Post op day 7

Gabe is progressing slowly. The biggest set back over the past few days has been fevers. They have done cultures and found that a small amount of Klebsiella is growing in his ET tube. They are giving him antibiotics. Gabe has done well on his CPAP trials today and they are hoping to extubate tomorrow. His CO2 is a little high. They're trying to keep his bicarb in check while giving him the right amount of diuretics. They have weened him off nitric oxide, epinephrine, Nipride, TPN/Lipids, and turned down his Milrinone, Fentanyl and Versed. He is getting fed through his Gtube again. His oxygen saturations stay high overall unless he needs to be suctioned or is really mad and clamps down. His secretions are disgustingly thick. His ventricles are looking better, even without the cardiac meds which is reassuring. He cries sometimes and it's pitiful b/c you see his crying face, but he's not making any sound b/c of the ventilator. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get to hold him after he's extubated. I really hope extubation goes well tomorrow.

Because it is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, here are some facts about Down Syndrome:
Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) occurs in 1 out of 733 births.

There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States

Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels

Down syndrome happens at conception, usually not hereditary and has nothing to do with environmental factors or parents' activities before or during pregnancy

The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80 percent of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age

People with Down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory, eye, and ear problems, Alzheimer's disease, childhood leukemia, and thyroid conditions. Many of these conditions are now very treatable and over 50% of individuals with Down Syndrome live into their 50's and much older.

I don't mean to go off on a rant about being politically correct, but this one is important to me. It is not polite to refer to these individuals as Down's babies. Down Syndrome does not define them. They are babies with Down Syndrome. Also, please do not use the word "retarded". It is hurtful. When we first found out the Gabe was going to be a baby with Down Syndrome, one of my biggest fears was what would I say if someone made fun of him. What would I say if someone called him retarded. Hopefully if people know that this is not a nice word, I won't have to.