Quick Update

Ayden’s blood pressure has been good. They have taken him off the blood pressure medication.

They tried to put a PICC line in Ayden this morning, to no avail. The reason they need a PICC line is because the line he currently has can only take in fluids/meds; no blood can be drawn from it; they need a more lasting line with the ability to do both. They would like to put the PICC line where Ayden’s arterial line is, and since his blood pressure looks okay, they are considering taking the arterial line back out. (If you are thinking that there is some major yo-yo action, we are thinking the same thing.) Plus, Ayden can’t be moved to the next floor with an arterial line.

The speech pathologist made a return trip to Ayden’s room. (Who knew that an infant would need one of those?!?!) He screamed loud for her, and she said that he sounded great. (This mom thinks that sound is terrible!) Once again she stuck her plastic glove finger in his mouth to test his sucking reflex. Then she did the same with his pacifier (which his daddy has been training him with for days now). Then the moment of truth—she gave him some liquid from a bottle! He wasn’t too sure about it at first, and he definitely has some gag reflex, but eventually, he seemed fairly comfortable. She said that, when he gets his chest tubes out, she would like to see him do the swallow test, which will tell them if he can take milk/formula from a bottle.

Ayden has had multiple poopie diapers today. A hospital is the only place one can get all excited about pee and poop. Perhaps we will be less excited when we get him home… though it means he’s home.

We have had another Clemson nurse, Stephanie, for the past few day shifts. (Go, Tigers!) She’s good with Ayden… and with us. We ask a lot of questions, and we are ever present, so I know that we may be a bit more demanding of the nurse.

Today is a good day, and we are inching toward home. God is so good.