Tag: hospital

Cookie Party!

Sunday, 29 Mar 2015

(335 = ANC @ 06:52 on 29 Mar)

Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!

One of Ella’s favorite activities is having a late night cookie party with Papa.  We are delighted to report that Ella’s health is steadily improving. So much so that we are confident she will be discharged tomorrow.  No better way to celebrate Ella’s freedom than to stay up late and have a cookie party.

Did we happen to mention that Ella loves cold milk?

Bonus points if you can identify the music video playing on Ella’s iPad mini.

Thank you for your prayers.

God bless you.

Out for a Walk

Saturday, 28 Mar 2015

(72 = ANC @ 09:15 on 28 Mar)

God gathers us from all the places we have been scattered:let us give thanks and praise!

One of the best things you can do to defeat a respiratory infection is to take it out for a walk. Unfortunately, going out for a walk “can be” a bit risky when Ella’s immune system is so low. Luckily for us it was a quiet Saturday at the hospital.

As soon as Dr. Glaser gave us the green light we headed out on our walking adventure.

As usual, Ella’s favorite part was making new friends.

Please know, Ella is safe and comfortable.

We are hopeful that Ella may soon be discharged.

Thank you for your prayers.

God bless you.

A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed

Wednesday, 26 Mar 2015

(14 = ANC @ 04:15 on 26 Mar)

Faithful is God, faithful and true: come, let us adore!

Sage is one of Ella’s FaceTime friends.  Sage is in the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.  Please join us in praying for Sage and her family.

Sage’s father Sam, is incredibly strong and courageous.

Ella made this very special card for Sam right after we said many prayers for Sage.

Please know, Ella is safe and comfortable.

Tomorrow we will know a bit more…details to follow.

Thank you for your prayers.

God bless you.

Unexpected Return to Hospital…a bit SCARY

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Ella was readmitted to Kapiolani Medical Center late Tuesday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Mum detected a combination of subtle signs that pointed to probable instability. After an hour of close monitoring, the doctors agreed Ella should spend the night in hospital. Blood tests later revealed Ella’s hemoglobin count dipped a bit too low. Ella really perked up after receiving a blood transfusion on Wednesday afternoon.

We are so grateful to the donors who give to the Blood Bank of Hawaii – Mahalo Nui Loa! We urge friends of Ella to Donate Blood Today.

We thank God for the gift of another day and invite him to send the Holy Spirit into our lives; We pray for blood donors who support children like Ella.

We pray for all the people who are praying for Ella.

Thank you for your prayers.

Friday, 24 Sep 2004

Friday, September 24 ( 7 pm ): The last 24 hours have been fairly busy for little Gabriella. Early yesterday evening Dr. Lamberti and team closed GG’s chest. The two-hour procedure was completed without incident. Gabriella tolerated the procedure very well – all of her “numbers” looked good through out the closing and overnight. It is absolutely amazing how closely she is monitored.

During the initial surgery on the 21st pressure sensors were placed in and around her heart. These sensors will be removed, one by one, as her condition improves. Just a few hours ago they removed the sensor from her pulmonary artery and another sensor from the upper left chamber of her heart.

But the best news is her lungs are working incredibly well – her oxygen saturation rates have remained in the high 90 percent range even though they have reduced the percentage of oxygen she is receiving through the ventilator.  She will likely remain on the ventilator and in the ICU over the weekend.

We feel very positive about her progress but still remain guarded, as setbacks are not uncommon in the ICU.

Thank you for your prayers.

Tuesday, 21 Sep 2004

Tuesday, September 21 (1400 Update): Dr. Lamberti just came out of surgery and updated us. Initial report very positive. Good repairs within the heart: – hole in Septum was very large – Septum Patch holding well – Both Valves and all flaps operating as desired – No apparent damage to heart’s natural “pacemaker” nerve so no need for artificial pacemaker.

Dr. Lamberti did not close sternum at this time to avoid increased pressure on lungs and heart – Sternum to be closed in 24-72 hrs, once swelling has gone down. Nothing unusual about this aspect of the procedure – Mom and Dad to see GG in ICU within the hour. Details to follow…

Thank you for your prayers.

