Recovery

January 5, 2014

27.6 weeks

It has been pretty calm the past 2 days since Eli has had his surgery. He has been on pain medication which has kept him fairly sedated. The doctors told us to expect that he would be more dependent on the ventilator as he recovers. His belly looks a little distended, but it has only increased in size by a few centimeters. They still aren't giving him any food; they will start feeding again when he's a little more stable. 

The quantity of blood coming out of his lungs is decreasing quite a bit. We're thinking the closed PDA is helping with that. The lab is continuously checking his yeast cultures, and today another one came back positive. The doctor told us that if another culture comes back positive, they are going to remove the PICC line. This is going to be problematic, because it is through the PICC line that Eli gets his TPN (nutrition). 

Eli's PICC line doesn't go to the heart. His goes just past the shoulder.

For a few days, Eli will get his nutrition through IVs, but IVs only last a day or two. The next central line they are going to try is called a Broviac Catheter:

It is an IV line placed into a vein in the chest by a pediatric surgeon. It is designed for long-time use so that many painful needle sticks can be avoided. It is used to give medicines, blood transfusions, fluids or nutrients. We hope the infection clears soon so he doesn't have to have the Broviac, but it sounds like it's inevitable. 

Considering all that Eli has gone through, he is doing very well. We hope the infection clears soon so he can focus more on breathing and getting bigger. 

Jason and I have been listening to this song called "Happy" by Pharrell Williams on the ride home from the hospital recently:

Stay happy, and positive. That's what we're going to do.