About 10 days ago, the doctor's decided to do a culture on Darbi's lungs to see whether the haziness they saw in the x-rays was from an infection (likely pneumonia) or something a bit more serious. The results came back yesterday and she has a condition called BPD - Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. NOT an infection - which is what we were hoping for. I don't understand all of the details but our nurse told us she will likely have to be on oxygen until she is maybe 3 or 4. From what I was able to read on the internet, it will hopefully get better as she gets older. She's not going to be an Olympic athlete but I wasn't either.. not even close. They have started her on a new treatment where they use Nitric Oxide in her lungs. The machine plugs into the ossilator and is supposed to NOT destroy her lung tissure like the oxygen in the ossilator was doing. Why we didn't do this earlier? I'm not sure exactly. The nurse told me that this is a new thing and isn't used very often but we should be successful in ensuring there is no more damage done to her lungs. It is a 3 week long treatment and after which we will re-evaluate. Clint understands this all much better than I do so he might be posting some corrections.. We can only wait right now and time will tell us the severity of it all. I think it will all turn out okay though..
She had such an awesome week last week and I've been on this high that I'm sure has a lot to do with the special pills the doctor has me on. I'm afraid to go into this week because as much as I want her to have a perfectly uneventful time in the NICU until I can bring her home, I know that she is still going to have ups and downs. I keep thinking that this perfect progress she is making can't last forever.. but then again.. maybe it could. I'm trying really hard to be optimistic. I wake up with a small anxiety attack every morning thinking that today is going to be the day with the bad news... but then I call the nurse and she had a quiet night. SO good. So I keep calling the nurse... and I keep taking the pills.
I'm starting to go back to work this week. Knowing she is so far away is going to be hard. I will go see her tonight but I won't be back until Wednesday night. I hope she's good for her nurses while I'm gone..
Chronic Lung Disease... basically.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Posted by Audrey at 9:05 AM
Labels: Oxygen, Time in the NICU
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6 Wisecracks:
Hang in there! I know how tough it is getting bad news, after things seem to be going so well... that's exactly how I felt when Connor developed NEC and had to have part of his intestines removed. Have faith - Darbi WILL get better and she WILL go home with you someday.
You're doing so well Audrey. :) I'm glad the doc has some happy pills for you. Darbi is strong and she'll get through this.
BTW, you look great on the pic to the right of your blog. :) Miss ya.
Warm hugs and tender prayers are being sent your way. Hang in there.
What little fighters you both are!!!
We are praying for you guys.
Shari
I think you are doing such a fantastic job. You always have such a good attitude and such a beautiful, radiant smile. But, LOL that's not meant to be pressure to always be that way :)
I don't care how many times people say "remember that there are lots of ups and downs", it still socks you in the gut whenever you get on that down swing. I can't stand any negative news at all!!! I'll anxiously await updates on this new lung situation and I'll be praying for her. Oh, and PS, hmmm... guess those pills are standard fair for pre-term moms. What did the social worker say to me one time? Oh yeah: "we produce nutcase parents." Uh, yeah.
Oh... and... I might give a call to your LOCAL neonatologist and ask them to go into Darbi's charts (they have access) and find out their opinion on the diagnosis and what it means. Ask a thousand nurses, get a thousand answers. Heck, ask a thousand neos...
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