wednesday 8/21/2013

Ava is still intubated with the ventilator. She hates it. She was transferred back the the NICU today, thank goodness. Her orders were tuned upside-down again to the NICU's liking- and mine too for that matter. She saturates very well on just room air, but I guess on her latest echocardiogram, there was evidence of pulmonary hypertension so now cardiology ordered that she be on 30% oxygen even though her saturations are 100% (which is usually an unacceptable number for babies getting oxygen because it can damage the eyes). Ava had a bit of a hard time with the move today. I think there was a lag in medications, because she was extremely sweaty and cried a lot when she got to the NICU. The sweating is probably from withdrawals. The NP said that she may need to be weaned from medications with methadone when we get to the weaning point. After her pain and withdrawals are under control, they will think about extubation. She really is doing well considering what she's been through.  We were put in the most awful spot in the NICU..in a really busy room, in the middle of 2 babies..there are 6 babies in the room. It is just chaos most of the time. I'm hoping we'll be able to move once she can upgrade to her big girl crib. I'm hoping that a big girl crib will be too impractical for the middle of such a busy room and I REALLY want a window spot- if we are going to have to be sitting on our behinds staring at a wall for the next 8 weeks, I'd rather watch the construction across the street.