The tapestry of the life of a medically complex family

Archive for the ‘Trach’ Category

2 Years & STILL Screwed

Two years I have sacrificed my health, any semblance of life outside the playroom, having clean laundry on any kind of regular schedule. Averaging 4.5 hours of sleep a night, but never consecutive. Clawing at the soil on the edge of our cliff, trying to hang on. Eating oatmeal 2 meals per day while feeding the kids what they need for health & growth.

FINALLY I refinance. FINALLY I find a grant source to support some of the ingredients for my son’s whole food formula. And, in the last week, finally finding nurses for night time so that I may possibly learn what it is to sleep 5 hours at a time… With the 3 shifts I have on 2 weekdays, I might be able to grocery shop with just ONE vulnerable kid in tow…

And the insurance is dropping hours from my nursing schedule. If I have overnight nursing, I can’t have day shifts. If I use day shifts, it’s back to no sleep… WHY is it that we never make headway? Forget winning, how about having the opportunity not to FAIL?

😥

Category:

"the Ugly", Preemie, Trach, Twins

Memorial Day Modified

Often families of a child with special healthcare needs will celebrate holidays or family events in ways that are different from others. My family has 2 children with trachs, one on full-time oxygen, & another who has severe asthma & heat & exercise intolerance. These health characteristics change the way we celebrate but do not lessen participation- different, not less.

For Memorial Day, we spent most of the day indoors, away from the heat & smoke from our neighbors’ fire pits. We grilled steak on the Foreman & made salad & veggies on the stovetop. We paused during our day to learn about the purpose of the day & talked about our family veterans to honor their memories.

It was a fun day, with many of the features of traditional celebrations throughout the USA. Just as your celebrations differ from the neighbors, we did it our own way.

Hoping your Memorial Day was a fun, family event. Thank you to the Veterans who have sacrificed for our freedom.

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Category:

Community, Environmental Challenges, kids, Memories, oxygen, Preemie, Special Needs, Trach, Twins

TheUsual

By the time I have the help of another nurse, it will have been 129 hours since the last covered shift. The kids are on “sick plan” – 8 scheduled nebs a piece, with additional nebs for break-through wheezing or congestion. 29-30 nebs every day, on average.

Tonight, for the first time in 2.5 weeks, all 3 are getting oxygen saturation reading of 99-100%. Maybe I will be able to drop off to the “regular” of just 6 nebs/day.

5+ days. 150+ nebs. Our last time trying ‘baseline’, my youngest spent half the night at 89…

It’s exhausting but extra nebs is better than going in. Whatever this is, I want it knocked out of the park. A couple more nights, some really good days, maybe Monday.

Category:

asthma, kids, Medicine, Nurse, Preemie, Special Needs, Trach

Creating & Building

My Dad has been dead 18 years this summer. He had a favorite sweater I remember especially well. This week I made it into a house-warming birthday gift for my youngest brother. Favorite sweater, handknit by Mom, will soon become a coordinating item. I love to upcycle.

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The kids had some adventures in creating this week too. There are Valentines to deliver and Tic-Tac-Toe to play. Trachs, kids & hammers…

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Category:

Family, kids, Memories, Preemie, Trach, Twins

Midnight In the KPICU

Set down my friends & you will hear
The midnight nebs we do revere

The pulsing PARIs thump the floor
Albuterol works magic more

A cough, a sneeze, but rare awake
Misty medicine breath intake

The final checks across the room
Re-fill compressors for the two’em

Meds run out, I make the switch
Mist back on & then neb rinse

Check respir-rate, sats & heart
Climb to loft, sleep-vigil start

4, 5 hours wait for beeps
Hoping none while 3some sleeps
Ever watchful of my peeps

Good night!

Category:

asthma, Medicine, poem, Preemie, Special Needs, Trach

New Year 2014

2014 came in with an illness bang. Lower sats across the crew & 4L of oxygen for one were the elements of my New Year’s Eve celebrations. 2 days of 6-hour scheduled nebulized medications seem to be working their “magic” & today lung congestion is rampant but oxygen requirements are back nearer to baseline. I am really hoping this is the “turn” of this illness & we’ll be down to 8hr meds & oxygen baseline by the weekend.

This year I hope to blog more- not to high a bar considering there were only 45 posts last year! Be prepared fir updates & poems & cuteness. 🙂

Hoping for a Happy & Healthy New Year for all of you & yours.

My “Big Kids” of 2014

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Category:

Family, kids, Medicine, Preemie, Special Needs, Trach, Twins