Where to start?

Hello again,

I am going to try to give you the shortest version of the many events that happened with Jude today. I hope I can clearly share with you what has happened...I am just so tired.

This morning Jude's blood gas was so-so and in rounds we discussed adjusting the settings on his ventilator to support him better. Jude seemed to be in a really good place with his sedation- just enough to keep him calm, but not too much so that he couldn't be somewhat alert and aware. I spent the first half of my visit talk to him and stroking his little head. Jude's nurse (Erin, who we love!) told me that I could hold him later in the afternoon. I was thrilled that I could snuggle with him despite the fact that he has to be on the ventilator. So, we planned for me to hold Jude after I ate lunch and I left the NNICU for an hour or so.

I returned to the NNICU and the unit secretary told me that I could go to Jude's bedside but that Erin wanted me to wait to enter his bed space because they were getting a routine X-ray. I stopped for just a few minutes to wash my hands and spoke to a few nurses as I made my way back to Jude's bed. In the time between when I entered the NNICU and when I arrived at the area near Jude's bed Erin picked Jude up to allow for the X-ray equipment to be placed under Jude. When she picked Jude up he began to freak out. So much so that he began to bear down and block his airway. Therefore the ventilator was unable to provide Jude the support he needs to breathe. As I turned the corner, I saw them "bagging" Jude and giving him breaths with the manual ventilator. I could just see his little legs kicking...he was fighting BIG time. They were able to successfully ventilate him with the "bag" and then place him back on the ventilator. But as soon as they placed him back on the ventilator blocked his own airway again and they had to "bag" him again! It was scary to watch...but I was also so thankful for the composure, speed and skills that the nurse and reparatory therapists demonstrated as they worked on Jude. In the end they were able to get him back on the ventilator again. I visited with him and hoped that he would settle down and rest.

After a half hour or so, the results of Judes X-ray came up and the doctor came by to share with me that Jude's right lung (his strong one) had collapsed and that the incident that just occurred likely was caused by this. In response to Jude's lung collapse they decided to place Jude's right side up and deliver CPT to Jude's chest in hopes of opening up his lung so that it could start working again. They got another gas and it was the best blood gas that Jude has had in quite some time! In face in was within the range of his normal baseline. We were in shock! Thank you to all of you who lifted up prayers for Jude after receiving the email my mom sent asking for prayer. Needless to say we were thrilled with the improved blood gas.

So, I headed back to the house and celebrated by kiddo bowling and cupcakes with Annabelle and my mom. (We had a great time!) But as we were getting out of the van, I got a phone call from the NNICU on my cell phone. It was one of Jude's doctors and she shared with me that Jude's had extubated (removed his ventilator tube) himself and that they had to "bag" him again. My heart dropped. Thankfully, he handled being bagged well and they were able to sucessfully re-intubate him again without much trouble. Jude was resting again and they planned to check another blood gas after he settled and rested again.

Jude's next blood gas was the best blood gas that we've had since before his Broviac surgery...what a miracle! Despite all of the craziness that Jude experienced today he ended the day on a good note. We are thankful and hopeful that Jude will continue to have good blood gases and that the ventilator will continue to help him.

Please pray for Jude. He is still very, very sick. And we are still worried for him. There are so many things we want to ask for you to pray for....but tonight I want to ask you to pray for Jude as you feel led. Will you share with us the specific things that you are praying for? It will give us great encouragement to know what the Lord is bringing to all of you to pray for. We know the Lord is hearing all of our prayers.

God bless you all.