Saturday, April 14, 2012

Another admission for Audrina.

Audrina's apnea episodes came back with a vengeance yesterday evening and by 7pm, she was having one after another and we were told to take her to the ER. Admitted of course, plan on being here a few days again most likely. At least now at 38 weeks gestation they are not like "oh she's just 'being a preemie' "...

Met the pulmo over here (we came to the hospital where we always take addison this time) and he is a wonderful kind man who immediately thought of several obvious things they had not checked for and ordered the appropriate testing.

She could be aspirating, so they will do a test to check on that. She also needs an EKG to rule out a common heart defect that causes her SVT. Checking caffeine levels in her blood and a full CBC again.

Her CBC looked okay, not great - but her hemoglobin is 7.1 She needs a blood transfusion, but in a baby her size, it will only tell her body not to make more which might be more dangerous than just monitoring her and seeing what direction its headed in, we can always transfuse tomorrow if she goes down any further. Pulmonologist doesn't think the anemia is causing apnea increase. Her heart rate is so much more stable on this medicine now, so that's good - unfortunately though, the first sign that she's getting a very dangerous infection would be tachycardia, and they can't use that as a 'sign' to watch for now so they are keeping a very close eye on her. Pediatrician promised me no spinal tap unless she starts acting like something else is going on.

They have stuck her like 19 times trying to get an IV started and they can't, her veins are blowing instantly - they tried to have NICU team do it and they cant get it either. They have given up for now since she's just barely eating enough to stay hydrated.

They are repeating her pneumogram and taking away her oxygen to get a baseline on what she's capable of off the oxygen, makes me nervous since shes having tons of apnea ON it, but at the same time I think its very critical to see what if any difference the oxygen is making. We are in the hospital already with oxygen right here, so if she starts to de-sat we can always just put it back on again.

So now the process looks like : Repeat pnuemogram, chest x-ray, EKG, Barium swallow, and draw more labs.... then possibly tranfuse her if it gets critical. Thanks for your prayers once again.

5 comments:

  1. Still praying for you and your wee ones! I hope the new tests can gain more answers. Have they done any kind of barium swallow test to check for aspiration? I know of doing that test on adults but I'm sure they have some equivalent for babies.
    ((((hugs))))

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  2. I do not think this will help but my niece that was born at 30 weeks had low heart rate and apnea episodes numerous times an hour until she was 4 months old and then several times a day until she was 6 months. She was hooked upt to a heart and apnea monitor until she was 8 months old. It was just due to prematurity, no other reason was found. She was on theophilan and then caffeine. Reflux can increase apnea in premature infants.
    Hope they figure out what is going on.

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  3. Kim, ......for the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings with cannot be uttered."

    Leslie

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  4. Our prayers for Audrina, Addison and your strength haven't stopped. We continue to pray for answers and healing. Hang in there. They are such lucky girls to have you.

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  5. Praying for your and your family, from california

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