SMELLS NICE

Charlotte had another great day.  She rested comfortably and about all on her to-do list was taking her antibiotic.  Check.  Plus, Mommy had the treat of helping with her bath tonight.  There's nothing like a clean baby, especially when she gets to be swaddled and placed in her mommy's arms afterwards.  And other good news is that we should find out the date of her Gtube surgery tomorrow!  Then the countdown to home really begins.  I almost can't imagine, but then I can and it's so good.  

As always, your prayers, linked with ours, carry our SWEET CHARLOTTE each day.  And that's just the way this Mommy likes it. 

LOVE THY NEWS

Charlotte is walking the walk!  Her cultures are NEGATIVE again today!  AND...we are shooting to have her surgery next week sometime.  As long as we have negative cultures and she looks good, it's a GO.  I may or may not be drooling - I'm just saying...

IN THE RED

Her cultures are negative today - brain shunt included!  And we got the official word that after 10 days of antibiotic/after her last positive culture, Charlotte will be eligible for her Gtube surgery.  This is GREAT news because it means that although she needs a 14 day course of antibiotic, she can 'overlap' the last 4 days with the gtube surgery recovery, vs having to wait a full 14 days and then have surgery and recover.  Music to this Mommy's ears.

Her right leg is swollen and the short explanation is that her old broviac line caused it.  We pray that the bloodflow redirects itself accordingly and the swelling decreases.  She is otherwise resting comfortably - well, as comfortably as one can rest with lines, sensors and cuffs slapped all over you!  I am truly amazed at having witnessed quite the turnaround in Charlotte's health.  His Hands are all over it.

May God bless each and every one whose lips have spoken a prayer for our Sweet Charlotte.  We are forever grateful.

FEISTY AND FAB-U-LUS

Someone decided it was time to extubate herself, but fortunately let the good doc do it for her.  Char Char wasted NO TIME in letting everyone know that she was ready to be without the breathing tube!  Missy was very vigorous, er...feisty, in her efforts.  Mommy calls it 'the feisty Italian' in her but however it's labeled, Baby Girl made it be known...and she did beautifully once she was extubated.  

The cultures came back NEGATIVE, including the shunt results.  HUGE PRAISE TO GOD.  We pray that they continue to be negative and that she is able to have her Gtube surgery on Day 10.  Other prayer requests are for Patrick Jr. dealing with missing Mommy (and Daddy too!) as well as for our family as we wait for her homecoming, with peaceful hearts.

 

CHECK, CHECK, CHECK

Checking off as we go... She had her shunt tapped this morning and the prelim results show that there is not an infection. We won't know for sure until the 72 hour mark.  PRAY FOR NO INFECTION.  Her PICC line was surgically placed and the sedation/surgery went seamlessly.  Shortly following, her broviac line was removed successfully.  So now we wait on the cultures to come.  We pray for NEGATIVE CULTURES, seamless extubation tomorrow morning and supernatural healing that only HE can do.  

POSITIVE

The culture came back positive.  She has to have her broviac line removed today and a new line called a PICC Line put in.  Yesterday's test which showed the 3D images of her veins revealed that the best vein is in her neck which is where the PICC will go.  It also revealed that her femoral veins are small and then widen which is good to know for her second surgery preliminary cath but annoying in that it will be more of a challenge to get a good look at her heart from the top (neck) area where she has better veins.  

The surgery for the PICC line will be around 230 pm today.  This is a trickier surgery considering that the "open" vein for the PICC line happens to be right next to her VT (brain) shunt.  

Her broviac line will be taken out with a local in her room sometime today.

Her shunt will be tapped by Dr. Swift sometime today.

WE PRAY:

THE SHUNT IS NOT INFECTED/OR TREATABLE BY WAY OF THE 14 DAY ANTIBIOTIC PLAN.

HER PICC SURGERY HAPPENS WITHOUT COMPLICATION.  

NEGATIVE CULTURE TOMORROW.  (We start counting to 14 on the first day of a negative culture, as long as there are not 'positive' cultures after that.  Today's negative culture reset us to Day 0.)

HER BROVIAC IS REMOVED SUCCESSFULLY.

MY SWEET SON PATRICK JR AS HE TRIES IN HIS 2 YR OLD WAY TO HANDLE MISSING MOMMY.

FOR MY FAMILY TO WAIT WITH PEACEFUL HEARTS AS WE WADE THROUGH EACH DAY BEFORE COMING HOME.

INCHING ALONG

Your prayers are working.  Her cultures are negative.  As of now based on the type of infection she has, the broviac line won't be removed, and the infection will be treated with the same antibiotic course of 14 days with the Gtube/Nissen surgery happening on Day 10.  This is provided Charlotte's overall 'state of the union' (stats) and negative cultures stay the same.  

Her shunt was tapped this morning but no fluid was pulled.  This is not a bad thing, as the shunt is working beautifully.  In fact, it is somewhat of a good sign considering if it were infected with a bad infection, most certainly would fluid be able to be pulled from it.  Because her blood levels, temperature and negative cultures continue to look as they are now, it allows the doctors to believe that the shunt has not been infected with the 6-weeker type of infection.  WE PRAY THAT THIS IS SO.

Currently, she is still intubated (breathing tube in) but only so because she hasn't fully awakened.  She woke up earlier this afternoon but really being awake, not so much.  If she awakens before midnight, she will be extubated, otherwise it will be tomorrow morning.  

WE PRAY FOR:

-CONTINUED NEGATIVE CULTURES

-EXTUBATION

-THE BRAIN SHUNT TO BE FREE OF INFECTION/OR TREATABLE WITH 14-DAY COURSE OF ANTIBIOTIC 

-NO FEVER

-HER TO RESPOND TO MEDICATION/TREATMENT

-NO MORE COMPLICATIONS IN HER COURSE OF RECOVERY
-MY SON, PATRICK JR, AS HE COPES WITH THIS NEW WAY OF LIFE

But I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.  I will sing to the Lord because he has treated my generously.

Psalm 13:5-6