A Rough Night

April 29, 2009

(Airica being Airica...Silly)

Last night was a rough night.  We were trying to settle in our new space and Airica had a lot going on, oxygen, blood transfusion, and at first what I though were sighs in her sleep.  The sighs in her sleep were actually breathing failure.    After a few doctors came and checked on her they decided to move her back to the PICU, because it seemed that she was having some unanticipated respiratory problems.

She was very tired, the sighs were waking her up all night, the blood transfusion creeped her out, and now another room change.  Again, we packed up our collection of toys, balloons, stuffed animals, and  other comforts from home we had acquired and headed back to the PICU to the new room.  

The oxygen that she had on her nose was not getting her body the oxygen that she needed.  They did an x-ray of her chest, and had to have her use an oxygen mask to get her what she needed.  Her lungs were shutting down and they had no idea why, and they had to run some tests to figure it out.  

The RT (respiratory therapist) Frank, was so kind to Airica and she returned the kindness right back.  The mask was so uncomfortable to her she didn't like it one bit.  We explained to her that it was needed and she had to try.  She understood.  Frank set up the machine and made all of the adjustments trying to make her as comfortable as possible.  She sincerely thanked him for his efforts and apologized for her frustration with the mask as she tried to keep her tired eyes open.  He looked at her, speechless, then he looked at me with so much compassion.  He could not believe that this sick child, who was exhausted by this point just from trying to breath, could find the strength to worry about him and his feelings, and even apologize for her frustration, which he felt was completely understandable.

The rough night turned into a rough day.  We made it through though with the help of some new friends.  Airica finally got to sleep.  I sat in a chair to the left of her bed laid my head on the side of her and held her hand all night telling her how much I loved her and making sure she knew she was not alone.

This was Airca's last journal entry.