Infection?

“Ava on Ativan.” Happy girl!

So as you know, ALL has been going great for us this hospital stay and surgery,  UNTIL last night. Brian was looking over her incision and noticed a place that looked like it was opening. There was also redness around that area. I jumped on it but due to circumstances I won’t go into because it makes me very upset, we had to wait until today to get antibiotics started. I will just say I LOVE her surgeon Dr. Shilyansky and leave it at that.

Here is the incision. The black marker is where the redness is located. We don’t want it spreading or getting any darker red.

Her Toradol was stopped yesterday unannounced us….we later found out that it is a drug that is only run for a few days. SO I was a “tad” upset when I realized she didn’t have a secondary pain medicine. She was VERY grouch and THAT explained it. We choose Demerol overnight for pain but “I” think it raised her heart rate about 30 beats per minute.

We stopped her epideral medicines this morning to see how she would do….she still has the line in as we were NOT ready to make a concrete decision about removing it. She did great all day but then started to get extremely grouchy. She is so allergic to SO many pain drugs so our options were running thin. She was on Tylenol but it just wan’t cutting the pain. This afternoon I asked for Ativan for her anxiousness. She is becoming depressed again. She was our little Ava again within thirty minutes. So the piggies came OUT!

Here is a very short video of Ava on Ativan.

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We were thrilled when my Mother brought up Lexis and Emeline. We miss them so much. Ava was still dealing with pain so she was not that excited about their arrival. They did a few projects with the child life lady that kept them busy since Ava was tired and grouchy. PLUS they like to eat and Ava can’t be around food. We sneak food in and eat in the bathroom one at a time. It is what we have to do for now. I know that once things start going down she will eat food again with no problems. They were already asking when she would be home. When they were going to leave Emeline went to kiss Ava and noticed her Hickman (central) line. She said almost in tears, “Mommy she had to get another line?” My heart nearly broke. I told her it would help her come home sooner and we will take it out as soon as possible.

Lexis did read her a book that Miss Southeastern Iowa signed and dropped off today. She had her crown on and everything. Pretty neat. She enjoyed the book. Lexis is such a great big sister and I am so proud to have such great children.

Emeline wanted kisses and hugs.

Her intestines are still not working properly and bile from her bowels are backing up and we are draining it out her g tube. We are still getting a fair amount of air too…..which is a great thing. Her tummy is still pretty distended and that is the reason she is having redness and opening around her incision. IF it is an infection Dr. S will have to go and open up part of her incision and start a high powered antibiotic. We are praying that this is just her skin being pulled and irritated from all the distention. I feel so badly for her…..we do all we can do and still there is problems.

I did get to hold her for the first time today. It felt so good. She is still my baby.

We did take her for another stroller ride today. She never wants us to stop and she KNOWS where the EXIT is located. She is too smart!

Naturally we can’t go a day without a foot bath! It calms and relaxes her.

She also has been crossing her legs. I assume it helps with the pain and maybe the cramping. It is adorable!

Although we don’t know the future we hold her in God’s hands. Pray her battles are almost over and that this is merely nothing. She needs to heal and get home to our entire family. Thanks for the love and prayers. We feel your love!

~The Helmick’s