Oxygen restriction

We had a better night. Exhaustion finally allowing us to get some rest. Not such a good night for the boy. He has a chest infection. The brain scan we need to understand the success or otherwise of surgery may well not happen. Weather is miserable and so are we three.

He desatted again in the early morning. X-ray shows something clouding his right lung. The dreaded chest infection. He's on antibiotics and extra potassium. We have to hope that he does get a slot on the brain scan list for this afternoon and is considered fit enough for a general anaesthetic. The anaesthetist will opine later. Whatever, the combination of an infection and a possible general anaesthetic is going to significantly slow his recovery or even put it sharply into reverse.

He's had more physio and some sitting up with Mummy but this wore him out. After twenty minutes he wanted to lie back in bed. He was cheerful for a little while this morning. Exploring toys with one hand. He won't use the other as it has the canula in it. He will keep any limb with a canula immobile.

But the moving around dislodged a lot of fluid in his lungs which meant an hour of one suction catheter after another. We have used the whole ward's supply of that size catheters. Someone had to go on the hunt for more from other wards. It is exhausting work doing almost constant suctioning. Open catheter. Attach catheter. Check suction length. Remove oxygen mask. Suction twice. Replace oxygen mask before his oxygen level drops too much. Repeat every two minutes for next hour. He is worn out from having to cough so much. Even a visit from auntie and the pandas did not really help cheer him up.

Anaesthetists are currently sucking their teeth about brain scan. Under normal circumstances they probably wouldn't choose to go ahead. But if we don't do it today the opportunity may be lost. But in his weakened state, if they do next stop may be intensive care. Decisions. Decisions.