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Medical Update

*  We finally started Abby on the new antibiotic she was supposed to take for the infection she has.  She was more than a week late starting because of delays from the holiday, hold-ups from insurance, and then our equipment company sending us the wrong pieces for the nebulizer.  We finally started on Tuesday, which was the day I was supposed to call her pulminologist to tell her how the medicine was going.  Needless to say, I held off a bit on that call!

The medicine is...hard core...to say the least.  Abby hasn't shown any negative effects from it, but we are supposed to wear a mask if we are around her during a treatment.  For the most part, I try to just keep my distance and hold my breath if I have to come very close to her.  It's very strange that I have to avoid breathing in the fumes that are treating the infection in Abby, but it is considered toxic to people who don't have this infection.  Of course, we keep Caleb very far away while doing these treatments!

We're 5 days into the treatment now and are noticing improvements.  I will be calling pulminology on Monday to let them know that things are getting better!  Hopefully, that will mean that they will let us start the vent weaning!!!!  The first step with that will be turning down her rate.  She's currently at 6 breaths per minute, so we'll turn it down to 4 for a week, then 2, then 0.  Because of the way they wean, it will be at least 3 weeks before they will even put her on the list to be in-patient at MWPH, so we are not planning to be there before Christmas.  I'm avoiding making guesses as to when we will go in, since I've already gotten my hopes up once and it didn't work out.  I told them to call me when they wanted us to come to MW... :)

This isn't exactly medical, but developmentally, Abby is definitely improving!  She rolls alllllllll over the place now.  There is NO stopping her!  She is also getting very interested in crawling and will do a few scoots if we make it worth her while.  Abby is getting more stable on her feet and is more willing to take multiple steps with assistance.  Slowly but surely, we are able to give her less support as she learns to do more on her own. 

She is communicating through the use of her communication book, and is really pretty remarkable!  She will tell us she wants it (we're still working on the "book" sign), and then flip through until she sees what she wants.  Her finger then lands on the picture with an emphatic whap!  It's pretty funny.  She's a girl who knows what she wants!

Comments

Debbie said…
Good update; glad you are seeing improvements for Abby and that the medicine was supported by your insurance carriers.
BTW, Abby's progress seems right on time (at least to me). Both of my boys were slow to crawl and one "never" crawled - instead pulled himself by his arms, lying flat on his belly but mostly rolled. And they both finally began walking at 13 to 14 months - every child is different.
Your girl is doing marvelous and I just love her personality and spunk!! You and Matt and your family support system are the best!!!
Continued blessings to all.

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