A-line

This is what the doctors and nurses call the atrial line that Bella has.  I should say had.  She doesn’t like to keep IVs and an atrial line, while different from an IV, is no different  - Bella doesn’t like them either.  I warned them – Arabella is a hard stick.   One hour and two doctors later, we still have no A-line.  I am so grateful she is asleep through all of this!  I had to leave the room through a lot of the trying.

I did learn, though, that Bella is the sickest kid in the ICU here.  Oh.  Not sure I wanted to know that.

Dr Salazaar also said that he won’t close her chest until she gets rid of more fluid.  So my diuretic loving child may not be closed tomorrow after all.  We’ll see.  They have her on a lasix drip.  We can hope.  I am hoping with her repair that she will eventually learn to not be diuretic dependent.

Everyone is encouraged that she has been so stable today.  I expected her to be, they didn’t.  I’m glad no one told me.  I also learned that when they finally do close her chest she might take a step backwards, so we’ll have to wait and see about that too.  Lots of waiting. 

My sweet girl.