Parker's Home...

Parker is finally home from her hospital stay. Actually we got home on the 15th...sorry for the BIG time lapse!! But now I can say that I think she is back to her happy, smiley-self. Here is a quick recap...

I took her to the ER in Marshalltown on Feb. 1st with the diagnosis of RSV-Pneumonia, where she stayed for 2 days. Then on Feb. 3rd she was life-flighted to Blank in DSM and put in a ventilator. She stayed on the vent for 9 days with heavy sedation medications. Each day the doctors and nurses would tell me that she sounded a little better. The first Saturday we were there the doctors attempted to take her off the ventilator and with no luck, had to reinsert the straw-sized tube back into her throat. So after a day or two they decided that they would try again on Thursday. They didn't want to have to get her on the vent 3 times, so they gave her time to get better and heal from the failed attempt.

Wednesday night (day 10) Parker was coming off her sedations and threw up 3 times in about a 2 hour span. The doctor decided it would be a long night if she continued like this. Around 9 PM the staff came in and removed her tube. She responded very well this time. About an hour after the procedure I finally got to see her smiling, laughing and playing with the nurses, who were all shocked by her happiness. Right after the procedure, they said most babies are very unhappy. The doctor was very pleased so far.

The last 5 days of her stay was to continue weaning her from her medications and help with the withdrawal symptoms. This might have been the toughest part for me. She was basically over the RSV, but her personality was a complete 180 from her normal self. Very difficult to she her like this and left me wondering if she would ever return to her normal self.

After being home for a week now, I can say she is doing very, very well. Her personality has returned and she is smiling, playing and acting just like before. Thank goodness!!!!