Our Big Black Box

Lydia sleeps with a pulse oximeter to measure her oxygen saturation and pulse.  During the night on Tuesday and Wednesday her oxygen numbers were dropping into the 80s.  She's supposed to be 92 or above and usually is 94 and above.  We checked the equipment and the probe, thinking it may be out of whack, but nope, it was Lydia.  As soon as she went on the oxygen her numbers shot up.  

The home vent team that follows her at CMH said to keep her on oxygen until she can keep her levels up herself again.  They also put her on albuterol, an inhaled broncodilator, and QVar, an inhaled steroid.  Since Lydia has a trach, we have a contraption called a spacer that makes giving inhaled meds super easy.  

So what is causing all of this?  It could be a relapse from the pneumonia.  It could be allergies because the kid has some serious mucus.  It could be a combination.  She's not on any allergy/sinus meds because she's a heart baby with a trach.  Baby - supposedly no allergies.  Heart Baby - don't want to speed her heart up with the meds.  Heart Baby with a trach - don't want to dry her out too much because she needs moisture with the trach.  It's not that we can't ever have allergy/sinus meds, just not yet.

This is the oxygen concentrator and the little IV pole and feeding pump.

This is the carrot cake I made for Easter Brunch tomorrow. :-)