A few more T’s as it is the featured letter of the day …

“T” is for …

TAH DAH !!!

Amanda has no veins.  I mean – she HAS veins but they are really hard to find and stick and get any blood from.  So, they put a P.I.C.C. line in her arm – surgically implanted IV – so they could have an IV going AND draw blood.  Well it is infusing fluids but would not let people draw blood – it just wouldn’t work.  So they sent a blood draw person, and another one and another one …. they all poked her and got NO blood.  They finally decided to put in a SECOND P.I.C.C. line …. I even signed the papers … sigh.  But then this guy nurse came in and took a look, and took the time, and finessed, and GOT IT WORKING!  So no need for the 2nd P.I.C.C. line.

TAH DAH!

The other “T” for the day starts the next exclamation:

TAKE IT OFF!

Since getting to the ER on Saturday Amanda has had to wear this mask that was forcing oxygenated breaths (almost like being intubated – ya know – the tube down the throat – which we have thus far avoided) almost 24/7 – taking it off only for quick sips of water or a face wash.  Here’s what she’s pretty much looked like for the past 3 days:

 

She was awake enough this evening and alert enough that I asked, could she TAKE IT OFF for a bit?  Amanda had a quiet and lovely hour of bliss – sitting up and breathing with just a little help from an oxygen cannula at her nose – and got to sip lots of water and brush her teeth.  Yes, her face is red and swollen and the hair needs a shampoo and blow dry – but she managed a smile for the camera!  (The thingy on her head is her oxygen probe – her hands are too cold so that it works better on her forehead.)

TAKE IT OFF BABY!

So …

Lung function is improving.

But she is weak and limp as a wet dish rag as the staph infection is battled.  No – it is not MRSA (for you medical people) and the next big step is the TEST (sticking with the “T” theme here) to see if it is in her spinal fluid and shunt.  That TEST did not get done TODAY … so we wait for TOMORROW.

That girl sure has a lot of fight in her.

just Laurel