Sunday update

Theo kept his nurse busy today!  We were hoping for a quiet, uneventful day, but it turned out to have a bit more action than planned.

The more time we spend in the hospital the more we learn that medicine is as much an art as it is a science.  The doctors and nurses are doing their best to manage Theo's pain, blood pressure, kidney function, swelling and breathing.  Sometimes they have to let some things go in order to keep more important things working well.  Today, that meant letting Theo swell more than they'd like in order to get his blood pressure up to keep his kidney happy.


Due to low blood pressure and low hemoglobin, Theo required his third blood transfusion today.  We know that blood transfusions are not taken lightly in children, and carries risk.  (Side note: it's amazing to be on the recipient side of blood donation.  Blood donation is truly a gift.  It's made a big difference in Theo's status over the last couple of weeks.  Thank you to the A+ donor in Mecklenburg County that has improved Theo's condition!)  Unfortunately with this transfusion, Theo had a reaction.  His temperature spiked back above 103 and he developed a rash on his body as the blood was being transfused.  Theo's nurse was all over it though and caught it right away.  After some Benadryl and Tylenol, Theo is doing much better.

On the infection front, none of Theo's repeat cultures have grown any bacteria.  We're all hoping that nothing grows, which would mean that the antibiotics have taken care of Theo's peritonitis (belly infection).  Another round of repeat cultures were sent today, and we are still waiting for the resistances to come back, so he'll continue to be treated with double-coverage antibiotics for another few days.

We're really in a holding pattern right now, waiting for Theo to start mobilizing fluids and for his bowels to work again.  Until that happens, he's going to be swollen.  He's going to be uncomfortable (as he becomes more and more resistant to the sedation medications).  He hates the tube in his throat, but he needs it.  We'll have someone at the hospital full time to hold his hand and be there with him through all of the ups and downs.

We'll keep you posted as the days go by, but right now we are taking everything day by day.  Peritonitis is scary.  Theo's first experience with it prolonged his NICU stay by 6 weeks.  We hope that his body is strong enough to beat this, and turn the corner soon.  Thanks for the prayers!