Primary Children's hospital

I don't remember exactly where I ended my last post. I probably should have checked that before I started typing. Oh well.

So, Hannah was taken to the PICU and given three different types of antibiotics. It was an emotional evening and we weren't exactly sure what was going to happen. We didn't know if she was even going to make it. In the morning we learned some fabulous news that her body started responding to one of the antibiotics. So they stopped giving her the other two that didn't work. There is a marker the doctors use to measure the amount of infection in a body, it's called the CRP number. The scale goes from 0-45, but when Hannah first got there her number was so high it was off the chart, but after one night in the PICU her number was 31. That was a fabulous sign. Because her vitals her stable through the night and she seemed to be responding well to her meds the doctors decided to move her from intensive care to the regular floor. We were given such good news that morning I cried and cried as we listened to the doctors when they stopped at her room during rounds. It was also a little surreal, it felt like I was in a weird crazy dream.

So I started to take pictures. Taking pictures made me feel like everything was normal and it gave me something to do. I have SO many pictures. This is the first of a few posts with a ton of pictures.

I wanted to go through each day and tell a few things that happened each day, but seriously time is weird in a hospital and I don't remember what day each thing happened. So here is a short list of some of our hurdles and different procedures little Hannah has had to go through.

-Flown to Primary Children's in a helicopter.
-IV put in her arm by the "vein team" because everyone in the ER was having a hard time getting the IV in.
-pumped full of fluids for dehydration and low heart rate.
-Diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.  
-Stayed in PICU for one night.
-Released from PICU, taken to regular floor.
-Taken off oxygen.
-IV put in her head.
-Given an x ray of her rock hard tummy to make sure there wasn't any blockage in her intestines.
-Given a PICC line in her arm. (More info on that later)
-IV taken out of her hand and head.
-Her arm was so swollen she had to keep it elevated and have it measured every few hours.
-Hooked back up to saline drip because she wouldn't pee. She was so swollen she felt like plastic.
-CRP numbers didn't change over night and had low grade fever all night.
-Had a bad day. She was in a lot of pain and didn't eat or sleep all day.
-Had to get a CT scan to make sure she didn't have an abscess forming in her brain.
-Found abnormalities in her brain fluid, MRI scheduled.

-Had tubes put in her ears.
-MRI cancelled because her mood and temperature a little better. Maybe not as serious as they thought.
-Hearing test given. She hasn't lost any hearing in either ear!
-MRI tomorrow just to make sure everything is okay.
-Maybe will be released tomorrow.

This was the first time I got to hold her and feed her since she was taken to PICU. It was also right after hearing some encouraging news on her recovery. It was a special moment.

Poor girl had an awful headache.

Every Wednesday they play Bingo in the hospital and everyone wins a prize even if they don't play. This is her bingo prize.

The room I stayed in.

 

She has had wonderful doctors and nurses. I will be forever grateful for them all!

Moving from the PICU.

Getting weighed, which is important because she gained so much weight from the fluids her antibiotics and pain meds were increased a little.

We have good friends!

Her new friends.

Whenever we move her in the hospital they have to cover her head with a towel because the lights hurt her head.

She opened her eyes for a few minutes on the second day here.

You know you're in a children's hospital when you have a cute little drawing on the wall of your room.

One morning she melted my heart with a smile.

This was her first hearing test. This one didn't work because she wouldn't stop moving. They had to reschedule.

They gave her some medicine that was flavored with a blue syrup. It dyed her lips blue, blue lips are bad, so it was kind of funny to see the panic in the nurse's and doctor's eyes.

We started joking that she was growing cotton balls instead of hair.

She has been cared for by many different people.

Right after she got her picc line and before they took out her other IVs. Poor girl.

getting a bath.

She started waking up a little more, but she was still a little glazed over. It was nice to see her eyes, but she wasn't quite herself yet.

Keeping her swollen arm elevated.

I love this picture. She loves to hear her daddy sing to her.