Day Six

They found me a RED wagon,
so I didn't have to travel around in the pink one!

Ayden and I both had a better night, which is to say we both got more sleep. The PCCU isn't exactly compatible with rest, especially when Ayden's neighbor on one side screams pretty much whenever he's awake and the neighbor on the other side is (sadly) currently on ECMO (meaning the room is full of activity and people all fo the time).

Another positive development was my ability to get a shower this morning, my first one since Wednesday. (I'm resisting using the commuity shower until absolutely necessary; I might've had to pull the trigger today, but was able to use the shower in an unclaimed sleep room, instead.) It sure does make me feel better. I'm sure Ayden's nurses are grateful for my showering, as well.

Though he is still nowhere near his normal personality, Ayden does seem to be in better spirits this morning. He's talked more this morning than he has since Tuesday. He's playing a little bit. The IV in his foot stopped working and has come out, so I'm hoping to get him up and walking later today. Maybe that will add some sense of normalcy for him.

Rounds have already come and gone this morning. They included several familiar faces, including Dr. K and our favorite former NICU resident (and now cardiology fellow), English. Ayden's x-ray still showed a little bit of collapse, but overall it was improved. CPPD will now only be twice a day. We've scaled back on his pain meds and removed a diuretic.

Given the improvement in the x-ray and the apparent success of CPPD, he is now eligible to go to the floor. When that happens is entirely dependent upon room availability up there, which we won't know about until at least after the floor finishes its rounds. Even if a room does open up, I'm not sure that Ayden is first on the list, as I believe at least one other child is already waiting on a spot.

So, please pray that CPPD continues to cause improvement in Ayden's right lung, that he is able to get off the last little whiff of oxygen he's on, that his heart continues to progress back towards its normal rhythm, that the one remaining IV line continues to work for as long as we need it, and that a room on the floor opens up soon so that Ayden can start to feel like himself again.