To the Methadone Clinic!

Elliott had a good night. They are planning to lower his rate on the vent today. This will encourage him to take more spontaneous, productive breaths.

Our sweet little drug addict has been started on twice daily methadone and Ativan to help wean him from the fentanyl.

He no longer has an arterial line in his right arm. It stopped working? Anyway, Bp is now measured via cuff and blood draws can come from femoral line in his leg. Now that his arm is free, Elliott has made excellent use of it an pulled his breathing tube out of place. They have deflated the cuff, pushed it back down, and reinflated the cuff. Waiting on X-ray to confirm placement. Instead of restraining him, his nurse has a washcloth over his arm. He has been attempting to wiggle free, "Doesn't she know I like my hand up by my head?" We will see how this goes.

His hemoglobin and hematocrit were low again, and he is anemic. So, they are going to give him more blood.

After suctioning and moving him this morning, Elliott's least favorite experience, he was very agitated. His nurse said one of the other nurses came in and put one hand on his head and the other on his feet and he calmed. That's just what momma and daddy do! Anyway, they have ordered a new mattress that can be molded around him to make him feel more secure. It's called a Z-Flo.

Also, they are starting him back on feeds through his NG tube. I'm waiting to find out whether they will have him on fat-free formula or expressed breast milk.







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone