Sunday, February 17, 2008

Haven't heard yet...

Well the resident obviously hasn't made it here yet, but I have loved the wait. I just spent the last hour holding Charlie for the first time in a week. It was so great. Since the drain was put in and he has been so agitated, we have felt that we didn't want to stimulate him too much. We were told that patients with brain injuries can only handle minimal stimulus. We keep the lights low in the room and try to minimized other things. He had been a little agitiated since he woke up tonight so the nurse said he might need his mom. I couldn't argue with that because I needed to hold him. I wish I could say he went right to sleep but he didn't. He fidgeted off and on for about 30 minutes or so but then slowly relaxed and has been sleeping pretty deep ever since. He heart rate never went above 160 so I figured I couldn't have been overstimulating him. It was quite an ordeal to manage all of the webbing that comes along with him (oxygen, feeding tube, IV tube, EVD drain, 3 EKG leads, oxy meter). But it was definately worth it. Since Charlie's sleeping I'm going to try to get some sleep too. I have instructed the nurse to wake me when the resident arrives.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Angel-
Yay! I love it when you get to hold him, that adds a highlight to my day. I know he needed his mom, you're awesome like that. You need to have my mother come up at times like this, she'll get the results so fast that the dr will be afraid and every parent will be proud, and you'll of course know what is going on with Charlie again. I hope you get some sleep, along with baby. Love you guys!!
-Sara L

Anonymous said...

Hi I am so glad you got to hold the little guy. I completely agree you need to be very agressive at this point and that is the hardest thing to be. When the resident comes in the room take the picture of Charlie down and make her see it up close. This is your baby and you need to be updated immediately with any results and a running plan needs to be gone over with you multiple times a day. It is inexcusable you have waited this long and waited for her to admit other patients. I am a nurse who works in a teaching hospital and understand how residents can be. That being said you and your family have been through hell and DESERVE answers. I think you need to request another team meeting on Monday or Tuesday and express to the entire team you need to be updated more.
As far as not holding Charlie you are his mother and not every brain trauma is the same. I think you should hold him, it is evident in tonight how much benefit he has received. Trust your insticts you and your husband are doing an amazing job at the harest thing any parent should have to deal with. Now you need to become as they say "the tiger lady" My family and I are continuing to pray very hard for the speediest of recoveries. Hang in there.