What's up Lungs and a Good-bye

We have been in to see many docs to figure out why Miss Arianna continues to struggle with pneumonia. Her chest x-ray is looking better, but not 100%. Her pulminology doc wants to continue with her antibiotics so we still have a PICC line. We will be discussing Botox injections for her salivary glands to decrease the amount of spit she makes. I thought about asking for a few shots myself, my forehead looks bad(jk).
Really there isn't much going on right now, same old stuff different week. We are trying to get the backyard looking better, and Matt is working hard to get the garden ready to be planted. I can't wait for my own fresh veggies.

On a sad note, my Aunt Stephani passed away unexpectedly on Saturday May 3rd. She was too young, only 66, ready to start the best years of retirement with my Unlce Dallas. She was battling cancer and seemed to be winning, her heart although was weakened and she went peacefully in her sleep. She will be greatly missed. She was the oldest of three girls, my mom being the youngest, and she was like another mom to us. I admire the strength she displayed. My heart and love are with her family. Please pray for them too.

We are Home

So we came home on Wednesday afternoon after a whole lot of stuff, so here's the scoop. On Monday they attempted to place a PICC but it didn't work, so the plan was to wait until her IV was done and then move forward with injections or oral meds. Tuesday morning the docs decided to try one more time for the PICC, and after trying the right arm, and right leg they were able to place one in the left arm. They kept her overnight due to the fact she was sedated and was having a difficult time coming out of it.
Now at home I am giving her the med injections and flushing the PICC everyday. I now feel every much a nurse as the ones at the hospital. I was asked often if I was a nurse, I said I got my degree from the school of life.
So I am really busy right now, trying to keep up with the kids and the house, so if I don't post often don't get mad, I am trying.

Waiting Game

We are now waiting to have a PICC line placed by the radiology team. We should be able to go home tomorrow and continue with the antibiotics there. Arianna is a bit mad because they stopped her feeds so they could do the PICC, she is really grumpy when her tummy is empty, I hope that we don't have to wait too long.

In the Hospital

Well to say that the last 4 days have been crazy would be an understatement. We have been on a roller coaster with Arianna, one day she has a fever the next it's gone, then the next it spikes to 104 and we are in the doctors office. We had chest x-rays, CBC and blood cultures, started antibiotics and the next day she is back to her playful self. Then the bad news comes that she is growing some bacteria in the cultures and we must go to the hospital for IV antibiotics, the injections and oral ones just won't cut it. So here we are, just Arianna and I , I sent Matt and Kenna camping, we were all going to go but when she had to come here I thought it would be unfair to Kenna to not let them have some fun.
We are hoping that this will be a short stay, and that we can finds a root cause to her chronic pneumonia, it would be nice to avoid this in the future. We know that as she gets older that her risk for it will decrease, but each time we have battled it now is wearing down this little fighter.
Today is her 22 month birthday, I know that most people don't celebrate such a milestone but each month, each day is a great blessing and to have had so much time and love with this little girl is worth celebrating, so I will get some cake later to enjoy for her.
Pray for her please, that we might get home soon and get back to life, and that it will be uneventful.
Julianna

Arianna is feeling much better today, I think we are just about over it. It turns out that she had influenza # 3, the one that the flu shot did not cover. I think all of us girls had it and we all got flu shots, Matt however did not get a flu shot this year and has not been sick, nice. Kenna now has a stomach bug, just what we need, I hope it goes away quickly... I will be going in on Thursday for surgery, wish me a quick recovery. I will be taking a little bloggy brake until after surgery, I have a ton to get done around here before then.

So on Tuesday evening cardio called back and wanted us to start Lasix(?) to help her remove the fluid, the only pharmacy that has it in stock for kids is at PCMC, so I made a mad dash to get there before 7:00, I just barely made it. I gave her one dose and it didn't seem to do much, so yesterday we went back to the doc. She checked her over, had a chest x-ray, checked her weight, and then called cardio. They agreed that she should get two doses of Lasix a day and they wanted her blood gases checked. They only had lances for adult pokes and it put a huge hole in her finger, she wouldn't stop bleeding, it took 20 mins to stop. All in all her gases are great and she is now peeing up a storm. Today she seems to be feeling better, she wants to play. Her o2 needs are getting back to normal, she is staying at a 1/2 liter all day and night. I can only hope that this is a turning point and she will be over this soon.
She has reached a new milestone, she is pushing up on her arms while on her tummy, this is huge cause she does not have much upper body strength and this is helping her to build those muscle that will help her to one day sit up on her own!!!!

On a funny note, my neighbor wanted to play a April's Fool joke on me and borrowed a Home For Sale sign from her realtor friend so would think she was moving. Well the joke was really on her, the realtor got 2 calls on her house and the sign was only there a day. Ha Ha.

I absolutely hate the words 'Heart Failure', but that is what I heard today. I took Arianna in for a follow up, her doc is keeping close tabs on her. I was told that the radiologist that looked at her chest x-ray from yesterday noticed that her heart is enlarged vs. the x-ray on Friday. We are waiting to hear back from cardiology to see if we need to do more for her. I am afraid that she will be going back to the hospital. I am trying to stay positive. I can only pray that she will overcome this illness quickly, but I know that the Lord is holding her closely and will protect her. Keep her in your prayers.

Julianna