Wednesday, November 9, 2011

PICU comes into the conversation...

PICU... paediatric intensive care unit... they dropped it into the conversation so casually that I almost missed it... then it hit my brain like an avalanche...

Somehow, I remained calm and asked questions... the words came from a lovely young lady from the renal team...

Short version:
Logan has renal impairment. If the kidneys don't function well, then the potassium level goes up. Unfortunately they are struggling to keep the level down as everything they keep giving him (mostly the blood products) contains potassium. Another cause for increased kidney function can be ongoing bleeding (there they go again... with the bleeding). They need to measure the urine accurately either with a bottle or a catheter... at present the choice is his...

They measure kidney function lots of ways, including creatitine and urea. They are going to be repeating the bloods every two hours. If no improvement is shown within the next couple of hours, odd are we are going to PICU...

Logan took this knowledge calmly.  Unlike many children who go through the unit, he is conscious most of the time, and aware of his surroundings.  Many of the children are drugged off their brains to keep the pain or nausea at bay.

He has just had his cannula inserted after two failed attempts.  Not ideal, but when I explained that if he got any sicker we were off to ICU, he succumbed quietly.  The final attempt didn't even hurt.

His liver has begun to hurt this afternoon, when he rolls over, and his breathing in anything but on his back, is almost impossible.  They are playing 'chase' as Evan calls it... just chasing one symptom after another in an effort to keep up with his body's imbalances... He always has a doctor at the nurses station watching out for him, and a nurse within earshot... If I was ever a drama queen, I am over it... give me back my vacuum cleaner!

He is resting now, giving me a chance to write this.  I pray there will be more time to write to you again this evening.... from room 17.

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