Abby had an eventful day she had PT (physical therapy) and because they gave her a line holiday on Thursday they had to start a new line. They decided to do the type of dialysis that is continuous. VS the type that is a every 3 days for 3-4 hours. That one is a lot harder on Abby and really wears her out. So they will keep her on this one till her Kidney kicks in. So Abby has been sleeping most of the day. She was responsive today though so that is good. She is just very worn out. We are hoping that this other dialysis will keep her more comfortable and eventually more alert.
Abby also had to have some fluid drained from her abdomen it was just a build up of fluid that was accumulating in the abdominal cavity. It happened because her Kidney isn't getting rid of excess fluid in her body. So I am sure she is much more comfortable now that it is gone. So like I said she has a lot going on today but right now she is sleeping and looks peaceful.
I am actually sitting by Abby's bedside right now. Abby is never alone she always has a family member by her side. Except for during shift change when they kick us out. I know that all of us feel the same way, right now we don't have anywhere else we would rather be. Even though right now it is 3:00 A.M. I am happy to be wither her. Abby still is very confused when she wakes up so we want to be here to ease her confusion and her panic. Abby sometimes looks really confused when she looks at us, but I have figured out that it is because she is trying to figure out the time line. She is really confused by the date on the wall. She also seems to be worried about us. Abby showed us her annoyed side today. They were fussing with her and they put a damp rag on her hand and she picked it up and threw it across the room. Way to go Abby we love to see that fighting side of you.
Happy couple
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Day 18 post transplant....
So yesterday (day 18) started out very rough. Abby was not waking up and she was sweaty and shaky. The doctors said that she most likely has an infection either from one of her lines or maybe an abscess. They wanted to use a certain antibiotic that would be strong enough to get rid of most infections. The problem with that antibiotic is it could potentially wipe out her kidney. The doctors that are caring for Abby in the ICU and the Kidney doctors were discussing what they should do. They decided to start an antibiotic that is safe for the kidney, an anti-fungal and an antiviral medication for the next 4 days and see how she does.
They also did an abdominal and head MRI to check for signs of infection just to be on the safe side. We still don't know the results of that. I stayed with Abby till about 1:30 A.M. so my parents could get some sleep. She was a little out of it at first after her MRI which ended at 11:00 P.M. I just sat by her bed and held her hand. Every time I would stand up or move a little. Abby would squeeze my hand and not let me let go. That was a very good sign it let me know that she knew I was there.
They gave Abby a bath and changed her bedding. After they got her all tucked in and comfortable again she woke up. She looked at me with wide eyes and gave me a slight smile. She was a little confused but I think that is normal she had slept for 2 days and had been very sick. Abby has an oxygen mask on that more just goes around her mouth and it has humidified air to help moisten her nose and throat. So she was a little worried about that she kept pointing to it. So I would explain that it wasn't scary and it was just helping her a little. She then pointed to other things that were on her and I explained what they were and that they were all normal medical things and that she was ok. She seemed more calm at that point and less confused. She was holding my hand again and when I said I was going home she started to squeeze my hand and didn't want to let go. Also when my dad came in she looked worried I asked her if she was worried about dad getting sleep and she nodded. I told her that he had been sleeping and he was doing fine. That shows Abby's true personality she was worried about my dad even though she is the one who is sick. It was good to see Abby so alert she was a little confused but not too much. I really think she was just making sure she was okay.
So for today we are hoping she continues to get better. We would love for her kidney to start working but we will be patient. Thank you for all the prayers for our Abby.
They also did an abdominal and head MRI to check for signs of infection just to be on the safe side. We still don't know the results of that. I stayed with Abby till about 1:30 A.M. so my parents could get some sleep. She was a little out of it at first after her MRI which ended at 11:00 P.M. I just sat by her bed and held her hand. Every time I would stand up or move a little. Abby would squeeze my hand and not let me let go. That was a very good sign it let me know that she knew I was there.
