Day 4

Davis is making progress, slowly but surely!  We have a few tiny setbacks, which is much better than the larger setbacks we were having the first couple of days.  He is still in the PCCU but moved from a critical care room to a room in which he shares a nurse with another patient.  This room is more comfortable for me and Matt - we have a pull out couch, bathroom with shower (tiny, but we'll take what we can get!), and lots of windows.  His room number is 5744.

We thought we were going to be able to get Davis off the ventilator today.  He doesn't need the ventilator anymore - they have taken his levels down and he is breathing over it on his own.  However, he has swelling in his throat around the breathing tube.  This swelling, along with the fact that he has low muscle tone caused by his Down Syndrome, is a concern because we need that airway to be good and open once the tube comes out.  So he will keep it in today and through the night, which means they will still have to keep him quite comfortable and fairly sedated.  They will put a feeding tube in this evening and give him some of the milk I've been pumping and saving for him.

Another issue we had today was with his fluid.  One of his chest tubes was clogged, and an x-ray found a pocket of fluid.  Once the tube unplugged, he began draining just fine.  The catheter is out, and he is making plenty of wet diapers!  His skin is very sensitive right now from all the stretching and swelling.  He had a bandaid over a little hole made for his pacer wires, and when the nurse removed it, his skin came off!  He has lots of irritated skin all over his body right now, poor thing.  I can't wait to get that body home and rub lotion all over it!

Davis has no fever!!!  He is restful but also more alert when he is awake.  He is enjoying a homemade mobile I made for him with his favorite toys hung from a bed lamp.  An order has been put in for music therapy!  He loves music and I am excited to see how he does with this.

I believe each day we will see greater and greater improvements from here on out.  Maybe tomorrow I'll even get to hold my baby!!!!!!

And one thing his fan club (ha ha) may be wondering about:  we received his E-cards!  We haven't looked at them yet but will here in a few minutes.  I can't wait to see them!  Thank you so much!