7/20/09 12:00pm Speedbumps and Rollercoasters

We are learning the difference between speed bumps and roller coasters. With a roller coaster you have terrifying drops, exhilarating uphill climbs, disorienting loops and an ending exactly where you started. Speed bumps are jarring, unexpected and cause you to slow down for a period of time, but do not interrupt overall forward momentum. As challenges are presented parents experience them as roller coasters, the medical staff usually view them as speed bumps.

So the progress report is that Jenna is a little better today than yesterday. The blood pressure thing seems to be controled. The fever is still there. They haven't figured out the source and have expanded her medication to hopefully kill whatever is doing this to her.

With the additions of unexpected challenges to Jenna's situation, we as parents have the same feeling as cresting the top of the largest hill of the roller coaster and then experience that stomach-in-your-throat feeling of the near 90 degree drop. With the scary over the top feeling in our experience set, we are left wondering, no matter what the docs say, when will we yet again experience that free fall with no apparent bottom sensation??

Yesterday was one of those roller coaster/speed bump days depending on your perspective. As was mentioned Jenna has a fever from an unknown source. They work to identify the source, but ultimately the docs say it really doesn't matter. They will treat it with a broad range of antibiotics no matter the source. The fever and the management of it, we believe impacted her blood pressure yesterday. At one point the drama was high. The doc and about 5 nurses worked for about five minutes to stop her blood pressure from a seeming free fall. 5 minutes is a long time if your are watching a red blinking light change second to second. The doc and nurses were solid players and went about this adrenaline session with a business as usual attitude. They became progressively more focused as time passed, but never appeared shaken. I really don't think you could shake these guys in the most dramatic of circumstances. This is good and bad. You want a solid player on your team, but if I am watching the pilot of a plane in a nose dive, I would appreciate at least a blink so we can "brace for impact". I don't think these guys ever blink.

OK enough of the scary minute to minute, ICU, parent perspective. From the docs perspective, they are pleased with Jenna's progress. As of today, Jenna has been in here a week. The docs are pushing fluid removal from Jenna as fast as Jenna will let them. They know that ICUs are great for providing critical short term care, but are progressively more risky the longer you stay. Infections and other yucky stuff related to all the tubes and stuff they stuck in Jenna to provide her lifesaving fluids, etc. start to become liabilities over the longer term. A hospital acquired infection is probably what is working on Jenna now. The quicker they can get her out of here the better. Those are our goals too. So, we are on the same page. We love the docs and nurses here, but do not want the opportunity to develop a long term professional relationships with any of them.

Our visitors continue to tell us that concern for Jenna (and for our family) has increased their time in prayer. We have also heard from more than a few folks who do not usually pray that Jenna's situation has initiated prayer in their lives. With all the nasty stuff that goes with this process, we are pleased and not too surprised that Jenna is having a positive effect on people outside our walls.

So, we leave you with a few prayer requests. Please give thanks for her progress. Please pray for the elimination of her fever and the full recovery of her kidneys. Please also keep in your prayers some folks we have met here; Sarah Bessler, Michael Robinson and baby Gunner.

Thanks for your attention. We continue to EXPECT GREAT THINGS!