He was weighed again today and I wasn't surprised to see that he had lost some weight as he was NPO twice over the weekend. His feeds will be more concentrated starting tomorrow.
Josiah's enoxaparin level was high today so the amount of enoxaparin he receives has been reduced and his level will be checked again tomorrow morning.
The current plan is to move him upstairs to the step-down room "Thursdayish". This is a room on the ward with four to six beds with 24 hour nursing. After that he will move to his own room on the ward and I can stay in that room with him.
He may get his picc line in his right arm removed this week and get another picc line inserted in his leg. Given that they will want Josiah to have the Glenn surgery eventually, they would like for the clot in his heart and right SVC to be reabsorbed by the blood as soon as possible. (The Glenn surgery involves attaching his two SVCs to the pulmonary artery.)
They are thinking that removing the current picc line, the end of which is in the clot, may help get rid of the clot sooner. When the picc is removed, they are also planning to do a study with dye that will provide them good images of the clot and enable them to determine whether or not the clot has grown since the MRI. The ultrasound last week determined that the clot is not extending out of the SVC so that was encouraging. His new picc line may be able to be smaller, with only one lumin. That would reduce the risk of a new clot in the new location.
A couple of the staff physicians who were not on call today came by to see how Josiah was doing. One of them hadn't seen Josiah without a tube down his nose.
Thanks so much for your prayers. I'm happy to see him doing so well and I'm calm but I confess I feel a little on eggshells. It will be a transition for me to go from CCCU to 4D. New faces and new people to trust, more responsibility and closer to going home. The last morning I was at home I rushed Josiah to the hospital and watched him struggle for breath.
I'm thankful that God is always near and He will continue to give us strength and wisdom.
Blessings,
Elizabeth
He looks wonderful, Elizabeth. Thanks be to God!
ReplyDeleteOh Josiah! I can't wait to be able to look into the sparkle of your eyes again. That the sparkle is back makes the waiting worth it! Please tell your mother that she writes great blogs and that I am praying for you, your Mom and Dad and Isaac every day. Many days I do not know what or how to pray, but the Spirit helps me and so many others, who are also praying, to pray with thankfulness for God's blessings of healing and recovery that come step by step, day by day, and grace upon grace from the hands of Jesus who loves you. These are the hands that pick you up and hold you close to His heart and He places them on your head as He blesses you over and over each day.
ReplyDeleteI love you.
Grandpa Faulkner
Praise God!!!! Josiah looks amazing. God's blessings to all of you and may He continue to hold Josiah close as he continues to heal him. Love Linda K.
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord for His good and His mercies endureth....Josiah looks absolutely beautiful. We bless and bless and bless Him. We'll pray for those clots and the future surgery (ies?) For whatever reason or God's reasons, it just seems right to pray for one thing at a time. I can hardly wait until you get to hurse him again and again. Please God give them lots of holding and cuddle times today with smiling benefits!!! May Mommy feel the arms of God who will always be there during the 'weaning' process. We know that Daddy and Isaac can hardly wait to be there on Friday. Love, J.E.
ReplyDeleteDear Elizabeth and Graham,
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High:
To shew forth Thy loving-kindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night. Psalm 92 verses 1&2.
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul. Psalm 94 v 19.
As Josiah leaves CCCU victorious and progresses to his new room, Elizabeth, you will be pleased, and be confident in meeting and having discussions with the receptive, experienced, yet new to you hospital staff. You and Josiah will feel at ease, knowing God is with you and will help and strengthen you for your added responsibilities. Focus on Jesus and continually praise Him as this creates the atmosphere for everything miraculous to take place. Faith fills you with love, confidence, comfort, and drives away fear. We go to our Heavenly Father and He hears and answers. Our comforter The Holy Spirit is ever ready to guide and support us when we ask.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with My eye. Psalm 32 v 8.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34 verses 3 & 4.
I am praying to Our gracious Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit that the blood clots will dissolve and Josiah will become healthier and stronger day by day. Josiah will be completely whole and will have a strong immune system. Josiah's temperature stays normal. Josiah's breathing, heart, lungs, muscles, and blood vessels are excellent.
Praise and thanks be to God who is Lord Almighty, Omnipotent King, Lion of Judah, Rock of Ages, Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Provider, Protector, Paternal Leader, Ruling Lord and Reigning King of all the universe.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquites: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53 v 5.
love from your auntie Julia.