Day 51

Walker has had a rough day today. Mommy and Daddy walked in to Walker having an episode this morning. The nurse said that he had already had seven episodes since 5 AM. He was a little pale and just not acting like his cute little self. David, the NP, had labs drawn up to check him out. Mommy and Daddy were very worried about their little guy. 

A lady from laboratory came up to do Walker's labs. She must not have worked with babies before. she had to stick his foot several times to make him bleed and she still couldn't get enough blood to be able to do a CRP test. When she was unable to get enough blood to do the test, she threw it in the trash can. Mommy, Daddy, and even Walker's nurse got mad! The nurse told her that we had to have that test and even if she couldn't get it, that someone else could have tried using that same vile. She left and went to do the one test, and about 5 minutes later, Walker had another episode. We got up to help him out with his breathing, and noticed a huge bruise on his little leg - the leg where she had drew his blood. 

At that point, all kinds of claws came out. Other nurses and nurse practitioners came to check on one of their favorite patients and his nurse started the process of making formal complaints to the laboratory and the hospital. In the mean time, they lab sent up another technician who had no problems getting the blood she needed to do the lab work required and to get blood for the first test because the other sample was very poorly done. 

Things settled down a little but Walker continued to have episodes, and his nurse practitioner, David, decided to go ahead and put him on antibiotics. When he had 15 episodes, David then switched him to CPAP - a four letter word.

The nurses tried to put in an IV for Walker but his little veins were so small in his arms, that they wouldn't hold it after they had already been used before. They considered using his leg that wasn't bruised up, but decided against it because they needed a leg to draw lab work. With all of those options exhausted, the only place left they could use was his sweet little head.  Mommy was VERY upset by this but after talking with the nurse practitioner, who said this was the easiest thing for Walker, they started his iv on the top of his sweet lil head.  They assured us that it doesn't hurt him, it just looks scary. They were right, it hurt us WAY more than it hurt him. 

After they finished working on him, he settled down and only had a couple episodes when he decided for himself that he didn't need his CPAP anymore and pulled it off.  The lab work all came back normal, we are still waiting on the results from his blood and urine culture because those take 24-28 hours to grow.  We still aren't sure what was causing all his episodes but we are praying they are able to find an answer, and the antibiotics will help in the mean time. 

A very long and stressful Saturday for young Walker Colt, and Mommy and Daddy it is very hard to watch him going through all this and it gives us an extreme sense of helplessness.  Please pray for Walker to have a better night and a good Father's Day tomorrow. 

Poor fella's bruised leg :(

Sweet boy, not feeling well

First try with a CPAP setup 

Back view with his IV, had to cut a hole in the cap

Still the prettiest boy I know!

Back view of the new improved CPAP and IV, he is a tough boy!