Thursday around noon the oxygen concentration in Raina's blood dropped to an apparently unacceptable level after a coughing fit, necessitating some emergency intervention in the form of a metric shit-ton of doctors, nurses and technicians, a high stress trip to the ICU and plenty of ulcer-inducing worry. Just three days ago we were cursing our 23-day stay on the Oncology floor and fretting over all the procedures cancelled due to Raina being feverish. 24 hours later we were lobbying doctors not to intubate our daughter and set her up on a ventilator. So we have reconsidered our position on an extended stay with the Oncology folks. Specifically, we will be grateful to spend another three weeks there if we can escape the ICU unscathed.
I will refrain from making further remarks about the Universe and its plot to systematically dismantle our reality, mostly because it appears to be unproductive. Instead I will take this as a personal lesson in the relative nature of our situation (albeit a gratuitous one).
Thinking of you guys. So sorry you are going through all of this. I'm praying things turn around for you very soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I stumbled upon your blog but I am glad that I did. Many prayers for your family. No parent should ever have to face the challenges your family is facing. Raina is a beautiful little girl.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the time you somehow find to post updates...
ReplyDeleteI want so much to visit with you all and give you my support in person, but have had a runny nose for the past week and know that I can't expose anyone there to that right now if it's anything other than allergies. The team for the Race for Hope is growing daily, and we are all so excited to be doing this in your honor. Please give Raina a hug for me and know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers. Don't hesitate to call/email if you want or need anything, and I am definitely still wanting to visit when I know for sure I'm not contagious. Lots of love to you all. Emily Boyce
ReplyDeleteI sure hope things have continued to improve...yesterday's picture post'On the Mend' seemed encouraging. Hopefully you haven't had any additional set backs extending your stay in the ICU. After all, it sure would be nice to get on back to the hospitality of those nice folks on the oncology floor ;-)
ReplyDeleteHang in there....it can't be easy to keep your chin up with all this extra crap being thrown your way. I've heard of Murphy's Law but this is absurd!
Hope R is doing well today. Glad to see her smiling and playing. Hang in there. I miss you all.
ReplyDeleteI can't even begin to imagine what the past week has been like for you both. I am sad to hear that the past few days have been such a struggle.
ReplyDeleteOne of the comments you made in a previous post of yours has really resonated with me- when you talk about shaking your fists and saying that we are ready to fight. It is times like these when little Raina can't fight on her own that you and all of us will remain strong for her. I am so glad to hear that she is on the mend- and am hoping that things settle down so that all of the tests you mentioned can be performed- and you start getting the good news that your family is ready to hear.
On a side note- I am not a devoutly religous person, can't quote bible verses or even say that I go to church each Sunday. But what I can say is that I do have faith in God, and I do belive that miracles happen. I believe in the power or prayer and hope that what it is that your family, and friends, and strangers are praying for is felt in times like these.
Again- let us know if there is anything that any of us that do not know you personally can do to bring smiles to your faces, especially Raina's.
Erin
gaengphotography@hotmail.com