The latest from Terry...
Hello Everybody,
I came out to the waiting room from Lo's ICU room to give each and every one of you a long distance hug from our family and to thank you for your prayers. The fact of the matter is that there is no question in any of our minds that God is not only listening to our prayers, He is ANSWERING them!!! When the transplant doctor explained what would likely happen after Lo went on the venilator, he said that it is difficult to maintain a patient's stability after 7 to 10 days have passed.
One of the reasons for this is that the pressures around the lungs which manage taking in oxygen and eliminating carbon dioxide get all messed up. The lungs get filled up with carbon dioxide and don't leave enough room for the oxygen. Then the rest of the body doesn't get enough oxygen either, so it starts to sustain damage.
One of the million monitors displays a variety of these pressures. We are constantly looking at the bottom left-hand corner. When I brought Lo back to the hospital two weeks ago, this monitor would have read 77. The nurse explained that in a healthy individual, it would be around 20. If that healthy individual got put on a ventilator, they would begin to get extremely concerned at a level of 40. (This figure would be an indicator of the amount of carbon dioxide getting trapped in the lungs). In Lo's case, they were okay with a level of 70. The first few days Lo was on the vent, they would periodically have to adjust the parameters as her pressures increased evidenced by the bottom left hand corner figure sneaking upward. One time earlier this week, it went up to 119!
So, imagine our surprise when the figure started going DOWN! Yesterday, every time I looked it was in the 50's. Today, it has mostly been in the 40's. Once, I even saw it at 38. She also received a blood transfusion yesterday and last night. Her blood pressure has been NORMAL whereas for the past two weeks it had been extremely high. Her pulse rate has slowed from the 130's and 140's to much closer to 100. The doctors have been very happy at Lo's condition. VERY happy. Today, Dr. Hachem said, "Nothing will stop us from transplanting her if the lungs are found and everything stays as it is now." He was surprised at how stable she is.
I have to say we are elated. We also are aware of the prayers God is answering from so many of you. Please don't stop. We can feel them which makes me think Lo can too. Right now she does have a problem with a bowel obstruction. They are watching it and doing what they can to help it go away. It is an uncomfortable situation for her.
Well, tomorrow is Lo's birthday. She will be 23 years old. We haven't had time to do any shopping but we are wondering if maybe God has done it for us....
<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Love, The Detrichs
Hello Everybody,
I came out to the waiting room from Lo's ICU room to give each and every one of you a long distance hug from our family and to thank you for your prayers. The fact of the matter is that there is no question in any of our minds that God is not only listening to our prayers, He is ANSWERING them!!! When the transplant doctor explained what would likely happen after Lo went on the venilator, he said that it is difficult to maintain a patient's stability after 7 to 10 days have passed.
One of the reasons for this is that the pressures around the lungs which manage taking in oxygen and eliminating carbon dioxide get all messed up. The lungs get filled up with carbon dioxide and don't leave enough room for the oxygen. Then the rest of the body doesn't get enough oxygen either, so it starts to sustain damage.
One of the million monitors displays a variety of these pressures. We are constantly looking at the bottom left-hand corner. When I brought Lo back to the hospital two weeks ago, this monitor would have read 77. The nurse explained that in a healthy individual, it would be around 20. If that healthy individual got put on a ventilator, they would begin to get extremely concerned at a level of 40. (This figure would be an indicator of the amount of carbon dioxide getting trapped in the lungs). In Lo's case, they were okay with a level of 70. The first few days Lo was on the vent, they would periodically have to adjust the parameters as her pressures increased evidenced by the bottom left hand corner figure sneaking upward. One time earlier this week, it went up to 119!
So, imagine our surprise when the figure started going DOWN! Yesterday, every time I looked it was in the 50's. Today, it has mostly been in the 40's. Once, I even saw it at 38. She also received a blood transfusion yesterday and last night. Her blood pressure has been NORMAL whereas for the past two weeks it had been extremely high. Her pulse rate has slowed from the 130's and 140's to much closer to 100. The doctors have been very happy at Lo's condition. VERY happy. Today, Dr. Hachem said, "Nothing will stop us from transplanting her if the lungs are found and everything stays as it is now." He was surprised at how stable she is.
I have to say we are elated. We also are aware of the prayers God is answering from so many of you. Please don't stop. We can feel them which makes me think Lo can too. Right now she does have a problem with a bowel obstruction. They are watching it and doing what they can to help it go away. It is an uncomfortable situation for her.
Well, tomorrow is Lo's birthday. She will be 23 years old. We haven't had time to do any shopping but we are wondering if maybe God has done it for us....
<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Love, The Detrichs