Oct 3, 2007

'Roid Rage

Another day, another minor fit. This one was a bit different than yesterday's, consisting mostly of low oxygen saturation, high blood pressure, and high heart rate. He's gotten a couple of steroid doses recently, and the doctor decided this was most likely a combination of 'roid rage and narcotic withdrawal. He's now bigger and awake, and was still on dosages meant for a smaller baby. They've upped the dosage times and volumes on his Ativan and Methadone, in preparation for lowering the sedation tomorrow.

As far as respiration goes, he has been doing pretty well...they've continued to wean the pressure and rate on his ventilator, and should be able to lower it even more once his sedation is downgraded and he's breathing more on his own.

I don't have a whole lot else to report...he's been alert and friendly every time we've been there, but he still looks a little confused. He's also weak and well-sedated, so he's only really moving his eyes and fingers. We'll see how he does with fewer drugs. Until then, I'll make up for this short post by uploading some pictures. His face is still significantly swollen, and the tape on his tube is contorting his mouth into an odd position, but it's been wonderful to see his eyes open. We've been showing him books, staying in his line of sight, and putting him to sleep each day before we leave.

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