Back in the ICU

Here's a brief catch up on whats brought us to Doernbecher once again. Allison started having some difficulties a couple weeks ago and we were back and forth to the doctor trying to figure out what was causing the problem. She was bleeding from somewhere in her tummy again so they did a coupple xrays in the ER the week before Christmas and found another hernia in her upper bowel/diaphragm area. Same place as last year. Due to the snowstorm and the Holiday they really didnt have the staff at the hospital to take care of the problem right then and there. They originally sent us home and scheduled surgery for the 8th of Jan. Allison started to not tolerate feedings without extreme pain, so we started her on a calorie infusion IV at Mac Hospital and they transferred us up to Doernbecher on the 29th. Doernbecher was able to reschedule surgery for the 30th. And to make an even longer story short, here we are.

Allison's surgery has caused swelling in the Nissen site again and that is not allowing her saliva or any other secretions to enter her stomac. That causes them to back up into her esophogus and she risks coughing them up and inhaling them. So they put her back in the ICU to be watched continuously and suctioned every 15-30 minutes. She was also on moisturized oxygen that was supposedly helping her breathe easier. The problem was that she was fighting the nasal canula and the mask that was feeding it to her. We ended up taking the mask off for about 15-20 minutes and she was breathing easier without it on. So they have discontinued the oxygen for now and will conitinue to watch that. Amy has gone home for the night with Keala and will come back up tomorrow afternoon and Jeff will go home and nap for a couple hours and then go to work.

Please feel free to call or come visit, We'll be in ICU for another day or 2, then they will re open the 10th floor acute care wing and we'll most likely head there next. The phone number in the room (for now) is 503-346-0114. We arew in rm 14 on the 8th floor pediatric ICU.