I just left Hannah, and I was in a great mood, ready to write a very positive update. I had just left my kids and husband who came down for dinner and was walking back to the Ronald McDonald house.
In the hallway by the NICU, I saw a mom who I had met in the RM house and have seen around the hospital during the past week. She was crouching down by the wall in the hallway, crying hysterically. I went up to her and crouched down next to her, just rubbing her shoulder, and tried to talk to her. She didn’t say anything, she was just too upset. Her husband came back about 2 minutes later with a wheelchair (she had given birth a few days earlier), and he had tears streaming down his face. I left them alone and walked back towards the RM house. I turned back to look at them, and he was consoling her, still crouched on the ground.
Just yesterday, she was saying to someone on the phone how her new baby was doing better. They were pleased with his progress.
I don’t know what happened to her baby tonight. But I can only imagine. Those weren’t tears of a little setback. Something disasterous had to have happened. I could not get them out of my head the entire walk back to my room.
But Hannah had a wonderfully stable day. Her color looks better. Her fever is still hanging between 99+ and 101+. The night nurse gave her a bath, washed her hair, and put her hair in pigtails. She looks adorable.
They turned down another setting on the vent, something called a SIMV (how many breaths a minute it makes her breath) because she was breathing on her own over the setting. However, they weren’t ready to bring down the amount of oxygen yet because they wanted to give her more rest.
They stopped one of her antiobitiocs, vancomycin, because that culture came back negative. She is still on the antiobitioc for the pneumonia, the seizure meds, Protonix for her reflux, and Versed/Fentanyl as sedation.
The doctor came up to me this afternoon and said “She is doing great. I am very happy with her progress.” It put me in a great mood all day long.
That is until I walked by that family tonight and saw how fast that could change.
I know Hannah is not out of the woods yet. But she gave us no surprises in the past 48 hours, and she is doing what she needs to be doing — resting. For now, that is good enough for me.
I’m sorry for that rough scene with that family. What a scary thing to over see. Hannah is your little fighter though. Always has been. I have no doubt in my mind, that she is going to be up stronger than ever, in her little pigtails in the morning. You guys hang in there ,and try to get some rest ok. I’m sending tons of hugs and prayers!
That encounter had to be just awful. Those poor parents. But Carrie… remember…. Hannah is a feisty 2 year old… not a newborn. I know she’s not out of the woods yet…. but she is definitely on the right path out!
Much love to you…
Carrie, so glad to hear Hannah is doing better! This sounds like an absolute nightmare — just know we are thinking of you guys and sending you prayers and support! Hang in there.