Yep, we've been here a whole week now. Actually, 1 week + 5 hours. It's a completely different mindset this hospital stay. We're not just sitting in the PICU waiting, hoping, praying that Colby gets better, cringing every time the words "intubate" or "extubate" come up. We'll never have to hear those stupid words again! Thank you Lord for that.
Yesterday ENT came in bright and early and did Colby's 1st trach change. Took a total of maybe 5 minutes. They said his trach site looked great and that we were ready to be shipped off to the TCC. So we were packed up and in the TCC, all before 10 a.m. Oh boy. Anybody that knows us knows we haven't had the greatest experiences on TCC. But I was determined to walk in with a big smile on my face and a good attitude. That lasted about 12 seconds. NO, just kidding! It hasn't been that bad, however, being on this unit has been quite an adjustment. Different doctors, nurses, RTs. Of course they do things differently in the TCC. They're probably sick and tired of hearing me say, "Well in the PICU they do this..." or "When we were in the PICU it was done that way..." I'm a lot better today than I was yesterday. While we were up in the PICU, they didn't have a Trilogy machine so we had to use another brand of vent for Colby. Then when we got to TCC, they put him on a Trilogy. Change #1. We had decided not to mess with Colby's pressure settings in the PICU. He was doing just fine the way he was, and why bother when we were going to change machines? Plus that's what they do more of in the TCC, fine tune pressure settings. So they immediately started playing around with Colby's vent pressures. Change #2. Then there were several little changes here and there and before you knew it, I lost the ability to form a complete thought and/or sentence. My head was just spinning. For a few minutes I thought oh shit, what have we done? Now I'm glad to report things are more settled. They have left Colby's settings alone for a while. I won't officially start my trach training/education until tomorrow, but I've already done several things and been checked off. I keep telling Colby that Mama is in the Advanced Program, haha. Colby's dad was up today. I made him start his training, too. No way we're sticking around in this hospital waiting for him to get his butt up here to complete his trach training. Our friend Amber came up and visited yesterday. We freaking love company, BTW! Makes the time go by so much faster and it's great to have contact with "the outside world" again.
Colby hasn't seemed to have a great day. He just seems blah or sad. Maybe he's just tired from everything, the surgery, the trach change, getting a bath today, the vent changes. Of course this being on the TCC is all new to him, too. It's hard to judge Colby sometimes. I'm frustrated with trying to drag answers out of him all the time. Right now he doesn't even want to answer yes or no. Tired of guessing what he wants or making decisions for him. Wondering if he'll ever get over this communication mountain that seems to be in the way. But now is certainly not the time to worry about that. We have a new trach to deal with right now. Think I'll cuddle up with him tomorrow, spend some major QT talking more about the trach and how I think it will make things easier on him in the future and why I think that way. I need to remember how much he has been through in the last week and that he's probably a little scared, sore, frustrated, etc. Sure do hate to see my sweet boy upset over anything.
I think I get to do my 1st trach change tomorrow. I'm kind of geeked up about it. Yeah, I totally missed my calling. I sooooo could have been a dang good nurse, or a rock star RT for sure. Not sure what the rest of our day will hold. Very little probably. As long as it stays "uneventful" in Colby's room, I will not complain. I'm at Ronnie Donnie tonight and Mom is staying with Colby. So I'm going up to my comfy, cozy, cloud-like mattress now. Good night peeps. Thank you to all who have been thinking about and praying for us. Love ya bunches!
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