Medical Tricky Balancing Acts

Hey everyone. Whew. OK, let me catch my breath long enough to type an update.

First, Zane will NOT come off the vent again today as originally thought. Further into discussions, it's been agreed with all medical teams that it it's too soon since yesterday's attempt for Zane to endure. So, that's been pushed to tomorrow unfortunately, but that does give us all extra prayers and extra strength to send his way. Today is now planned to be a more "chill" day and start to wean back on some various meds.

Zane has a lot of tricky things happening that all interweave from one medical team to the next. Of course there's his oncology, but now he's got respiratory, cardiology/electrophysiology, neurology and the medical ICU team meeting in morning rounds and throughout the noon, evening and night. It's a delicate balance as when one decision is made with one unit, it may have adverse effects on another, so it's going to be a long, slow process. Below is the short version of where things are. And as I type this, it could all change again before I hit post. All teams agree that Zane will heal faster off an ICU floor where rest is impossible so with that, here's the next 48- hour snaphot (for the moment). And I've included a couple of photos of what it looks like around here when they have their meetings of the minds outside our door.

This following is more for my RN/medical friends. The rest of you can stop here if you like and just wish him well!

Respiratory: Get Zane off ventilator within 48 hours. He may need a trach to help him afterward (small tube inserted through outside of throat). Sounds scary, but it's a bedside 5-minute incision procedure and is almost never permanent.

Carodiology: Just took Zane off Lidocaine and will watch for PVCs and be sure there is no VFib or VTach issues. Bedside heart sonogram planned for later today. The electrophysiology folks say Zane will likely have a subcutaneous Dfib installed before leaving this hospital since he's had 4 cardiac arrests. Zane has regular EKGs through the day and night and nothing alarming since his last event last Wednesday at 10pm.

Neurology: Another possible spinal tap today to see if the crytococcous infection dx was a false-positive. A definite full round of MRIs tomorrow to check for changes in brain/spine.

Oncology: St. Jude is staying in tune with what's happening and is being given access to Zane's test results.

Medical ICU: they oversee the whole process hour by hour. I see them all day and I make sure they are communicating well with the rest of the departments.

So, that's about it. Zane still hasn't "come to" enough for us to get a real idea of what his mental status is, but he is showing more and more signs of alertness and purposeful movements, although he's zonked today after yesterday's "fun."

Keep up the good mojo, y'all! This boy needs all the positive energy we can all send his way! xoxoxox #MakeZaneBetter