Wednesday, 08 Sep 2004

Wednesday, 08 September: GG returned to the hospital of Sunday, 05 September, for observation and adjustment of her many medications. Although she had a bit of a rough time on Sunday and Monday, as the doctors struggled to establish an intravenous (IV) line, she is now doing well and receiving medications via a central IV line (femoral).

Gabriella’s surgery is now scheduled for 21 September at Stanford. We will be traveling to Stanford early next week – as everyone agrees that it is prudent for GG to be closer to her surgeon. We will all breathe a sigh of relief once the wheels touch-down in the Bay Area. Rest assured, GG continues to receive the finest medical treatment – she is comfortable and doing well. Mum, Dad, and Lucy are scrambling a bit to keep up with the changes, but are also doing well overall.

As always, thank you for your prayers.

Monday, 30 Aug 2004

Monday, 30 August: Yesterday’s “Day of Rest” was followed by a busy Monday. Gabriella wolfed down this morning’s 0600 (6 am for the civilians) feeding of 75 ml and then dropped off to sleep.

About 2 hours later she was making lots of noise and acting fairly unsettled. When she failed to settle down after her 0900 feeding we knew something was wrong. By the time we reached the hospital, her temperature was almost 102 F degrees – well beyond the 100.4 F, “return threshold” set by the doctors when she was last discharged.

The doctors gave her Tylenol to bring down the fever while she underwent testing to look for infections. Sample collection, which included two blood draws and a catheterization for urine, left Gabriella worn and tired and Dad a little grayer. Initial test results appeared normal in all areas, so an infection is probably unlikely – Whew!

We return to hospital tomorrow for further evaluation. On the brighter side of things, Gabriella’s weight is up to 8lbs 12 oz.

Thank you for your prayers.

Friday, 27 Aug 2004

Friday, 27 August: New Photos Gabriella was discharged from the hospital late today once the doctors were able to evaluate the test results from her blood work – OUCH.

As always Gabriella was incredibly brave, barely letting out a yelp as they tried to find her vein. Once home we reestablished the feeding, monitoring, medication, and sterilization stations we use to look after Ella.

Our kitchen more and more resembles a M*A*S*H unit, as each time we return from the doctor’s there is an additional medication or piece of equipment. Still, we manage to smile while we keep all of the balls in the air.

Thank you for your prayers.

Thursday, 26 Aug 2004

Thursday, 26 August: Gabriella continues to gain weight (3.60 kg or 8 lbs 8 oz) as the doctors “fine-tune” the medication portion of her treatment plan. Ironically, it is the increases in Gabriella’s diet that are the driving force behind the need to fine-tune her medications. Gabriella literally receives twice the volume of formula – 600 ml vice 300 ml. That increase, which enables her weight gain, places extra demands on Gabriella’s already fragile heart and circulatory system.

Previously, her “resting” heart rate was 140 bpm, now it is up to 160 bpm. To address this, the doctors use diuretics to reduce the volume of fluid in Gabriella’s system; as well as drugs, known as “ACE inhibitors,” which dilate certain key blood vessels in her body to reduce her blood pressure. In short, they are able to reduce the workload on Gabriella’s heart by managing volume and pressure.

Being in the hospital during this process offers decreased risks and precise monitoring of how Gabriella responses to the adjustments in her medications. For Mum and Dad, the choice was simple. Lucy continues to do remarkably well despite all of the disruptions in her life. She enjoys playing with all of the toys in the “playroom” each time she visits “Gabi – Ella.” All for now.

Thank you for your prayers.

Thursday, 19 Aug 2004

19 August, Thursday: GG’s first evaluation today was with the Speech Pathologist, Lorna, and the Occupational Therapist, Sandy. They watched Gabriella bottle feed in order to evaluate her ability to suck, swallow, and breathe. They were very impressed with her abilities in all areas and gave GG high marks overall.

