The ER & Caden's Return

After Caden came home, he was running kind of a low temperature (95.4˚ F). So, Holly called the doctor and he said to try a "skin-to-skin" hold. Then, to try his temperature again. So, she did it and his temp went up to 96.1˚. We decided to wait a short while to see what it would do since it already went up. So, an hour later we tried it again. It was 96.4˚ this time. So, we decided to go to the ER.

We got to the ER and the doctor checked him out and his rectal temperature was 97.5˚. Which is on the low end of normal. So, he sent us home.

We stopped to get something to eat and then went home. Holly decided to take a nap after we ate, and she asked me if I was okay by myself with him. Which I said, "Of course!" Then she went to take a nap.

He didn't wake up when I changed his diaper. It didn't surprise me a whole lot, due to his syndrome. When Holly woke up, she checked him and his temp was 95.4˚. She had me call the doctor again and all I received was a nurse. She asked some questions and said that she would have the doctor call back.

The doctor called back and Holly answered the phone. They asked her some questions, then they said to pinch him to see if we get any type of a response out of him. We didn't get one. She pinched him on the cheek, on the arm, and on the leg. And, nothing. They said to hang up immediately and call 911.

Holly did and they sent an ambulance. I would have to say about 30 seconds after she hung up the phone a police officer was at our door. Then about another 30-60 seconds after that, the EMT was at our door. Then about another 30-60 seconds went by, and the Ralston Fire Department was here. We were shocked at how fast they got here. The EMTs tried to rouse him by calling his name and figiting with him, and he finally peeked out of his eyes, and wiggled a foot. All we could think at that moment was, "What a relief!" They took him in the ambulance to the Children's Hospital ER again.

He sat in the ER for about an hour, all of the while 2 doctors and a resident doctor looked him over. One of the doctors was the doctor that saw him in the morning. The other doctor was one of the doctors that saw him while he was in the NICU. He overrided a rule that all babies that are released from the NICU have to go to the PICU at Children's so that he could go back to the NICU and even have some of the same nurses that he had before. Part of the reason why he re-admitted him, was that he was only released yesterday.

He is on the ventilator again. His CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) levels are about what they have been, but his pH level is low. That means that his blood is really acidic. His level was at 7.0, and they want him between 7.33 and 7.43. I know that doesn't sound like much, but come on, this is medicine, everything is measured in the smallest possible quantities. They put him on Sodium Bicarbonate to help with his pH levels; which is working; but, they had to put him on the vent because that shot his CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide)levels up.

When we left this evening, his CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) levels were at 62, and his pH was at 7.31. So, he is already on his way to his recovery.

They think that he may have an infection of some sort, and that is why his pH is bad and his temp was low. They have him on antibiotics to help if that is the case. If it is not, then it does no harm.

We'll just have to wait and see.