The Uphill Climb

Last night Mason fought like a champ and made strides. Dr. Smith, the attending, had set a goal for him to be negative 300 on fluids during the night, and he was at 375 by the morning shift change! He kept up his oxygen sats (he even hit 100% at one point!) and a steady heartbeat in his target range with no arrhythmia. Fewer doctors and techs came in because he was doing so well, so I actually got a little more sleep, although I was awakened at one point by the respiratory therapist and a nurse, who were debating whether or not Mason's stuffed llama would really be classified as an alpaca. Not sure what the conclusion was, but it hardly seemed like the most pressing question of the night.

Mason's new nurse came on at 7 the next morning, replacing Nicole and Jessica, the night shift. Alison, Mason's day shift nurse from Wednesday until Friday, was not on, and I was surprised to see that Mason had been assigned a male nurse. He seemed quiet at first, so I was concerned that he wasn't going to be as outgoing or nurturing as what we've been used to, but Andy turned out to be phenomenal. He had a great sense of humor and spent a lot of his down time (Mason gave him an easy day!) talking to me and Chris about procedures and medicines. I'm glad we'll be seeing him again tomorrow.

Today we saw a lot of encouraging progress. Mason continued to remain stable and to flush fluids, so he looks more and more like my baby each hour as the swelling subsides--in fact, we saw his neck for the first time in 3 days. A pediatric surgeon came and removed the three original chest tubes, and Mason did great with that procedure, and later in the afternoon he was finally weaned off the nitric oxide that was helping his oxygen sats. He's staying awake for longer periods and moving more vigorously, so these are really positive signs!

Also, Chris and I got into the Ronald McDonald House at long last, so that was another relief. Mom has been sleeping on a pull-out chair in the waiting room, so now she and Chris have somewhere comfortable to sleep. Chris took Mom over there this evening, and they got settled in and ate dinner there, and Mom went straight to bed (she's tough, but I know this is all as exhausting for her as for me and Chris). Chris has been staying with Mason until around midnight each night and then going to the sleep room to pass out, so he'll do the same and just head over to the RMH now. I stay in Mason's room and then leave to go shower and eat some breakfast when Chris comes back to relieve me around 7.

This has all been more than I can ever describe, but Chris and I are starting to breathe easier now. I told Chris on Wednesday that I hope this is the toughest thing we ever have to endure with Mason, and I pray that the worst is already behind us.

So...we're anticipating another good night and more milestones tomorrow: losing the ventilator and pooping (yes, that would be a MAJOR excitement for us these days!). Miriam says lots of Lutherans are praying for our boy, so I'm certain he'll meet all his goals again. Plus, Miriam's watching a lot of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman these days just in case she needs to step in and offer Mason's doctors some suggestions to speed things up. But between the Lutherans and the Baptists (and a Catholic or two), I think we're in good shape!