PICU Day 1

Did I really write that title???...thought I was done counting days for a while.

It's been one of those days today.

We got to the ER around 9:30 this morning, where Noah was taken right into the resus room. His breathing continued to get worse throughout the morning with lots of coughing up blood, his oxygen needs kept climbing, and his blood gases continued to go downhill. Around noon he was moved to PICU to try some BIPAP, but he did not tolerate it well, and he was immediately intubated. He is now on the ventilator, quite sedated and his lungs are getting the rest they need. After watching Noah work so hard all morning, he deserves a good rest. His blood gases have not improved much, but hopefully with more fiddling with the vent settings and some doses of bicarb, this will turn around. He is recieving blood this evening to combat his dropping hemoglobin, lasix to help with the fluid in his lungs, along with some albumin to help maintain his blood pressure.

What exactly is going on is still unclear. His chest xray looks particularly bad, with definate pulmonary edema and some question as to whether there is fungus growing in his lungs. He is also presenting with some classic signs of the H1N1 flu, so he has been cultured from everywhere for everything. We should have some results back tomorrow. For now, no chances are being taken and he is under strict isolation. ID has also started him on Tamiflu (an antiviral flu medication) just in case, along with antibiotics to combat any bacterial infection. They are holding off on the antifungal for now and we will wait to see what grows in his lung secretions. Whatever is going on has made him very seriously ill and he's got me pretty worried. Trusting in our heavenly Father tonight to carry us all through these rough days.