Operation Noah Recovery: day 1

Today has been a long day. Noah is still hooked up to the IV with saline solution and antibiotics going in. He's also still got the heart rate monitor and oxygen monitor on. The nurses come in and out to check on his vitals.

Yesterday and the previous days he has been sick, he has been sleepy and lethargic. He didn't wake up for feeds and if I left him alone, probably would have slept the entire day. Now that he's on the saline solution to keep him hydrated, he's still sick but very alert and awake but this also makes him realize how much he hates his life right now and he has been miserable most of the day. It didn't help that this morning he was woken up by a lab tech who had to take blood samples. Who wants to wake up to having needles jabbed in your foot and it's not just one poke, she needed to collect a vial of blood so it was jabbing and tapping at his poor little foot until she collected enough blood. What a horrible way to wake up. The nurse told us later that was very bad etiquette for the lab tech and they have a rule that you can never put a needle in a child while they are still asleep. That's just mean. I agree. She told us that if that happens again tomorrow I can tell her off. I think I will.

I think he has been jabbed at with needles and poked and examined so many times when we lie him down that he has very quickly associated that lying him down means something bad is going to happen so we have not been able to put him down ALL.DAY. without a crying sobbing protest. I am so glad Simon is here, he has held Noah most of the day and that was the only way he was able to get two short naps in. This is no easy feat. You try holding a sack of potatoes and swaying from side to side for 12 hours, only getting a break when you really need to pee or eat. Without Simon's support today, I would of lost it. So if you see Simon or have his number, tell him he is super dad.

The nurse came in and explained a few of the different blood tests that have been done and what still needs to be done.

The CBC stands for Complete Blood Count and it is a blood test that evaluates the three major types of cells in the blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This checks to see if the child has an infection. Mostly, they are looking at the white blood cells (WBCs). WBC's help the body fight infection and an abnormal WBC count means there is something wrong. Noah's CBC of course confirmed what we already knew, there are elevated white blood cells because he has the infection in his lungs.

Another test was the blood gas test, it test to see how much carbon dioxide is in the blood. A higher Co2 count means that although you are taking some oxygen in, its not all being expelled out properly and some carbon dioxide is trapped in the blood. The first test last night Noah's levels were high but this morning, it looked better.

The most important blood test result we are waiting for the blood culture to confirm whether or not he has Sepsis. The nurse explained that they take blood and see if they can grow bacteria in it, if they can then it confirms a blood infection. Let's pray the test does not come back positive. If it does, there is antibiotics to treat it but it just means we will be in the hospital for recovery much longer.

He has been crying a lot today, inconsolable crying which is really hard to listen to. When we try to hold him he arches his back and the nurse said that's a sign that he is in pain. Oh my sweet, sweet boy, I am so sorry you are suffering.

In light of all this darkness, its important to count the blessings and praise God for the little things like:

• for a few moments he was calm and even playing his Sophie giraffe
• he tolerated being rocked in the car seat for a little bit, enough for both Simon and I to have a few minutes break of holding him
• a few little smiles today and a feeble laugh
• when he cried there were tears (this is a big thing because before he was so dehydrated he would cry but without tears, this is a sign that the hydration process is working)
• no puking for the last 12 hours
• nursed for a few minutes today
• starting to pee in small amounts (another sign that hydration process is working)
• the overwhelming words of encouragement from our friends, family and the church as well as bringing us food so we don't have to leave Noah's room
• my mom giving us updates of Natallie throughout the day and her fun adventures with PoPo
• Natallie's card for Noah that makes my heart smile

For tonight, please pray

• Noah will settle down and sleep in the hospital crib (so far today, after waking up with a brutal needle poking episode in the crib he has refused to lie down in the crib)
• if he doesn't sleep in the crib he will at least sleep in the car seat and I won't have to hold and rock him all.night.long
• Simon goes back home tonight and gets a much needed rest since he has to go back to work tomorrow
• his blood culture sample comes back negative for Sepsis
• his vitals (blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, oxygen levels) remains stable (when he gets worked up his heart rate can go up to 220 beat per minute)
• he begins to nurse regularly soon
• our little family to all be home together again instead of me & Noah here, Simon home alone and Natallie with my parents

 Good night everyone. Thank you for all your love.