Oh bloody hell.

Kara's getting a blood transfusion tonight.  Her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are dropping, she's exhibiting tachycardia, and her O2 saturation is low.  Since it's post op day 3, this isn't the best situation.

Kara is continuing to swell.  We've had to cut off her wristbands.  Even with all her setbacks, Kara has her spunk and has managed to learn how to pull out IVs and sabotage just about every barrier device that her nursing staff can think of.  And she still hits me in the face whenever I hug her.

Discharge isn't any time soon.

Thank you all for your support. Kara loves her wall of cards! It's nice to be reminded that people are with us in spirit.

Peace out, Ortho

Kara's recovery isn't going as swiftly and smoothly as we would have hoped so she is being switched from Orthopedic service to General Pediatrics.  This will allow physicians to really focus on her complications.

Kara's urinary output is still very low and her legs are tight and swollen.  Even with the catheter, she's not really improving.  She has blood tests and urinalysis every 6 hours to check her levels.  Kara is taking meds because some of her blood chemistry isn't the best and may need albumin to prevent fluid from collecting in her lungs.  If things don't improve, Kara may need diuresis.  She isn't eating normally, so it can be a struggle to get her to take her oral medications.  Kara worked with a respiratory therapist and received epinephrine and pulmicort, and now she can "talk" comfortably.  

Fortunately, Kara has had excellent and attentive nursing care.  If she steadily improves, she could be discharged by the end of the weekend...not that we know how to physically get her home. 

WE GOT SOME SLEEP LAST NIGHT!

Well, Kara did at least.  Me...not so much.

Kara's Contact Information

She's in room 3735 on unit 3 South at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, if anyone wants to send flowers or cards or stalk us.

You can make Kara a card with this link. The nurses can print your design and give the card to her.

Rough Recovery

Kara's surgery took about 3 hours.  Her femur was abnormal in shape so it had to be sawed and reset.  Now Kara will forever have a metal plate in her leg!  Everything went well.

But of course all cannot stay well.  Kara's recovery has been pretty taxing.  She barely slept last night and has had several screaming fits.  She's agitated and in a lot of pain.  Fortunately, Stanford has a great pain team so Kara has been placed on oxycodone every 4 hours with Valium, Ativan, and Dilaudid as well.  UNFORTUNATELY she's had no urine output so she just had a Foley catheter placed.

Kara has an adorable 8 month old roommate who somehow manages to patiently endure Kara's cacophony.

Tonight I will be staying with Kara, and it will be my first night ever sleeping in a hospital.  I've got Will & Grace and Barney DVDs to sustain us.

Pre-op

It's probably the big day.

Kara and Amy circa 1994

After a great deal of hassle, (canceling hotel reservations, re-placing hotel reservations, and Kara's endless screaming) we THINK Kara's operation should take place tonight around 7 pm Pacific.  She has had an IV placed for hydration.  We were originally told that Kara's operation would take place around 4 pm, but her surgeon had an emergency trauma case that bumped Kara back.

My mother, father and I are taking turns waiting with Kara since only two people are allowed.  Her operation should take approximately 2 hours.

It was SUPPOSED to be the night before surgery...

...but maybe not anymore.

Today the anesthesiologists at Stanford were supposed to call to take Kara's history and let us know when to arrive for her surgery tomorrow.  We received no such call.  After waiting until a little after 6:00 pm, I decided to call myself.  The ortho clinic was closed, so I spoke to an operator who transferred me to the Operating Room scheduling.  Apparently Kara is scheduled nowhere -  neither at the children's hospital nor main facility.

So when is Kara's surgery?  We have no idea.  But her condition is technically an emergency, so we are not happy.  The clinic opens tomorrow morning at 8 am, so hopefully we will find some answers then, and maybe even get her squeezed in tomorrow.  We have a hotel reservation for tomorrow night, and my mother and I have said we won't be coming in to work.  To prepare for the possibility that Kara will be able to have her operation tomorrow, we are giving her a chlorhexidine gluconate bath and won't be feeding her.

Stanford, you dropped the ball on this one.