Thursday update

Theo's not doing terribly well. I was really optimistic on Wednesday, because he seemed more alert to me and we even got him to smile. Nick and I even got out together for a few hours while my mom stayed with Theo, and I kept telling him that I thought things were improving. 

Theo in his more alert state after a sponge bath on Wednesday

I was wrong. Theo has had a high temperature all day (ranging from 102.2 to 103.3), his belly got even bigger,  his heart rate was in the 180-200 range (even with morphine) and he was having a hard time breathing. Last night things got worse and the doctors decided to send him for a CT scan at 2 am to make sure there was nothing that had to be done immediately from a surgical perspective. Fortunately, there was nothing on the scan that needed immediate attention. 

This morning, Theo was sent back to the OR so that the fluid from his belly could be drained. (If we are being technical about it, the OR actually came to Theo in the ICU because there were no open OR rooms.) An anethesiology team, an ultrasound technician, and a radiologist performed a procedure where Theo's belly was tapped to drain off extra fluid.  They pulled off over 30 ounces (almost 1 liter) of fluid from his swollen tummy.

Theo's lungs were not as strong as they would like, so he was left on the ventilator following the procedure and is still on it now.  We're hoping that he is weaned off of it quickly.  But for now, we moved back to the ICU and have a mostly sedated son.

Fevered and miserable on Wednesday.

The thought is that Theo is suffering from an infection somewhere in his body, which is causing the high temperature and may be contributing to a distended belly.  Cultures have been sent of all his lines, his blood and his urine, and so far nothing has grown back.  But he's being treated with two strong antibiotics to knock out whatever it is that is brewing inside of him.

The last couple of days have been really hard.  I think this is the most sad I have been in a long time.  I was prepared for Theo to be on the ventilator for a few days following transplant, but it's been very hard to see him go back on it unexpectedly.  He looks so vulnerable and so delicate.  True to form, Theo is recovering in his own style and on his own time.

We know Theo is in great hands, and are thankful for the doctors and nurses.  We know that God is good, and believe that God is actively working in Theo as he wants to right now.  Thank you for the continued prayers.  (In fact, Theo's temperature is trending down after all the prayers and is now close to 99 degrees!)  Depending on how his belly looks tomorrow morning, they may do another tap.  Please pray for comfort and healing for our little guy.