All tagged Respiratory Health

When Life Demands Persistence

When Life Demands Persistence

Kim Rankin
Parenting, Airway and Respiratory

Nathaniel is back to baseline.

He was discharged from Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to home a week ago Thursday. We reduced respiratory support from every four hours, to every six hours, to every eight hours, to every twelve hours. On Tuesday he no long needed oxygen when awake. By Thursday, he no longer needed oxygen when sleeping. Yesterday he was back to baseline. No oxygen requirement. No breathing treatments. No antibiotics. Little to no suctioning needed each day.

But he is far from back to normal. He lost two pounds in February. His arms seem thin when I help him dress. The jeans that were getting tight in January fit again.

He has little energy. The weather was beautiful this week and though we went outside, he would quickly seek a lap or chair to rest. His most playful day, when he plopped down on his tummy in the dirt and played with trucks, was bittersweet. I enjoyed watching him play in the sunshine. I was constantly aware of the proximity of his trach stoma to the soil and bacteria it holds.

At the End of a Week in Pediatric Intensive Care

At the End of a Week in Pediatric Intensive Care

Kim Rankin
Airway and Respiratory

During rounds this morning the team discussed how to adjust and increase feeds around respiratory treatments, coughing, and vomiting. I explained what I do at home. The Fellow commented almost under his breath, "That is a lot of work," and immediately I started to sob. In the middle of the hall, in the middle of rounds, in front of a team of professionals and strangers, I lost it. And I could not pull it back together.

I barely could whisper a response between breaths, "Yes, Nathaniel is a lot of work."

The team paused to give me time. All I could do was cry.

Post-It Note Parenting

Post-It Note Parenting

Kim Rankin
Parenting, Airway and Respiratory

I crawled into bed at five thirty-three Monday morning and put my head on Rich's shoulder. It was the first time we had shared the bed that night. "Just coming to bed?" he asked, "How is he?"

"Yes. He's asleep. Thanks for the notes." I responded. Neither of us said more. For a few moments the only noise in the room was the hum of the air compressor for Nathaniel's heated humidity. I drifted into a light sleep, and Rich's deeper breathing resumed.

From under his pillow the alarm on Rich's cellphone went off.  Five forty-five am.  The shoulder I was using as a pillow moved, and then was gone.

My All Done Broken Heart

My All Done Broken Heart

Kim Rankin
Lessons I've Learned, Airway and Respiratory

I knew as I walked out of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in November that Nathaniel would recover from the acute illness requiring swift intervention. His body was already responding to the IV fluids. However, I also knew that my heart will never recover. There is no ointment or medicine or surgery that can fix how it breaks when I have to pin Nathaniel’s little body to an emergency room gurney and hear him plead with his voiceless screams and beg with his searching eyes for the procedures to stop.

It Knocked the Bounce Right Out of Him

It Knocked the Bounce Right Out of Him

Kim Rankin
Airway and Respiratory

Nathaniel and I have been lazy all morning. Actually, we've been lazy all week. He was released from the hospital Monday, but it was not until Thursday night that I felt we were on top of his frequent vomiting. Wednesday night was rough. Concerned he was spiraling down toward dehydration again, I messaged our house church (small group at church) and pastors to pray. Slowly over the course of the day, he improved. He felt well enough to join his big brother, Peter, in a hammock outside on Thursday afternoon. Peter will be working in Alaska this summer as a supervisor at a Boy Scout camp. The hammock is newly purchased to take with him. I think the quiet afternoon will be a special memory for both of them.

Post Tonsillectomy Swallow Study Results

Post Tonsillectomy Swallow Study Results

Kim Rankin
Airway and Respiratory

I am thankful that a picture is worth a thousand words. It means I do not need to write much; the photo above says it all. A nurse and I held Nathaniel down so a doctor could put a camera up Nathaniel's nose and down his throat while a speech therapist force fed him green dyed apple juice. He coughed green dyed secretions out of his trach tube for an hour afterwards.

He is still aspirating.

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