March 30, 2006
37 Days in …
St. Joseph Medical Center
Phoenix, AZ
Baby Michael is seven-weeks old today. He began celebrating the event last e
vening about 10-minutes before his father came home from a busy day on the job. Michael had just polished off 4-oz of Similac, and started smiling at me. WOW, a first… well almost a first, it was actually a gas attack, and then, he started the fireworks… in the form of huge barf rocket which landed on my chest and covered me from shoulder to waist. Sherry took the baby and I took a quick bath. Michael has been getting along just fine. He was examined by a cardiologist to rule out Long Q.T. syndrome the genetic disorder that was the cause of his mother’s ordeal. He passed the EKG examination with flying colors, but to be certain and rule out the syndrome was not passed on to him, he will be followed for a time by Dr. Sampson his pediatric cardiologist.
I told you earlier the Michael gets very unhappy when he is hungry, and at daily, bath time. Here’s what he likes, #1 when he’s eating, #2 when the bath is over, #3 riding in his car seat (I can tell because, as soon as the car starts moving, he zonks out.) There are many new, practical baby-things since Sherry and I were in the baby business. One of them is a bear with a large mirror on its stomach. The bear is placed on the head rest of the back seat and points in the direction of Michael Car seat. It enables the driver to see him through the rear view mirror, and lets the driver keep tabs on how it’s going. He has a wonderful disposition, seldom is unhappy, and sleeps the night through. At this stage of his care, one couldn’t ask for much more. Now this morning after getting a diaper change he actually laughed and grinned at Sherry. It was a gift from Michael that will last her all day.
Unfortunately, Lisa had an awful day today. It started out with Lisa developing an elevated temperature during the night. A cooling blanket was ordered for her to bring her 104 degree fever down. The fiber covered rubber cooling blanket is a 2-inch thick sheet. The sheet contains water and is connected to a chiller which circulates the water through the blanket. It has three settings to regulate the cooling response: rapid, moderate, and slow cooling. The temperature of the cooling system dropped to 38 degrees. Richard watched while Lisa’s hands and feet rapidly turned blue, and her heart rate instantly went from 120 to 150, and she then contracted into a shivering fetal position. Richard needed to assert himself to the nursing staff to get the required amount of attention in order to get the temperature regulated. And while this was going on, Lisa’s temperature climbed to 106.7 degrees. A physician arrived and decided she had had a sepsis infection (systemic blood infection) from the implanted PICC Line*. The PICC Line immediately removed, a central line was placed in her femoral artery, and antibiotic drugs were administered. With the cooling blanket properly set to 74 degrees and the antibiotics doing what they are supposed to do, Lisa’s temperature returned to 99.6, and that is what it was when I spoke with Richard at 6:30 P.M. today (Friday, 31 March 2006).
So as I sign off, Lisa is once again resting comfortably, her temperature, heart rate and respiration is normal. Richard met with the hospital CEO, and two other upper level managers about the situation, and adjustments in staffing were made on the spot. If you have questions, please write to me. mlwintory@msn.com
Michael
*A peripherally inserted central catheter is also referred to as a PICC line. This type of catheter is placed in the large antecubital vein (a large vein in the inner elbow area) and threaded into a large vein above the right atrium of the heart. Unlike other catheters, a PICC line can be inserted by an IV nurse, rather than a surgeon.
The PICC line can remain in place for many weeks or months, avoiding the need for a new IV every few days. PICC lines can be used to deliver chemotherapy, antibiotics, blood products, other medications, and intravenous nutrition. When the PICC line needs to be accessed, an IV line is connected to the end of the catheter. When it is not in use, the IV is disconnected and the catheter is flushed and capped.
37 Days in …
St. Joseph Medical Center
Phoenix, AZ
Baby Michael is seven-weeks old today. He began celebrating the event last e
vening about 10-minutes before his father came home from a busy day on the job. Michael had just polished off 4-oz of Similac, and started smiling at me. WOW, a first… well almost a first, it was actually a gas attack, and then, he started the fireworks… in the form of huge barf rocket which landed on my chest and covered me from shoulder to waist. Sherry took the baby and I took a quick bath. Michael has been getting along just fine. He was examined by a cardiologist to rule out Long Q.T. syndrome the genetic disorder that was the cause of his mother’s ordeal. He passed the EKG examination with flying colors, but to be certain and rule out the syndrome was not passed on to him, he will be followed for a time by Dr. Sampson his pediatric cardiologist.I told you earlier the Michael gets very unhappy when he is hungry, and at daily, bath time. Here’s what he likes, #1 when he’s eating, #2 when the bath is over, #3 riding in his car seat (I can tell because, as soon as the car starts moving, he zonks out.) There are many new, practical baby-things since Sherry and I were in the baby business. One of them is a bear with a large mirror on its stomach. The bear is placed on the head rest of the back seat and points in the direction of Michael Car seat. It enables the driver to see him through the rear view mirror, and lets the driver keep tabs on how it’s going. He has a wonderful disposition, seldom is unhappy, and sleeps the night through. At this stage of his care, one couldn’t ask for much more. Now this morning after getting a diaper change he actually laughed and grinned at Sherry. It was a gift from Michael that will last her all day.
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Unfortunately, Lisa had an awful day today. It started out with Lisa developing an elevated temperature during the night. A cooling blanket was ordered for her to bring her 104 degree fever down. The fiber covered rubber cooling blanket is a 2-inch thick sheet. The sheet contains water and is connected to a chiller which circulates the water through the blanket. It has three settings to regulate the cooling response: rapid, moderate, and slow cooling. The temperature of the cooling system dropped to 38 degrees. Richard watched while Lisa’s hands and feet rapidly turned blue, and her heart rate instantly went from 120 to 150, and she then contracted into a shivering fetal position. Richard needed to assert himself to the nursing staff to get the required amount of attention in order to get the temperature regulated. And while this was going on, Lisa’s temperature climbed to 106.7 degrees. A physician arrived and decided she had had a sepsis infection (systemic blood infection) from the implanted PICC Line*. The PICC Line immediately removed, a central line was placed in her femoral artery, and antibiotic drugs were administered. With the cooling blanket properly set to 74 degrees and the antibiotics doing what they are supposed to do, Lisa’s temperature returned to 99.6, and that is what it was when I spoke with Richard at 6:30 P.M. today (Friday, 31 March 2006).So as I sign off, Lisa is once again resting comfortably, her temperature, heart rate and respiration is normal. Richard met with the hospital CEO, and two other upper level managers about the situation, and adjustments in staffing were made on the spot. If you have questions, please write to me. mlwintory@msn.com
Michael
*A peripherally inserted central catheter is also referred to as a PICC line. This type of catheter is placed in the large antecubital vein (a large vein in the inner elbow area) and threaded into a large vein above the right atrium of the heart. Unlike other catheters, a PICC line can be inserted by an IV nurse, rather than a surgeon.
The PICC line can remain in place for many weeks or months, avoiding the need for a new IV every few days. PICC lines can be used to deliver chemotherapy, antibiotics, blood products, other medications, and intravenous nutrition. When the PICC line needs to be accessed, an IV line is connected to the end of the catheter. When it is not in use, the IV is disconnected and the catheter is flushed and capped.
Peripherally inserted central catheter
