Friday, November 20, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
As is the way with the NICU, it can sometimes be two steps forward, one step back.
Late last night we received a phone call from the NICU doctors saying that Everett was having increased difficulty breathing. He was experiencing periods of apnea (meaning periods of not breathing) at an increasing rate. The doctors ran multiple tests and found that Everett is again infected. The source, they believe, was his PICC line.
Tiny clots of bacteria can gather on the end of the PICC line while it is in the body. When the doctors pulled the line out the bacteria became dislodged and was released into Everett's blood stream, causing another infection. His body, being so tiny, was having a hard time fighting the infection and breathing and digesting food all at the same time. As a result, Everett was placed back on the ventilator late last night. His feedings have been stopped and he is sedated again.
It is a setback for him. We are especially concerned that he's on the ventilator again, but the doctors assure us that in three days time, he will be feeling so much better that he will be able to come back off and breathe on his own. He will have a 10 day course of antibiotics for the infection. His feedings will be on hold for a while so he is receiving "sugar water" via an IV for some nutrition.
It is hard to know that we are asking so much from someone so tiny. But he is strong and we know that he can conquer this too! Please keep thinking and praying for him and for his infection to resolve. We appreciate all your loving support! With Thanksgiving on the way, we have so many things to be thankful for...among them, a beautiful son and each of you who have helped our family and our little boy with your positive thoughts, prayers, meals, emails, and phone calls :-) Every day we are thankful for you!!!
Love,
The Bollinger Family
Dear Family and Friends,
As is the way with the NICU, it can sometimes be two steps forward, one step back.
Late last night we received a phone call from the NICU doctors saying that Everett was having increased difficulty breathing. He was experiencing periods of apnea (meaning periods of not breathing) at an increasing rate. The doctors ran multiple tests and found that Everett is again infected. The source, they believe, was his PICC line.
Tiny clots of bacteria can gather on the end of the PICC line while it is in the body. When the doctors pulled the line out the bacteria became dislodged and was released into Everett's blood stream, causing another infection. His body, being so tiny, was having a hard time fighting the infection and breathing and digesting food all at the same time. As a result, Everett was placed back on the ventilator late last night. His feedings have been stopped and he is sedated again.
It is a setback for him. We are especially concerned that he's on the ventilator again, but the doctors assure us that in three days time, he will be feeling so much better that he will be able to come back off and breathe on his own. He will have a 10 day course of antibiotics for the infection. His feedings will be on hold for a while so he is receiving "sugar water" via an IV for some nutrition.
It is hard to know that we are asking so much from someone so tiny. But he is strong and we know that he can conquer this too! Please keep thinking and praying for him and for his infection to resolve. We appreciate all your loving support! With Thanksgiving on the way, we have so many things to be thankful for...among them, a beautiful son and each of you who have helped our family and our little boy with your positive thoughts, prayers, meals, emails, and phone calls :-) Every day we are thankful for you!!!
Love,
The Bollinger Family
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