The 3 a.m. Phone Call

The 3 a.m. phone call from the hospital where your child is being treated...not something I'd wish on anyone.

Wednesday was an exceptional day for Josephine.  By early morning, she had been weaned to only a small dose of epinephrine.  The paralytic had worn off  completely, so she was able to initiate breaths over and above the ventilator and was doing so consistently.  The doctors O.K.'d removal of her chest tube and had decided to add an ng tube to begin feedings.  The respiratory therapist was called in to begin ventilatory tests.  Josephine passed each one with flying colors, so she was scheduled to have her breathing tube removed today.  She was doing better than anyone expected, and there was talk of moving to the step down unit by Friday. 

And then the phone call...

Sometime around 3 a.m. this morning, Josephine's blood pressure began falling which caused her blood oxygen levels to decrease significantly.  To counteract, they increased her epinephrine and put her back on the paralytic. :(  The breathing tube will definitely not come out today.

I'm absolutely heartbroken that this world isn't treating our sweet little girl better. 

Please send your prayers and positive thoughts our way.  We all really need them right now.