Day 2 in the Cardiovascular ICU and Brianna Better

All of your posts of prayers and healing thoughts help us through these trying days. Although I cannot read them to Brianna yet, I plan on it today. She too gets strength from all of your emails and posts.

Easter for us was really spent bedside with Brianna. She didn't know what day it was and the only indication was a cute little bunny and basket the ICU left for her and later that day, two more Easter baskets from the nurses on 2 north. A note came with it that said, "We miss you Brianna!" When we saw them, we got teary-eyed about their caring so much for her. She has touched the hearts of many people around her at the hospital and we are so proud to be her parents. We thank God for her strong-willed nature, because that has helped her through all of this.

Yesterday, Brianna slept most of the day until late afternoon. A CT scan was ordered in the morning and being that it was Sunday lots of people had to be called in to get it done. At 5 pm, she was taken down to the first floor of the Stanford side of the hospital for the CT. The doctors wanted to get a clear picture of her lungs while she was still on the ventilator. Although she was using it minimally, the more air in her lungs the better the picture. Once the CT was taken her breathing tube could be removed.

Taking patients off ventilators is a tricky thing. They must be awake enough to breath and cough, and yet they shouldn't be too awake that they are in pain. So it took about four hours after the CT before her sleepy medications wore off and about 10 pm the process of removing the tube started. It is a terrible process to watch your child go through and for any of you who have been through this, I just can't imagine. She was in obvious distress. Who wouldn't be with a tube going down your windpipe, blocking your vocal cords, gagging you, but allowing you to breathe?

But like the strong woman that she is, she did everything the nurses and respiratory therapists asked of her. Of course, we were annoyed because she was wincing from the feeling of the tube, trying to cough it out and the therapists is asking for a longer suction tube - which took a few minutes to get. At these times, a few minutes to Brianna is like an eternity. We understood why most of the time they don't allow parents in the room during this process, however we were able to stay. John almost lost it with them asking why they weren't prepared, when they knew they had a 17-year-old who needed adult size equipment rather than a baby and the too small equipment they had.

Once the tube was removed, Brianna was so much more comfortable. She was whispering to us about what she needed and we were so relieved to see her looking more like herself.

The official read of the CT scan will be done this morning, but we were able to see the pictures last night. And we were so happy to see that her upper lobe had opened up significantly. Her two lower lobes, however were still collapsed, and possible deteriorated by the fungal infection. We won't know for sure for some weeks, but Brianna may have to go through this surgery again to remove one or both of the two lower lobes. At this point, only time will tell, but our dream would be that at least one more opens. Also, we just hope and pray that the area around her lungs does not fill up with fluid again. It won't for now because she has the chest tubes, but those should be coming out some time this week.

The nurses will be making Brianna cough and use the breathing incentive barometer to ensure that her lungs function well. THey will be getting her up and walking today too. As long as she is on her pain medication and with the will and determination she has, we know she will do well with this.

We are taking one day at a time right now, and I will be meeting with the doctor this morning around 10:30 to learn more. I can't say it enought though, your prayers and positive thoughts are so very appreciated. Thank you.