ICU Day 3

Hello, 

Thank you for your prayers for Benjamin.  He is hardly recognizable with probably 6 or 7 lbs of excess fluid swelling him up, but it really seems that he's turned the corner.  He was on 12 liters of 100% oxygen during the night, now down to 5.  As you can see in the photo, he's still attached to way too many machines, but we're thankful to be in a place where these interventions are available.  Yesterday he developed a pleural effusion (fluid in his right lung) that interfered with his ability to oxygenate as well as he needed to.  They've told me that it's possible that he would need to be intubated but we're all hoping that won't be necessary.  Things are looking increasingly favorable several hours into the day.  We put him in his stroller just to have a change in position that would facilitate him breathing without so much work.  He's almost constantly sleeping, but that's a relief right now for all of us.  If he really turns around on this whole respiratory issue, we can potentially be transferred before long to the general pediatric floor for the duration of our stay.  I don't have any idea now how long we're looking at...we can do the IV antibiotics easily at home.  If he needs to begin eating (??tomorrow possibly) and build up that will take 2 or 3 days.  They are talking about starting IV nutrition too, so again, that could go home with us.  I need to not jump ahead, but just be thankful that he's better than yesterday and pray that God will continue to carry us thru the days ahead.  

I was telling Larry this morning how much I've appreciated our older kids thru this.  They have all been stretched in taking on added responsibility and it's been done willingly and without complaining and really understanding the seriousness of the situation.  Sometimes we hear about how self-absorbed the teen years are...I certainly had those moments I'm sure...but it's just been a gift this week to not have the stress of trying to make the kids get it.  They just have done whatever needs doing, even in the middle of the night.  Thanks Lord for encouraging us in this way...