Day 11

Well, today Hailey looked better than yesterday. They are playing with ventilator settings trying to get her to a happy place without having to paralyze her. It takes a lot of guessing and trial and error and patience, but she seems like she is starting to get better.

They did find one bacteria in a culture that they did at St. Luke's. She has H flu, which is not the flu but a bacteria. It is already being treated by one of the antibiotics they have her on so that is good. It can be a very dangerous bacteria, so babies are vaccinated for the most dangerous strain when they are small but the other strains aren't covered by the vaccine, so even though she had the vaccine for the more dangerous strain, she still got it. I'm glad she was already on antibiotics to treat it!

They told us she does have pneumonia. They attribute it partially to the bug and partially to aspiration. They say that the place in her lungs where you can see the pneumonia suggests aspiration.  It sounds like her lungs are sick but will heal.

She seems more comforatble today than she was yesterday.  It just takes a lot of waiting.

Ben is headed home on the shuttle. I'm sure going to miss him but the girls will be so happy to see him!!! I'm glad he will get to be with them since I can't be.

I would guess that Hailey will be another couple of days on the breathing tube (ventilator) before they will feel comfortable extubating her (taking the tube out) but at least she is making some good moves in that direction even if they are small. 

Patience. Patience. Patience.

We have been so grateful for your many prayers and kindnessess! We are so grateful! It really makes a difference!
We will keep you all posted!