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Aug. 16, 2009
out of options
As of last night, Noah's foot IV was starting to cause considerable pain,so a new IV had to be started. Because the foot IV still flushed, it was not removed. We got his TPN started in the new IV at about 12:30 AM, but by 1:00 AM or so the IV had completely infiltrated. His arm was rock hard from his shoulder to his fingers. Since the foot IV still worked, we tried hooking up the TPN to his foot. This caused him excruciating pain. We went back and forth with the doctors until well after 4 AM trying to get a surgical line but weren't able to get anywhere. Noah can't be without IV hydration so our only options were to use the painful foot IV or try to find another place for an IV.
Since no one could find another place for an IV, and since we weren't able to arrange sedation in PICU in the middle of the night for a surgical line, we had to use that poor little foot. Noah writhed and cried and clawed at his foot until he finally just shut down a little before 5:00 this morning. Even resting quietly his pulse was nearly 170 from the pain, but he was too exhausted to fight and cry any more. I had originally tweeted that the foot IV was shot - it is sad that this very painful IV is his final option. Under any other circumstances the IV would have been pulled, but we can't afford to lose it now.
As soon as he woke up this morning he began crying and writhing again. Since he is scheduled for a new broviac tomorrow, the surgeons aren't willing to do a surgical line today. We've stopped the TPN and are running normal saline very slowly just to keep him from dehydrating too much. This has brought Noah's pain to a tolerable level. If the pain gets to be too much, or if the line stops working, the line will be pulled and Noah just won't have any fluids or nutrition until he goes for surgery tomorrow.
All I'm going to say about this plan is that it is very unsatisfactory. I understand the reasoning at this point, but that doesn't make Noah's pain easier to watch. Noah has suffered so very much over the last 12 days since that first IV was placed, and it is almost more than I can bear. When he finally fell asleep last night I just held him and cried. All along, everything in me has wanted to help make him feel better and I've been completely helpless.
Noah is exhausted from the lack of sleep and the pain. Tomorrow can't possibly come fast enough.
Please pray for pain relief (from the foot IV AND his poor little swollen arm/hand) and for an early slot in the OR tomorrow. I've never looked forward to his having surgery as a good thing, but now I can hardly wait.
Unless a crisis unfolds, I'll try to tweet when he goes for surgery and when he comes back, and will update when I can.
Blessings,
Kate |
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Aug. 16, 2009 - Untitled Comment