…IS COMING HOME!!!
Piper decided she’d take herself out, thankyouverymuch.
Last night, I wasn’t sure they were going to let us leave today. As soon as she fell asleep hard, she started desatting into the mid to low 80’s. And seemed to stay there for a large portion of the night. The nurse tried some room air trials several times, but we didn’t get anywhere.
So today during rounds, we talked about our three options. One was that dropping to the 80’s probably wouldn’t do any harm, so we could just “let it be”. No one liked this idea, of course, so that one got thrown out the window. We could stay tonight and see if she continued to desat—our theory is that, due to pain, she’s just not breathing in as deeply as she needs to keep her O2 needs up. So, then, if that’s the case, as her pain becomes less and less, her oxygen need would diminish. The third option was to just go home on a little oxygen at night, and come back in a couple weeks for a sleep study.
Seemed like the best idea was just to go home. To get out the hospital so that she could go home and start healing here. We figured that she’d probably do the same thing tonight, and we’d end up in the same place tomorrow, anyway.
They couldn’t send us home with a pulse oximeter (“act of congress” is needed, apparently, lol), so we can’t discontinue until we find out what she’s doing overnight, hence the sleep study. I also overheard that ENT is fairly convinced that she must have obstructive sleep apnea because of the airway issues. I’m not convinced on this front because this kid is probably the quietest sleeper I’ve ever known. They said that our ped would be able to write an order to discontinue the O2. I’ve heard of people using at-home pulse oxes—if any of you have, do you think they’re accurate? I would bet that my doc would take my word if I kept one on her for a night toward the end of the weekend.
We’re hoping that this is a short-lived period. My got knows that it’s all related to surgery. Besides, the four nights before surgery were fine.
I’m SO not looking forward to a sleep study. So so so so so NOT.
Anyway, we’ll cross that bridge when we need.
We go back next Wednesday to take out the stitches on the top and bottom of her incision and the stitch from her drainage tube. Then we follow-up with the ENT on October 14. Of course, Piper’s next pediatrician appointment, and rescheduled ophthalmology appointment, are on the 11th. Looks like October is going to be as eventful as I thought September was going to be.
We can’t even begin to express our thanks for the amazing outpour of love for our little girl over the past week. This community is definitely one of the perks of being in The Club. We love you all!!!
So glad you all are home!
ReplyDeleteYay for going home!!! We have a pediatric fingertip oximeter for Max and our pedi said it was better than theirs! $100 - you can order it online, or find one locally - it was difficult to find a 'pediatric' one locally... I found this one local even though they operate online, so they let us pick one up... so check around :)
ReplyDeletewww.vitalitymedical.com - search for "child oximeter"
YEAH! So glad you are home! Hope you all have a very restful sleep in your own beds.
ReplyDeleteYEAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWOO HOO! :) I'm so happy you guys are home now. You all are still in my prayers!:)
ReplyDeleteWelcome home cutie-patootie!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are home!!
ReplyDeleteWhen Claire had RSV we were sent home with a pulse ox. She'd already been in the hospital for almost 2 weeks and they weren't doing anything but giving her 02. Getting us home with a pulse ox was much cheaper than keeping us there until she could keep her sats up. I think she was on the o2 for bout 2-3 weeks, but we only used the pulse ox at night.
After her OHS she was on o2 at nights for about 3 weeks again. Once again she wasn't breathing deeply when she was sleeping. Before we took her off the o2 that time we had a trial. We took her off the o2 and had a pulse ox for just one night to see how she did.
After both of those issues I was thinking apnea too, but once she healed up she's been fine.
Is you ENT appt at TCH on the 14th? We've got an appt there with Pat that day too. :)
Woo hoo for going home!! Addy has a Pulse Ox at home that we've had since we brought her home. She used to be monitored every night constantly. Thankfully we only spot check her sats now. It is very accurate and read the same as one the doc sent home with us to compare. She was a very sound peaceful sleeper and she too had obstructive sleep apnea. We took out her tonsils and adenoids and within a month she was off of O2 completely!
ReplyDelete