This week Casey has had a couple pretty tough days, but our little girl is definitely one tough cookie. Mid week she started having a lot more bradys and we also noticed her belly seemed very bloated and she had been pretty fussy when we visited. By Friday morning things had not improved, and we got the call that she was put back on a breathing tube. The doctor ran some x-rays and determined she had what is called a Pleural effusion, or fluid collecting around her lungs. This is apparently an extremely rare complication from her PICC line becoming dislodged and leaking her IV fluids out of her vein. They immediately did a procedure to extract the fluid (scariest moments we have had since her birth). Since the procedure, her color and breathing have continued to improve and she has been tolerating her feeds much better since they restarted them. This is a huge relief because if she can hold down her food she may not need another PICC line for supplemental nutrition (as you can imagine PICCs aren't really our friends right now even though the doctors and nurses have assured us it probably wouldn't happen again). Her vent settings are pretty low for now, and if she continues to do well they are hoping to extubate her in the next day or so and put her back on CPAP. Without her CPAP hat and equipment her facial swelling has decreased, we have actually been able to see Casey's features a lot better. We have spent the past couple days trying to figure out just which one of us she looks like.
Here are the latest pictures and you can be the judge:
Peek-a-boo
Trying to open her eyes
Lots of hair
Close up
Thinking they may have moved her to the bigger diapers a bit too soon
Not sure who she looks like, but she definitely sleeps like Mommy!
Just came across your blog through Jolene Erickson's blog (her parents are good friends of ours). I can relate to your situation. Our youngest daughter, Sarah - now 28 - was in NICU for two weeks after she was born and had to have surgery on day 2 for a lower bowel obstruction. It's tough seeing the little ones with tubes and wires, etc. And on Feb. 17 of this year, our grandson Bryce was born about 7 weeks premature and spent several weeks in NICU as well. It's an emotional rollercoaster, but it's comforting to know God's in control and has our little ones in good hands, medically and spiritually. We pray that all goes well with Casey and that she'll grow up healthy and strong!
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