However, Lorna cautioned that the ease and convenience of NGT feedings may reduce “GG’s” desire to bottle feed.  Accordingly, they recommend 15-20 minutes of bottle feeding prior to the NGT feeding, so that her suck, swallow, and breathing skills continue to develop.

Next, the nutritionist, Major Desrosier dropped by to explain the process he will use to develop the optimal diet for Gabriella. His task requires balancing calories and volume against Gabriella’s ability to tolerate the volume and process the high-protein formula. After just a short while, Gabriella captured his heart and all he wanted to do was play with her. They became fast friends and the Major gave “GG” one of his secret foot massages. Gabriella was asleep in minutes and the Major went off to crunch some numbers.

The final test of the day was the upper gastrointestinal (upper GI) exam. The radiologists injected Barium into Gabriella via the NGT in order to evaluate her esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine. Bottom line: No problems were detected. Tired from all of the day’s activities, Gabriella spent the rest of the day napping.

Yesterday, Gabriella “ate” 530 ml (17.5 oz) of formula – topping her previous high of 425 ml. Gabriella’s weight today was off the charts and as such, probably inaccurate. She weighed in at 8 lbs 5 oz. Ideally, she should gain 1 to 1.5 oz per day on this diet. Thus ends another busy day.

Thank you for your prayers.

Wednesday, 18 Aug 2004

18 August, Wednesday: Gabriella was admitted to the Tripler Pediatrics Ward at around noon today. “FAILURE TO THRIVE” – the official reason listed on the admitting paperwork – provides a painfully accurate synopsis of Ella’s situation. Now 8-weeks old, she has just managed to climb back up to her birth weight of 7 lbs 14 oz. The purpose of this hospital visit being two-fold: 1. To determine if there are any physiological reasons, other than her heart defect, that are impeding Gabriella’s ability to eat and gain weight. 2. To determine whether Gabriella will gain weight if her caloric intake is increased.

Shortly after arriving on the Pediatrics Ward, a Nasal Gastric Tube (NGT) was inserted into Gabriella’s stomach via her right nostril. She bravely tolerated the procedure and received her first “low-effort” meal just minutes after the position of the NGT was confirmed by an x-ray. Once her little belly was full, Ella settled in for a well-deserved nap. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad met the Pediatrics Ward doctors and learned about the tests and evaluation Gabriella would undergo in the next few days. These tests, which include: an “Upper Gastrointestinal” exam, a “suck, swallow, and breathing” evaluation, a nutritional evaluation, and a “modified Barium” exam, all focus on answering the two key questions above.

On the lighter side, the nursing staff immediately took to Gabriella. They dubbed her “Gee Gee.” (the same nickname Dad uses for Gabriella). When we inquired why “Gee Gee,” our nurse explained that since Mom had checked the “do not release personal information” box on the admitting forms, the staff was not even allowed to put her last name on their status board. Instead, they opted for her initials “G. G.” Dad loved it and so did GG! Tomorrow will be a busy day of tests and lots of feeding.

Thank you for your prayers.

Tuesday, 17 Aug 2004

17 August, Tuesday: Late this morning we took Gabriella to TAMC for a weigh-in. She tipped the scales at 7 lbs 12 oz, a loss of 2 ounces. Given the recent “dip” in her eating, Mom and Dad were not surprised by the loss.

Our next course of action is to admit her to the hospital tomorrow for several days of evaluation and testing. A key component of her treatment will be a nasal feeding tube. Ella will receive supplementary amounts of formula via the tube, if she does not eat a specified amount in 30 minutes.

Continuing to feed “manually” for 30 minutes is import because Ella needs to develop her swallowing coordination and muscle tone. Mom and Dad are hopeful and fairly confident that Gabriella will “plump-up” rather nicely during her visit.

Dad will be with Gabriella throughout her stay in the pediatrics ward, Mom and Lucy will provide logistics support – Starbucks for Dad and Snuggles for Ella – during their frequent visits. Details to follow…depending upon internet availability at the hospital.

Thank you for your prayers.