One Sad Boy

Ethan is doing better. He isn't struggling quite as hard to breathe as he was yesterday. His respirations today are around 35 (still too high), but way better than the 55 they were yesterday. His heart rate has improved, too. It is between 130-140 now, instead of pushing near the 180 mark. They have been pumping Ethan with mega doses of Solumedrol (a steroid) and so he will soon be as strong as Superman. I think I will just start calling him my Roid Boy. Even though he has improved and isn't struggling as hard to breathe, he still can't hold his oxygen levels on room air. The second the oxygen mask is taken off, his sats start to fall. His pediatrician said that he could be here another day to another ten days. It all depends on when his lungs can start keeping those numbers up on room air.

Ethan is getting frustrated having to be stuck in a bed. Despite having some coloring books, a portable DVD player, a CD player, and his little Blue Angel airplane, he is bored to death and driving both of us crazy. He has just about worn out the controls on his bed and we have made about a million trips to the potty. I finally had to put my foot down regarding those potty trips when I realized that we were going more for an outing and not out of necessity. Having to unhook all of the wires, wheel the IV pole, and lift Ethan in and out of bed, well...the kid is just going to have to get more bladder control. It took me a while, but I realized that he was only going a little bit every time we'd go in there. And then I started paying attention to the clock. He had me taking him in there about every 45 minutes. NO MORE!!!!!

Now all I hear is when is somebody going to come and visit him so I can go down to the gift shop to buy him something. He knows I can't leave him alone and I told him that I'd go get him something different from the gift shop when his Nana got here today. That is all he is focused on and all I hear now. It was cute. He even gave me instructions to bring him up a flower. Emily got him balloons yesterday, but he said that he needs a flower, too. That made me laugh.

Our day nurse today is yet another nurse that has taken care of Ethan before, but different from the ones that we saw yesterday. She even came in asking how his sister was doing. I must say, it is nice having people here that know us and know Ethan. :)

Gotta go...Ethan needs a potty break. LOL