I guess I should get the bad news out of the way before I upload Andrew's cutest pictures ever. He went back on the ventilator this afternoon, after spending 50 glorious hours extubated. Actually, his time wasn't that glorious, thus the necessity for additional ventilation. After two days, several increases in flow and oxygen, and a bit too much required effort for breathing, they decided to give him a break. The final straw was a minor fit that raised his CO2 level and lowered his pH to almost-unhealthy levels. Instead of waiting for things to get worse and cause damage, they re-inserted the tube. It's not a huge setback; they'll probably try again in a few days. Two days is a lot longer than some babies make it on their first try, and it was definitely good practice for his lungs.
I can't help being a bit upbeat about it, for two reasons:
- After re-intubation, he looked much more peaceful. After a brief fuss because of the tube in his mouth, which mostly involved sticking his tongue out at us, he felt much better. He was visibly more relaxed, his breathing was less labored, and he was able to stay awake for a long time without getting upset.
- This morning, before he went back on the vent, I got some great pictures. They moved him to a crib because he doesn't need the bed warmer any more, they put a little shirt on him, and they finally had him on his back. The combination made him much more photogenic, and I took quite a few pics. I'll post them shortly.
Again, I'm not really worried about him being ventilated...seeing him free and anxious was more stressful than the ventilator. It was a long, draining day, but at least I don't have to worry about him tonight...after seeing him so upset, we spent the last two days just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
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