PICU Day 5 ~(June 29, 2012)

Today was a fairly good day with a little less "trauma" for Noelle in that they only had to stick her twice in order to draw blood for labs (and thankfully, it did not clot today).  Her care team spent most of the day trying to figure out why she began to desat again last night (all through the night), but they had changed multiple factors with her feeds and oxygen levels, and I honestly believe it was all attributed to that.  People sometimes forget that they are still dealing with a micro preemie whose system is easily overloaded; but as each day passes, the PICU team gets more familiar with her and how she responds and is learning how to handle her various issues.  Her heart catheterization is scheduled for Tuesday, and we spent a large part of the day talking with several people, seeking advice on how to handle her medical care from here.  After much consideration and many suggestions, we will be gaining a second opinion if the results from this procedure point to a heart surgery.  We still are not sure whether or not we would move her care, and much of that would depend on exactly what issues she is facing; but we were encouraged to talk to so many today (some of whom have been through multiple heart issues with their children) and discover that we do have options, not only at Baptist but also in other areas of the country.  We are earnestly seeking God's guidance in this matter as it is intimidating at times to be responsible for such large health decisions for our little girl.  There is much more to consider than just a surgery; and things such as a transport, stress, and long term care also have to be weighed as we face upcoming decisions.  Our hope and prayer is that Tuesday's procedure will shed light on many questions and help us to be able to develop a care plan and make informed decisions for Noelle's future.  Tonight's post is a bit shorter as we are going to try and catch some rest, but we truly appreciate your continued prayers and hope to report an uneventful weekend with lots of smile pictures attached!!