That's right, I've never been so happy about or followed so closely how much someone has pee'd. The first 16 hours today Rebecca has output 50 ml's more fluid than she has taken in. This is what it is going to take to get her swelling down. The doctor told me this morning that he wouldn't be surprised though if she begins to show that they are pushing her too much and they have to back off on the lasix and diuretics. So far though all of her numbers are looking great. She has desat episodes occasionally, but is usually corrected easily by suctioning and increasing her oxygen temporarily.
Joanna had a
little big accomplishment today. She got her high flow nasal cannula lowered to 4 liters/minute from 5. The goal is to lower her 1 every few days. When she gets to 2, she can begin trying to eat from a bottle and eventually from the source of milk, if you know what I mean. I gave her a bath for the first time tonight. It was just a wipe down with a wet rag in her bed but it counts for me. It's great to actually start handling her like a baby some instead of feeling like she was untouchable. Her weight tonight was 3# 14 oz. With her rapidly approaching 4#, I expect her to be at the same weight as Rebecca in the next week or two. Rebecca weighs roughly 7# right now but they are dosing her medications at about 4 1/2# which means she has about 2 1/2# of fluid weight to lose.
I ran into a woman in the elevator today that made my situation seem pretty easy. Nothing more than a 10 second conversation and I found out she has been caring for someone in the CICU for 2 1/2 years. Although I am not happy to be in this situation, I am grateful for the the things I am learning and the people I am meeting through it. Tons of people just like you and I, mostly unnoticed at least by me, go through far worse life happenings than I, and I hope this little nudge will leave me a little more appreciative and empathetic.
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