They gave Abby a bath and changed her bedding. After they got her all tucked in and comfortable again she woke up. She looked at me with wide eyes and gave me a slight smile. She was a little confused but I think that is normal she had slept for 2 days and had been very sick. Abby has an oxygen mask on that more just goes around her mouth and it has humidified air to help moisten her nose and throat. So she was a little worried about that she kept pointing to it. So I would explain that it wasn't scary and it was just helping her a little. She then pointed to other things that were on her and I explained what they were and that they were all normal medical things and that she was ok. She seemed more calm at that point and less confused. She was holding my hand again and when I said I was going home she started to squeeze my hand and didn't want to let go. Also when my dad came in she looked worried I asked her if she was worried about dad getting sleep and she nodded. I told her that he had been sleeping and he was doing fine. That shows Abby's true personality she was worried about my dad even though she is the one who is sick. It was good to see Abby so alert she was a little confused but not too much. I really think she was just making sure she was okay.
So for today we are hoping she continues to get better. We would love for her kidney to start working but we will be patient. Thank you for all the prayers for our Abby.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Please Pray!!!
Abby is having a very bad day!! She has a very bad infection and they don't know where or what it is. She isn't waking up at all. She needs your prayers. They have an antibiotic they can try but it would wipe out her kidney. Please pray hard for our Abby we need her to be okay!!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Day 17 Post Transplant...
So the roller coaster continues, Abby had a good night last night and a good morning today. She responded well to PT and was following commands. She had to do another round of dialysis today so that is 8 hours of dialysis in 2 days. It really knocked her out she was non responsive and sleeping all afternoon and night. She was having a hard time coughing stuff up tonight so they had to suction her and it really just made Abby mad and gave her a bloody nose. She is just so sleepy so it is harder to make her do things. It is a normal response from dialysis to be sleepy especially when combined with all the toxins in her body from her kidney not working.
It is hard for us not to get discouraged sometimes. We just would really love for Abby's kidney to start working. That would help a lot of things. She really needs to be more alert but it is hard for her to be alert when her kidney isn't doing it's job. She started tolerating feedings again today so that is good news. Abby has made a lot of improvements in the past 2 weeks. We just want to see more of Abby we want to see her make big improvements and for her to be herself again. We know she will get there and we know we have to be patient. And we are very thankful for the progress she has made. So we will just pray that her kidney will start working. We know prayer works, last Sunday when everyone fasted for Abby that day she was off of the vent. So thank you for all of the prayers on Abby's behalf. Our friends and family are the best!
It is hard for us not to get discouraged sometimes. We just would really love for Abby's kidney to start working. That would help a lot of things. She really needs to be more alert but it is hard for her to be alert when her kidney isn't doing it's job. She started tolerating feedings again today so that is good news. Abby has made a lot of improvements in the past 2 weeks. We just want to see more of Abby we want to see her make big improvements and for her to be herself again. We know she will get there and we know we have to be patient. And we are very thankful for the progress she has made. So we will just pray that her kidney will start working. We know prayer works, last Sunday when everyone fasted for Abby that day she was off of the vent. So thank you for all of the prayers on Abby's behalf. Our friends and family are the best!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Day 16 post trasplant...
Today has been another sleeping beauty day for Abby. She had dialysis today and was able to do the whole treatment this time so that is good. But because it has been so long since she had dialysis well longer then the normal 3 days. She has a lot of toxins and things built up in her system that need to be filtered out. So she was really out of it all day because of that and dialysis wears her out as well. So she really slept all day long and wouldn't wake up for anyone. Even when she would open her eyes a few times she wasn't really awake.
So today was supposed to be a big day for Abby, she has been writing a missionary and was waiting for him. And he got home today. Abby has been counting down the days till he got home since he left. Him and his cute mom went to see Abby tonight at about 9 and like I said Abby had been asleep all day and didn't really respond to anyone. Well my mom told her that he was there and Abby looked over at him and smiled. She stayed awake for the 30 minutes that he was there. So Abby really is our sleeping beauty and her Prince Charming came tonight and woke her up. I really think this will help Abby's recovery just having people that really love her and want her to get better. It will make her fight even harder.
We are so grateful for everyone who loves Abby. Abby is a beautiful girl with a great spirit and everyone who really knows her loves her. Keep up the good work Abby. You will be home before you know it.
So today was supposed to be a big day for Abby, she has been writing a missionary and was waiting for him. And he got home today. Abby has been counting down the days till he got home since he left. Him and his cute mom went to see Abby tonight at about 9 and like I said Abby had been asleep all day and didn't really respond to anyone. Well my mom told her that he was there and Abby looked over at him and smiled. She stayed awake for the 30 minutes that he was there. So Abby really is our sleeping beauty and her Prince Charming came tonight and woke her up. I really think this will help Abby's recovery just having people that really love her and want her to get better. It will make her fight even harder.
