we spent most of the day waiting for kai’s surgeons to come let us know what is going on. when we were admitted, after they moved her transplant date up, they spoke to us about the possibility of going home for a few days before the procedure on wednesday. however, kai’s white blood cell count has been increasing and they have been looking for signs of infection. she was examined early in the day and we waited for most of the rest of the day for further examination to determine if she might have an infection. a sonogram was done... she was put in a twilight sleep and some fluid was drained from her little, swollen belly... more blood was drawn... the nurses changed shifts and we noticed her medicines were changed. she suddenly was given more antibiotics... not a good sign.
kai was still groggy and confused from her medicine when the doctor came in to explain that he had, indeed, found signs of an infection. it looks as though we will stay in the hospital until her transplant on wednesday.
they have increased her time on the feeding tube from 12 to 24 hours and ask that i only breast feed sparingly so as to limit the amount of fluid she is receiving to minimize her fluid retention. the solution she is receiving through the feeding tube is a mix of my own breast milk and a special formula that helps her body absorb nutrients better. i have to pump 600ml of milk every day to keep up with the feeds, on top of nursing her directly. 600ml is equal to about 20.29oz... almost 2 cans of soda. to elaborate even more on just how much that is, 4oz is considered a large amount to pump for most breast feeding mothers. i am a machine! ryan is so proud...
kai is attached to an iv pump, a feeding pump, at least one, if not two vital-signs monitors at any given time. she has so many cords and lines that it reminds me of the cyborg on --why is myspace censoring the word S-T-A-R T-R-E-K???--(wow, am i that big of a nerd?). i often comment that i can’t wait for her to go wireless... we call her the kai-pod.
we couldn’t ask for better doctors. the lead surgeon on the team, Dr. Stuart Kaufman, is like the einstein of liver transplants. he has 30 years of experience. he is a thin, older gentleman with a kind face. if his hair were not so well groomed, i would even expect him to resemble einstein to some small degree. his demeanor is definitely that of a genius; his mind goes 1,000 miles per minute. he absolutely enjoys his job and genuinely cares about each and everyone of the kids he treats. he doesn’t adhere to a standard process for treatment but, rather, treats each child based on their ever evolving individual need. he is pro-breastfeeding, anti-antibiotic overuse (when possible) and trusts a mother’s instinct. i, in turn, trust his instinct and i have faith that he will do what is best for kai.
that said, i know i will be a mess on wednesday. ryan’s surgery is estimated to take around 5 hours and kai’s will take around 6. her recovery time is approximately one month without complications. however, bile leaks are expected as she is accepting a split liver from a donor (her wonderful, beautiful father) and they will, likely, need to go back in a 2nd time and clean those up. if i didn’t NEED to be there for kai when she wakes up, i would absolutely ask to be sedated, myself, to save my sanity.
i’m already going partially insane, i think, as i found myself enjoying my hospital meal, today... "mmm, high-sodium lasagna and soggy mixed vegetables!" actually, as far as hospital food goes, it’s not too bad... (see? losing it...)
kai was still groggy and confused from her medicine when the doctor came in to explain that he had, indeed, found signs of an infection. it looks as though we will stay in the hospital until her transplant on wednesday.
they have increased her time on the feeding tube from 12 to 24 hours and ask that i only breast feed sparingly so as to limit the amount of fluid she is receiving to minimize her fluid retention. the solution she is receiving through the feeding tube is a mix of my own breast milk and a special formula that helps her body absorb nutrients better. i have to pump 600ml of milk every day to keep up with the feeds, on top of nursing her directly. 600ml is equal to about 20.29oz... almost 2 cans of soda. to elaborate even more on just how much that is, 4oz is considered a large amount to pump for most breast feeding mothers. i am a machine! ryan is so proud...
kai is attached to an iv pump, a feeding pump, at least one, if not two vital-signs monitors at any given time. she has so many cords and lines that it reminds me of the cyborg on --why is myspace censoring the word S-T-A-R T-R-E-K???--(wow, am i that big of a nerd?). i often comment that i can’t wait for her to go wireless... we call her the kai-pod.
we couldn’t ask for better doctors. the lead surgeon on the team, Dr. Stuart Kaufman, is like the einstein of liver transplants. he has 30 years of experience. he is a thin, older gentleman with a kind face. if his hair were not so well groomed, i would even expect him to resemble einstein to some small degree. his demeanor is definitely that of a genius; his mind goes 1,000 miles per minute. he absolutely enjoys his job and genuinely cares about each and everyone of the kids he treats. he doesn’t adhere to a standard process for treatment but, rather, treats each child based on their ever evolving individual need. he is pro-breastfeeding, anti-antibiotic overuse (when possible) and trusts a mother’s instinct. i, in turn, trust his instinct and i have faith that he will do what is best for kai.
that said, i know i will be a mess on wednesday. ryan’s surgery is estimated to take around 5 hours and kai’s will take around 6. her recovery time is approximately one month without complications. however, bile leaks are expected as she is accepting a split liver from a donor (her wonderful, beautiful father) and they will, likely, need to go back in a 2nd time and clean those up. if i didn’t NEED to be there for kai when she wakes up, i would absolutely ask to be sedated, myself, to save my sanity.
i’m already going partially insane, i think, as i found myself enjoying my hospital meal, today... "mmm, high-sodium lasagna and soggy mixed vegetables!" actually, as far as hospital food goes, it’s not too bad... (see? losing it...)
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