Pneumonia and More...

Avery's Pneumonia continued through the month January. On Weds, January 25th Debbie took Avery into the clinic to get checked out. Avery's condition had been getting worse, as the previous weekend she starting sleeping more of the day, and cough half the night. The antibiotics she was on, weren't doing anything for her. I got a call from Debbie, that the Dr. said Avery will need to be hospitalized, as her O2's were too low. So off to Gillette she went. When Avery got there, she was running a temp as well. She had been running a fever off and on all month. We'd give her advil for a few days, and it would go away, then a few days later fever again, and repeat... So, Advil was started in addition to IV antibiotics and nebulizations.


Avery hasn't lost her appetite!

By Thursday afternoon the fever was gone, and Advil doses were ceased. Friday morning came, and with that a fever again! Avery got a Nebulizer dose of Albuterol at 8am, and was in the middle of her morning meds when her temp spiked, and she began to seize. Debbie quickly called for a nurse, and administered 2 diastats with no effect. They then pushed Ativan via IV also with no effect, but with Avery's lungs still in rough shape from pneumonia, her lips started turning blue, and her O2 stats dropped. They quickly rushed her to PICU to intubate and sedate her, requiring her breathing on a vent. After 55 minutes, the seizure was finally stopped.




Avery on vent with her puppies.

 Avery remained on the vent for 48 hours until Sunday afternoon. She was extubated, but was still very tired, so she slept the rest of the day. But woke up for a bit when Debbie got to hold her in the rocking chair.

Avery continued to come around a little more each day. On Tuesday, I spent most of the day with her while Debbie took a break from the hospital and went to work for the evening. To Avery's surprise, the Music Therapist stopped in for a visit, and she loved every minute she was there.



Avery playing with Coral the Music Therapist



Dr. Avery Checking out her puppy

Finally on Weds. after she had been off O2 for a few days, and breathing well on her own, she was doing well enough to go home. Yeah!!! Avery was all smiles the drive home, and we decided to pick up Nick from school early on the way home.




Happy to see each other!

 Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Avery while she was in hospital. We are thankful to be all be under one roof again.