Another Day

Ayden has not had a temperature since the one taken last night. However, they are still progressing as if he has an infection. He is receiving antibiotics until we have more information. Based on the blood taken from Ayden yesterday, his white blood cell count was on the high end of normal, and his inflammatory marker was high. We will know more tomorrow based on his blood and urine cultures. (Technically, it takes five days for them to officially say whether or not he has an infection, but they usually have some idea after 48 hours.)

Ayden's PICC line dressing was changed for the third day in a row. Something new happens every day that makes them concerned that the PICC will be compromised. A PICC dressing is not terribly fun for Ayden, but each time has been necessary. Every time they access the PICC or change the dressing, I am prayerful that the line doesn't get compromised... if it hasn't been already.

This morning's chest x-ray wasn't much different from yesterday's, so Ayden will receive the same insane amount of diuretics today that he received yesterday. He is peeing well, so maybe tomorrow's x-ray will show more promise. Dr. K came by to see him, and she seems to think that the two lungs sound more equal (i.e. problem lung sounds as good as the other). He must be doing somewhat better because he is on .1 liters of oxygen. (Update: He is now on room air.)

Havilah came in this afternoon to help give Ayden a bath. (Honestly, she did all the work.) We have missed having her as a nurse, but we understood that we can't hog her all of the time.

Ayden has been pretty fussy. He is afraid of most everyone. He hates the nasal cannula and often manages to get it out of his nose. He won't suck on a pacifier, but he munches on his fingers quite a bit. The hospital is just not the place for a baby, especially a baby that knows what it is like to be home.