Breathe

Oh how things have changed...

24 hours post op, Michael was performing like a champion. Got off his respirator, was holding his own and everything was hunky dory. By 48 hours post op, he wasn't doing so good anymore. He went back on the respirator for breathing assistance and he was getting weaker.

Yesterday, we were informed he has a chest infection. He's getting vitamin supplements, antibiotics, regular physiotherapy and suction to get as much of the fluid secretions off his lungs as possible. We don't know when he'll be leaving ICU but he's getting all the help they can provide to deal with the infection.

This morning he was rather wheezy despite physio and suction but he wasn't breathing as hard or uncomfortably has yesterday. It's not nice to see him have to work so hard to breathe but the oxygen he's receiving does help quite a bit.

I officially got a bit stressed yesterday when there was little change. Spent most of the past two days at hospital although I don't get to see him for much of that time. I try to not hang around in the ICU ward too much because I know the nurses need to focus and work without a parent hovering. Also, I can't do anything  really while I am in there. He's sleeping so I talk to him for a bit and stroke his arm or his tummy. After 10 minutes, it's hard to not feel like you're in the way so I prefer to pop in for short visits more regularly than lurk for too long.

For all of us, the only thing we can do now is just breathe...relax, take things as they come and go from there.