On Hold

Up and down.  Back and forth.  On and Off again.  This is life in the hospital.  Doctoring is science, to be sure, but it is far from an exact science.  When you really spend time around the medical profession, you realize just how many judgment calls are a part of it.  Sometimes we're tempted to think of doctors as almost omniscient because of all their study and experience, but their work is far from infallible.  This is why our dependence on the Great Omnipotent and Omniscient Physician is so stabilizing.

The neurosurgeons were marking Paton's head this morning in preparation for the shunt placement, when the word came back that there is still sign of possible infection.  They are going to do a culture and hopefully get the results back by this evening.  They're going to watch him carefully for the next couple of days, and try the surgery again probably Monday or Tuesday morning.  So, once again, we wait on the Lord.

Surgery Tomorrow

Please pray for our little fella, if you would.  Things have been moving pretty fast.  The doctors said that he's over his infection, and they are going to do a surgery to put in a shunt tomorrow morning about 8.  Wow.  We thought we'd be another couple of weeks before they thought about that.  If all goes well, he should be in for another week or two for recovery.  Our main request is that God would grant the doctors wisdom.  He is the Great Physician.  We lean on Him.

Fighting Infection

The little fella's new home is in Texas Children's Hospital Level 2 Nursery for at least the next month.  The infection he developed is coming under control, but they still have a ways to go to get it all.  Then, once the infection is completely gone, the doctor has said to "prepare for the fact that he's almost certainly going to need a shunt."  The doctors now believe the cerebrospinal fluid from his head is making its way down to the surgery site on his back where it collects.  The shunt is a small valve and tubing inserted under his skin, running from his head down into his abdominal cavity, where the fluid will be absorbed by the body.

Jen's staying with the other kids in the morning, and then spending the afternoons/evenings with Paton.  Some of the church folks are helping me with keeping the kids some afternoons.  Others have made us wonderful meals.  We're so thankful for our church family.  We're looking forward to the time when Paton can be home for good!

Here for a While

Paton's here for a while -- they said probably 10-14 days to fight the infection, and to reevaluate whether he will need a shunt.  A little fluid has returned at his lesion site.  If it continues, they will drain the fluid externally until they can put in the shunt.  So, it'll be a while.  But hopefully we can be sure at the end of this whether or not a shunt is necessary.

ICU Again

Well, we're back in the ICU again.  Actually, not technically the NICU, but the Level 2 Nursery.  The neurosurgeons drained the fluid from Paton's swelling on his back, tested it, and found out he has some kind of bacterial infection.  They are going to monitor him here for a day or 2 (or ... ?) and try to determine whether the swelling was indeed caused only by the infection, or whether it may be a build-up of cerebro-spinal fluid.  If it is, he may still need a shunt.  But at least, they're being careful.  His head continues to be free from hydrocephalus, which is wonderful.  We're going home tonight, and then coming back very early in the morning to try to catch the neuro.  We were home for a week and a day.  Hopefully next time it'll be longer! :)  I took a picture of the really little guy in a really big ER bed, which I'll try to post sometime.

To the ER

We just found out our pediatrician & TX Children's are affiliated.  Think of that -- doctors in sync.  We've never experienced that!  We take it as a blessing, though.  The Pedi has already contacted our neurosurgeon down at TX Children's, & he's going to be waiting for us down at the ER.  Paton's got some sort of infection.  We really don't know any more.

To the Doc

Little Pate's not been well yesterday or today.  It started about 3 in the morning the night before last -- extreme fussiness.  Also, it seemed that the swelling around his wound grew and became more sensitive.  We already had an appointment with the neuro scheduled, so we told him.  He did not seem concerned.  "Unless fluid starts leaking from it," he said.  Well, when we got home, Paton began running a fever.  Called the doc.  Almost went to the ER.  Then called neuro.  "Wait," again.  Then today the fever's been up & down.  Jen's on the way to the pediatrician, but just noticed leakage from the wound site.  Going to call the neuro.  Please pray for God's direction & wisdom.  Thanks.