Poor Jasmine couldn’t keep her food down today. The reasons for this are potentially numerous:
- They put her on 44 mls per three hours to feed her up as she needs to put on weight.
- She is still recovering from the drugs from surgery.
- She didn’t eat at all yesterday prior to her surgery and was only on fluids afterwards.
- She is still trying to get used to being bottlefed.
So poor Jasmine didn’t know if she was coming or going today and kept being sick: being fed more than normal, having her stomach pumped and having her tube washed with saline solution. However, the nurses have to press on and get her fattened up. They are very good to her and we are so grateful to them, for all they do, all day and night. It was a bit hard, at first, to think that other people are feeding my baby, but I wouldn’t be helping at all if I was to try and stay there all the time. She is getting my breast milk so at the present time I am doing all I can for her.
Tonight the consultant said that the vomiting might be a sign to start dialysis. I know people think dialysis is a good thing but with it there comes a whole new set of problems (or challenges – depending on your world view). Dialysis is not a solution only a temporary fix. The longer Jasmine can manage without dialysis then the better it is for her. Anytime at all without dialysis is time well spent. There are no long term plans in place yet we are still at the day by day stage and daren’t look ahead too much. However, Jasmine will likely be in hospial for six months, then she may be stable enough for us to dialyse at home (after training!).
Her blood pressure was all over the place today and her creatine levels have gone up again to scary numbers (in the 600s). Although the fact that her right kidney still produces urine is a good sign.
Blossom’s parents gave Jasmine a teddy today which was really nice of them. Blossom is feeling slightly better now after some variable blood results and Blossom’s dad was giving Neil lots of peritoneal dialysis tips.
I wore a mask all day today as I have a bad cold and feel really ill. I went to the doctor’s this morning and he said it was just a cold – it just felt much worse because I was awake half the night with a rash down the lower half of my torso and legs – a heat/stress rash and I was boiling. I was mainly stressed that I might pass something on to Jasmine, but everyone was reassuring that it should be ok. Apparently, I am run down and my hypothyroidism could have gone hyper so I might not need to take drugs anymore. Normally, I would be thrilled about this but you know…
Thanks to everyone who has texted and emailed saying that they are reading the blog, we really appreciate all your support and we tell Jasmine everyday how gorgeous everyone thinks she is, she was even very beautiful this afternoon when she threw up on her dad’s shoulder as he winded her. She looked really impressed with herself afterwards and the happiest she had been all day. She frowns an awful lot and her dad reckons she is as moody as her mother.
Update 10pm: I phoned the hospital and they have reverted to feeding her continuously through her nose, and she has been able to keep that down.
Still got all fingers crossed for you all. You sound like you are all coping admirably. Keep it up!!