Today
Brea has had a puffy face all day. The doctors think she is retaining even more fluid so they have added another diuretic to her list of medications that will also help her to retain her potassium. They also increased her Captropril (blood pressure) medicine again and she has tolerated it well maintaining a systolic rate in the high 70s and low 80s! She is starting to have lots of problems with her skin breaking down so we began putting antibiotic ointment on her today in the areas where she has problems. Please continue to pray for increased heart function, increased lung function, her skin and for the donor family.
I got to hold
Brea again last night for about an hour. She snuggled right up to me and slept for the better part of it but it was so sweet to feel her warm little body against me and smell her beautiful hair. I would have held her all night but because she hasn’t been held in so long she could get sore from being held too much. The doctor did say that as long as she is having a good day I will be able to hold her once a day for a few minutes.
Today I had a phone call from my sister. She is a realtor and was showing a home to a couple this afternoon when suddenly the gentleman told her that he felt she had a heavy heart and he needed to tell her something. He asked her if she had a daughter in the hospital and when she said “no” he asked her if she had a niece in the hospital. He then told her that the person caring for her niece would need to fight for the child to get the best care. He also told her that the child’s dad was heart broken because he was afraid he was going to lose his little girl. My sister said that she started to cry and went to the car to call her husband. She then called me and told me about this experience and I started to cry. My sister had no idea that I had just had a confrontation with a nurse last night and had just discussed the nursing shortage with the charge nurse this morning before her call. Just last night I had to voice my concerns over the nursing shortage here in the CVICU. We have been sharing a nurse with another patient for over a week and that patient is requiring 90% of the nurse’s time since they do not have a parent staying with them. My heart breaks for the child but at the same time I can’t let
Brea ’s medical needs be neglected. I was upset because I’ve had to find our nurse in the other room when
Brea ’s ventilator tube needs to be suctioned or her monitors are beeping. I fell apart when my sister called and told me about this man and what he had to say. I know that God used him to get a message to me. Thank you God for confirming through your messenger that my motherly instincts were right when I confronted the nursing situation last night and today.
Today I had an opportunity to meet a sweet lady named Carol. She shared with me her husband’s prayer for God to give him the compassion of Christ for others. Just like in the waiting room here at the hospital there are always going to be folks in life that you don’t agree with. God understands our human nature and if we pray to have the compassion of Christ for others He will give us the ability to love them and witness to them without liking or approving of their lifestyles or choices. Already I can feel God changing my heart towards the young mothers that I’ve spoken of here. I had the opportunity to talk with a few of them tonight. We laughed together and our conversation easily opened the door for me to share my beliefs with them. It is my prayer that something I might say to them or something they might witness in me will change their lives forever. If you meet someone that is different than you or find yourself in a situation where you are spending time in a common place with folks that just don’t share your same values don’t despair. Take the opportunity to open your mind to the Lord and let Him guide your thoughts, actions and words. You just might be amazed at the outcome.
I want to thank you for the emails, cards, letters, care packages and messages that so many of you have left for my family. Your kindness makes this big world seem so much smaller. I cannot email from the hospital (hospital internet security blocks outgoing emails) but I am getting them and I read (and sometimes reread) every one of them and they are such a comfort to me. I have a friend who has offered to send a few emails for me to those of you who had some questions so if you get an email from me via a friend, don’t be surprised.
Goodnight from ACH.
