Day Three: Status Quo

Not much to say today. In an effort to be ultra conservative, the doctors have decided to let Bridger take the day off from any attempts at removing his vent tube. They have been administering a steroid (so much for his Tour de France ambitions next summer) to help bring down the swelling in his trachea. They have also performed a couple respiratory treatments to try and break up the gunk in his lung sacs so when they do remove the tube, he will have a better chance of breathing more deeply on his own. So, they're planning to try extubating again tomorrow, Sunday.

My mom and the kids were able to come by today and see the little guy. Jayci has a slightly runny nose, so we took the precaution of having her wear a mask. She was not a fan.

This is Michelle, the nurse that Bridger had last night. One of our favorites. She made Bridger's bed all cute and Christmasy for today.

Jana's Comments:

Bridger is trying so hard to deal with all the uncomfortable tubes and wires and not being able to move. But I can tell he's getting tired of it and it's so hard to watch him cry and not be able to help him. His little eyes get this pained look like, "Mommy help me! I don't understand why you're letting them do this to me!" And the saddest thing is to see him crying but not able to make any sound. His face gets red and his eyes tear up and he flails his arms and legs and looks so sad. It breaks my heart and I can't wait till we can get rid of all this junk and hold him again. We try to touch his head and hands and talk and sing to him but we're so restricted on what we can actually do.

Todd hooked up his ipod and speakers to create a little mood music above his head to listen to so hopefully that helps take his mind off things. When we get close to him sometimes it makes things worse because he gets excited and starts moving around and wants to be held. We're just trying to understand that this is a process and we just have to be patient and hope and pray for the best.

On the bright side, there are so many nice people here doing their best to take care of Bridger and make him comfortable. All the nurses and doctors are doing their best to take care of his needs and take time to answer all our questions and keep us informed. Santa came through the PICU the day of his surgery and brought him a Christmas card and teddy bear. And today a family brought gift bags around to all the patients. Their little girl delivered them wearing a santa hat. Our nurse told us they had a daughter with DS and AVC who was here at CMH for two months after her heart surgery. Unfortunately she didn't make it and only lived to be 7 1/2 months old. Her family started a foundation to raise money for families going through surgery and long hospital stays in situations similar to theirs. And every Christmas they come to bring gifts to all the patients to brighten their day. I was very touched by the way they turned a tragedy in their lives into something positive to help others and honor their daughter and the people who fought with her to survive. You can see their story at http://www.giftsofgabisgrace.org/.

We have met so many families with children with disabilities who are so inspiring to be around. They are all so positive and supportive. I was able to talk to several mothers who had been through heart surgery with their child and it helped prepare me for this experience. It was such a big help and I really appreciate their concern and support. We are so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people!