Turning a Corner

We left the hospital a little worried on Wednesday afternoon when we learned, just before leaving, that Peter's MRSA screen had come back positive. We didn't know much about this bacterium but the hygiene restrictions placed on staff dealing with Peter were a little perturbing. We were reassured this morning that it probably posed no danger to Peter or anyone else. Right now it looks like he is merely a carrier of this thing--like about 30% of the population--without showing any symptoms. Visitors just have to make sure they thoroughly wash hands after visiting with him, but no further restrictions have been placed on us (though staff have to wear gloves and gowns when working with Peter).

We talked to one of the cardiologists today and she said that Peter is making quite rapid progress. Her actual words were, "Peter really turned a corner this week." His heart rate is getting more normal and his blood pressure crept up to about 65/45 today. He is also being weaned off a number of medications. That includes the morphine he has been on. This might be the hardest for him to get off because morphine is habit-forming. Peter is getting more actual food (Betsy's milk) through a tube in his nose and once the current medical intravenous fluid bag runs out they will not reorder it. The levels of oxygen and nitric oxide in his ventilator have also been lowered and the drain tubes are producing less and less fluid. The doctors are hopeful that the tubes will be able to come out soon and that the ventilator might not be needed much longer either. They are hesitant to give us any actual dates and predictions but as a rough estimate we have been given about 7 days until Peter might be able to leave ICU and go to the normal pediatric ward. Once he makes it to that department, he could be home within another week.

Over lunch this afternoon, we read Psalm 112 and while it did not apply specifically to the situation of a sick child in the hospital, I found it heartening to read of the comforts afforded to believers. What is a believer promised? "He will never be moved (...) He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD." We left the hospital feeling a lot more comforted than yesterday.