Being Pressed

Where to begin? 

They stopped the IV sedation Monday morning and this caused Anna' anxiety to sky rocket throughout Monday. Her heart rate started trending at 180 to 195. They decided to put her back on it Monday night and try to slowly ween her off.  Apparently sometimes children have a hard time coming off this sedation medicine cold turkey we are told. 

As soon as they started the drip again her HR dropped. She relaxed and was off to sleep with the help of some pain meds. Her nurse Monday night was someone who had her back in early 2010 and we felt very comfortable with her. Anna was going to be her only patient so we left for the evening for some sleep. 

Tina was back up at the hospital early Tuesday around 5am. Anna did fine through Monday night into early Tuesday morning. I received a text from Tina around 8am Tuesday saying Anna' HR was around 110 and she was doing fine. She had eaten breakfast and it was looking good we were going to get out of PCICU. 

They turned the IV sedative - the one that caused Anna' HR to climb - off at 7am Tuesday morning after taking her down on the dosage and her HR started to climb again. As Anna' HR climbed so did her anxiety. She became more and more unable to be consoled. 

After a discussion with with the doctor on the floor we were able to get her some medicine to calm her down. This did not last long though and she was shortly again trending around the high 180's to 190's. 

Anna was sedated again and they did an ECHO and EKG. Her heart function looked good but fast. Really fast. As the sedation wore off her HR would climb and her anxiety would increase. As her anxiety increased so did ours. It's tough seeing your child who just 4 days ago had open heart surgery, and then have her heart race like a Formula One race car. They also took some blood and sent it off to be checked for an infection. Things had turned and now we were staying in the PCICU. 

Anna' condition became so out of control at the height of her last episode Tuesday afternoon, it seemed she was almost out of her mind. She wanted to go home one minute and then wanted to never go home the next. She wanted us to leave and then she wanted everyone to come.  She wanted the doctor and then didn't want the doctor.  Every single little thing bothered her. She was frightened and thought there were monsters and big foot in the room after her. Was it anxiety or stubbornness? Probably a little of both. Either way, Tina and I were about done in.  Only by God's grace did we not lose it and come undone. 

After asking for prayer from friends and family Dr. Bradley her surgeon showed up. He suggested getting her on Ativan (anti anxiety). An answered prayer and much needed. We almost broke down right there in Anna' room. Dr. Bradley said he was concerned about her high HR, especially since her ECHO and EKG looked good. He said we would just have to wait and see. 

Within minutes of Dr. Bradley leaving Anna had been given enough medicine to put her into a very stable and much needed REM state. Her HR dropped and she was finally resting peacefully. We understand she cannot come home this way but she needed to rest. 

Tina and I headed home to see Zachary and have a bite to eat around 8pm Tuesday. Tina decided to stay home and get a good nights rest, while I decided to come back up to sit with Anna. I found Anna still sleeping with a very nice low HR. At the posting of this she has a few times been frustrated upon waking up, but her HR is staying better overall. Keeping her heart rate lower will help in the long run. We are hopeful and praying Wednesday will not be as pressing as the last few days.