Three steps forward, two steps back

Noah is doing OK now, but I hear he had a rough morning. For one, he lost the IV line that was put in during surgery and supposed to stay in long term, the Broviac line. It was the line they used to draw blood from him so that they don’t need to pick him each time they needed a sample. Secondly, he has been breathing heavily because of fluid on the lungs and he’s sweaty again. There might be other symptoms also that I’m not sure of right now. Maria said that a cardiologist told her that the symptoms may be signs of (1) Noah taking in more fluid than he’s releasing, or (2) infection, or (3) heart failure. They think it’s the fluid issue which sounds better to me, or least more easily treatable, than the others. Because Noah needs to be more closely monitored, they’ve moved him back into the PICU. Also, they’ve had to reschedule his swallow test that will determine how well he is able to tolerate oral feedings. A little bit of good to come out of all this is that we’re getting a room at the Ronald McDonald House and Maria will be able to get some much needed sleep there knowing that the PICU nurses will be with Noah all the time.

Please pray that all goes well for Noah and his mother. Also, I ask that you pray for my sister and her family as they prepare to introduce my new niece Clara Ann into the world tomorrow. And then I ask that you pray for another Duke PICU baby named PJ and his family as PJ gets ready for a tricky surgery. Thanks - I know I’m asking for more than I should and that I’m straddling the line between normal and holy warrior, but I really feel that these people could use your thoughts and prayers.