We are so grateful for everyone who loves Abby. Abby is a beautiful girl with a great spirit and everyone who really knows her loves her. Keep up the good work Abby. You will be home before you know it.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Day 15 post transplant...
Today Abby has just been our sleeping beauty. She had a big day yesterday so I am sure she is warn out. Her Kidney still isn't working so she is still very disoriented so even when she is awake she isn't really with it. But that is okay we all know that she is still our Abby we have seen very alert moments. She just has so many things trying to heal in her body that she is just tired and needing to rejuvenate.
So the positives for the past 2 weeks Her liver is doing great her numbers are normal so that is good. She is off of the vent and her lungs look good. She is still breathing fast but that is more because of her kidney not working. She has had some very with it moments and so we know our Abby is our Abby.
So we still have a ways to go with her Kidney but everyone seems to believe that it will come back with time. Her gut still isn't working like normal yet either but that will take time too. She is still very groggy and confused but that is because of her kidney not her brain. So for now we will hope and pray that her Kidney will kick in because that should solve her other problems. We all love Abby so much and hate that she has to go through this. I know we would all take her place if we could.
So the positives for the past 2 weeks Her liver is doing great her numbers are normal so that is good. She is off of the vent and her lungs look good. She is still breathing fast but that is more because of her kidney not working. She has had some very with it moments and so we know our Abby is our Abby.
So we still have a ways to go with her Kidney but everyone seems to believe that it will come back with time. Her gut still isn't working like normal yet either but that will take time too. She is still very groggy and confused but that is because of her kidney not her brain. So for now we will hope and pray that her Kidney will kick in because that should solve her other problems. We all love Abby so much and hate that she has to go through this. I know we would all take her place if we could.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Oh Happy Day 14 post transplant....
So it has been 14 days since the transplant and today has been a happy day. The happiest day in 2 weeks. So today Abby was extibated and it went well she has been breathing on her own all day since about 1:00 this afternoon. She looked so much better when we saw her today. She was the most alert I have seen her in 2 weeks, she was watching a movie on TV and stayed awake the whole time I was with her. She was able to whisper to us, her throat is still very sore but she has had a tube down it for 2 weeks so I bet it is sore. She is still very weak and still a little foggy. She still has a hard time moving and it will take time for her muscles to get strong again. She is starting to realize that things went wrong and that is hard to watch. Before she didn't know what was going on, but now she is putting things together. And she is mad and it makes us feel so bad. We don't think she realizes that she has had a transplant because she is still so foggy from her Kidney not working. So she is confused and doesn't understand why this is happening to her so she is mad.
We are so glad to be able to see Abby's beautiful face again without all of the tubes. She seems to be able to tolerate feedings now so she can get stronger with some nourishment. She doesn't seem to be in too much pain but she is agitated. She is acting a little mad at us right now. She probably remembers seeing us standing there while she was hurting and restrained and we weren't doing anything to help her. But I think with time and once she has another round of dialysis or once her kidneys kick in she will be a little more with it and not be so upset. And we might be able to explain a little bit about what happened to her. But for now we just want her to get some rest. I hope she is sleeping well right now. I think our family is sleeping a bit better tonight. Thank you all for the fasting and the prayers. She still has a way to go but she made some big steps today so today we had a little miracle and we feel blessed.
We are so glad to be able to see Abby's beautiful face again without all of the tubes. She seems to be able to tolerate feedings now so she can get stronger with some nourishment. She doesn't seem to be in too much pain but she is agitated. She is acting a little mad at us right now. She probably remembers seeing us standing there while she was hurting and restrained and we weren't doing anything to help her. But I think with time and once she has another round of dialysis or once her kidneys kick in she will be a little more with it and not be so upset. And we might be able to explain a little bit about what happened to her. But for now we just want her to get some rest. I hope she is sleeping well right now. I think our family is sleeping a bit better tonight. Thank you all for the fasting and the prayers. She still has a way to go but she made some big steps today so today we had a little miracle and we feel blessed.
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