Good news at last :)

I think these Docs are getting used to me because the ones who were so uptight the first time they spoke to me have been much more relaxed the second time round.

The first time round they were probably afraid I was going to go hysterical or something like that but since Leah was diagnosed I have a personal policy of not crying in front of doctors – weird I know – and I’ve managed to stick to it fairly well so far!

As I see it, my conversations with doctors are for the purposes of giving and receiving information and I prefer to respond emotionally to that information in private.

Anyway, today’s Doc says that there is a very small improvement in Leah’s chest X-ray – Hallelujah!

This is the first time I’ve been told this since she was admitted on Friday 27th December.

He’s turned her oxygen down a little bit.

Her kidney & liver function have also improved slightly.

Leah is still a critically ill patient and the Doc doesn’t want me getting too excited or looking too far into the future.

The best he can say is that she’s currently going forwards instead of backwards!!!

That sounds like very good news to me  

 

Leah takes a selfie

Visitors are not allowed to take photos in ICU but Leah took this “selfie” this morning.

She is very awake but comfortable & making very determined efforts to communicate via her iPad but it’s complicated by the fact that the muscle relaxants have made her vision a bit blurry.

She says that being on the ventilator is easier than when she was struggling to breathe. Leah’s oxygen levels have continued to improve & I am hugely relieved as they certainly weren’t looking so good yesterday, either before or after she went on the ventilator.

I try to choose my words carefully when writing on this Journey page, I’m too tired and befuddled to remember all the ICU consultants names so I have secretly given them nicknames – today we have Mr Happy – they haven’t all been allocated complimentary titles!

Thank you to those who asked – I slept reasonably well last night & feel fairly well rested. I have use of the lovely room in the Cancer Centre over the weekend if I want it.

Leah used her iPad to put this photo on her Facebook page and underneath she wrote the words “Didn’t exactly plan my sweet 16 birthday or the New Year to be like this but thanks to everyone whose been praying. I love you mummy “

 

A small improvement

This morning the ICU consultant was 95% sure that Leah would need to go on a ventilator but said that he would monitor her condition for another hour.

However Leah’s condition has stabilised again thankfully.

Her oxygen levels and breathing have improved a little.

This has enabled them to swap her cpap face mask for nasal prongs for part of the time.

This is a little more comfortable for Leah & enables her to take sips of fluid and to occasionally speak some single words.

The effort of breathing continues to use up most of her energy though.

Any improvements no matter how small are very encouraging.