Kirstin -- Facebook updates
Here are the updates in Kris and Andrea's own words, taken from their Facebook pages.
Andrea: Monday afternoon -- (yesterday):
Hi all, this will be quick cause I have to sleep. I just got back from almost 16 hours in the hospital. I came home and then had to go right back because her temp was high again. Please pray as it seems like her temp should not be so high since she has been on antibiotics since Thursday. They seem to reassure that things are okay than to double check. They want to make sure that the medicine is not masking anything else at this point so they are giving her the pain/fever medicine as needed. Basically as soon as she got off her fever jumps to 39.1 (C).....so back on fever/pain medicine. We have lots of questions for the Dr. tomorrow. Please pray that they would be willing to run extra tests instead of brushing it off. Please pray that I will be kind yet firm with the Dr. as far as our desires. Pray that they would be willing to take a harder look. Both Kristjan and I felt like they moved her too quickly out of the ICU. She is still in pain, small progress in eyes, face still paralyzed (mouth, nose and eyes on right side) but the good news is she cries when I leave. She knows me, expresses that she wants me there and expresses that she does not want the nurses messing with her. She is so weak and never smiles but at times seems more content. The situation we are in now is very difficult because we are 7 patients to 1 nurse. That means Kristjan Higdon and I have to be aware of how to take care of her 24/7. She cannot sit but only lays in her bed but has more movement and has eaten more today. Please forgive my writing skills when I am exhausted. I just want to keep you posted as you guys have been such an awesome source of strength and encouragement!
From Kristjan : Tuesday afternoon (today)
Last night was a difficult adjustment, as we had all new nurses on a new floor. We were not told anything regarding the changes in treatment, in fact, they had told us that it would all be the same. But they actually stopped her consistent intravenous fever medicine. So at about 11:30 PM, i noticed she was sweating and in pain. Long story short, the first nurse took a while to get the medicine, and then we demanded to speak to the doctor from the ICU to find out what was going on (why was she getting such a high fever again). He explained that they had taken her off the fever medicine for them to see if her body did not need it anymore. We said that is fine, but they should tell us about changes in her treatment. We have found the nurses to be quite kind and eager to help, but even they complained that they are understaffed (they had many other babies to tend to) and the doctors don't always show up when they are supposed to. The nurse told me adamantly to make sure the doctor answers all our questions, and that some of the doctors are kind and competent, but others are deadbeats. On a positive note, after two bouts of high fever through the night and into the early morning. He little bitty legs were shaking in the morning, but she was got some fever meds at 7:00 AM and then she ate some baby cereal. During the day, Kirstin has been with Andrea who has told me that Kirstin's fever is starting to come down - around 99.6 F which is great news. We definitely are encouraged by the slow but constant progress. Kirstin is eating some soup and drinking some tea and water, but she does not eat when her fever rises. We talked to the neuropediatrician who says she will have another CT scan tomorrow if the fever does not stay down. Please pray for the fever to subside, which would give us further confidence that the antibiotics are getting the upper hand over the bacterial meningitis. Also pray that we get a conscientious doctor on the floor - right now we have a doctor even the nurses don't particularly like. One last thing that was super cool. When i was on a mission walking to the hospital last night, one of my students stopped me and said, "Professor, tudo bem consigo?" I explained the situation to my student, and then he relayed the message to his elderly mother who came waddling along. His mother, a stocky Portuguese grandma looking woman, realized what had happened to Kirstin and his mom's eyes and face lit up. She turned to me and held my arm with excitement and explained how someone in their family had this meningitis, and then she began pointing heavenward and exhorting me, "We will pray in the powerful name of Jesus. Jesus has the power to heal. You pray in the powerful name of Jesus. Forca! Forca!" (take heart). God brings us encouraging words from the most unsuspecting people - the little old lady i was passing by on my way. Praise the Lord!
Andrea: Monday afternoon -- (yesterday):
Hi all, this will be quick cause I have to sleep. I just got back from almost 16 hours in the hospital. I came home and then had to go right back because her temp was high again. Please pray as it seems like her temp should not be so high since she has been on antibiotics since Thursday. They seem to reassure that things are okay than to double check. They want to make sure that the medicine is not masking anything else at this point so they are giving her the pain/fever medicine as needed. Basically as soon as she got off her fever jumps to 39.1 (C).....so back on fever/pain medicine. We have lots of questions for the Dr. tomorrow. Please pray that they would be willing to run extra tests instead of brushing it off. Please pray that I will be kind yet firm with the Dr. as far as our desires. Pray that they would be willing to take a harder look. Both Kristjan and I felt like they moved her too quickly out of the ICU. She is still in pain, small progress in eyes, face still paralyzed (mouth, nose and eyes on right side) but the good news is she cries when I leave. She knows me, expresses that she wants me there and expresses that she does not want the nurses messing with her. She is so weak and never smiles but at times seems more content. The situation we are in now is very difficult because we are 7 patients to 1 nurse. That means Kristjan Higdon and I have to be aware of how to take care of her 24/7. She cannot sit but only lays in her bed but has more movement and has eaten more today. Please forgive my writing skills when I am exhausted. I just want to keep you posted as you guys have been such an awesome source of strength and encouragement!
From Kristjan : Tuesday afternoon (today)
Last night was a difficult adjustment, as we had all new nurses on a new floor. We were not told anything regarding the changes in treatment, in fact, they had told us that it would all be the same. But they actually stopped her consistent intravenous fever medicine. So at about 11:30 PM, i noticed she was sweating and in pain. Long story short, the first nurse took a while to get the medicine, and then we demanded to speak to the doctor from the ICU to find out what was going on (why was she getting such a high fever again). He explained that they had taken her off the fever medicine for them to see if her body did not need it anymore. We said that is fine, but they should tell us about changes in her treatment. We have found the nurses to be quite kind and eager to help, but even they complained that they are understaffed (they had many other babies to tend to) and the doctors don't always show up when they are supposed to. The nurse told me adamantly to make sure the doctor answers all our questions, and that some of the doctors are kind and competent, but others are deadbeats. On a positive note, after two bouts of high fever through the night and into the early morning. He little bitty legs were shaking in the morning, but she was got some fever meds at 7:00 AM and then she ate some baby cereal. During the day, Kirstin has been with Andrea who has told me that Kirstin's fever is starting to come down - around 99.6 F which is great news. We definitely are encouraged by the slow but constant progress. Kirstin is eating some soup and drinking some tea and water, but she does not eat when her fever rises. We talked to the neuropediatrician who says she will have another CT scan tomorrow if the fever does not stay down. Please pray for the fever to subside, which would give us further confidence that the antibiotics are getting the upper hand over the bacterial meningitis. Also pray that we get a conscientious doctor on the floor - right now we have a doctor even the nurses don't particularly like. One last thing that was super cool. When i was on a mission walking to the hospital last night, one of my students stopped me and said, "Professor, tudo bem consigo?" I explained the situation to my student, and then he relayed the message to his elderly mother who came waddling along. His mother, a stocky Portuguese grandma looking woman, realized what had happened to Kirstin and his mom's eyes and face lit up. She turned to me and held my arm with excitement and explained how someone in their family had this meningitis, and then she began pointing heavenward and exhorting me, "We will pray in the powerful name of Jesus. Jesus has the power to heal. You pray in the powerful name of Jesus. Forca! Forca!" (take heart). God brings us encouraging words from the most unsuspecting people - the little old lady i was passing by on my way. Praise the Lord!
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