I feel like a first time parent again. I remember watching Monte so closely when he was little and running to the doctor every time he had a bump, or sniffles, or just if I was unsure. Monte probably saw the doctor more times than all our other children put together because I just wasn't knowledgeable or confident enough to recognize when his symptoms warranted doctor's care.
I definitely feel that same uncertainty (and probably more) watching little Ali. The cardiologist instructed us to watch for color changes as a sign her heart function was worsening. So for these past weeks, I have been wearying myself inspecting her every time I hold her trying to examine whether her color has changed since the last time I held her. Since the surgery Tuesday every time she gets very upset and is crying hard, her face turns a very dark shade of purple, but it immediately changes back to normal once she stops crying, so I have been anxiously watching her even closer. While in the hospital following anesthesia when she turned this dark purple, her oxygen saturation only dropped in the high 80's and immediately came back up to 99-100 once she stopped crying. Her color hasn't really changed since coming home Wednesday, but I just wasn't sure if this was something to be concerned about or not. Finally my husband suggested it was best to call and talk to the cardiologist about my concerns, and I am so glad I did!
The cardiologist's assistant Tye helped me to better understand what I should be looking for. She was so very helpful and reassuring! So I feel as though I can rest a bit easier now. The symptoms I am looking for now are a bit more obvious than the subtle color differences I thought I needed to monitor before. The assistant also shared with me it is much more informative to monitor her when she is resting than when she is upset. Here are questions I need to monitor:
Are her lips/hands/feet turning gray or blue?
Are her nostrils flaring and her rib cage retracting?
Is her forehead sweating profusely?
Are these episodes lasting more than 5-10 minutes?
I am feeling much relieved and very thankful I listened to my husband's counsel. I am also reminded yet once again not to worry, but instead trust God for strength and wisdom.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22
Jill
Friday, March 13, 2009
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Hi Jill and family,
ReplyDeleteJust want you to know that most of the OB dept., at LaGrange, is following Alegria's progress through your web site. (What a great idea!)
You are in my prayers.
I pray every day asking god to give you the strength that you need each day, and to feel his arms around you holding you close.
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