missing an infection.  Her platelets continue to be low and she spiked a few low grade fevers today.  For now they are just watching.

Another rough night.

Yesterday, Sun morning 9 AM, with her breathing treatment she had a hard time *recovering her O2 *sats.

So at that time, the Dr and I decided that she couldn't go the whole night without a *breathing treatment.  So we decided to do breathing treatments every 6 hours (including during the night).

So at her midnight breathing treatment (Early Mon morning) when they got done and tried to suction her we had a MAJOR desat.  She was in the 70's (really low) for a few minutes.  The *RT and nurse were *bagging her.  And she is *hard to bag.

The called an extra RT and her *PICU Dr.

The eventually got her sats up.  They had to turn up her *settings to 20/10 and O2 to 100%.

We better be getting to the *peak of this illness.  The Dr. said that Both Flu A and H1N1 peak at 4-7 days.  Sunday was day 4.  So honestly we could still have the worst ahead...if so...she will have to be *intubated.  I am hoping not.


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Definitions

Bagging= a mask with a bag attached.  The mask covers the nose and mouth.  The medical personal will squeeze the bag to force breaths of air into the person to inflate the lungs.  The mask and bag are typically connected to O2 also.

Breathing Treatments=a combination of machines, techniques, suctioning and meds that help clear secretions out of the lungs. Ellie uses a vibrating vest, a med to calm and open her lungs and a med to break up secretions.

Hard to Bag=  It is difficult to force breaths of air with the bag into her when she is struggling with her sats.

Intubated= A breathing tube down the mouth.  It would also be connected to a ventilator (vent) which would deliver breaths of air

Peak=When the symptoms of an illness is at it worst.

PICU=Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Recovering=bringing her sats (oxygen in blood) back up to normal after they have dropped too low.

RT= Respiratory Therapist

Sats=Oxygen in blood

Settings=The amount of pressure and oxygen that the bipap is delivering.