Tuesday, July 18, 2005

Tuesday July 18, 2005 Zack looks really good this morning. He has not run a fever since last night. His respiratory and heart rate are right where they should be. His white count is up to 14 so he is still really fighting this infection. He is really sweating and Stephanie (night nurse) describes it as “storming” (his body trying to decide to fight the infection or just flow with it). She got thumbs up from him last night, which is very encouraging.
Dr Vanmeter from Infectious Decease Control (ID) comes in to check on him about 7:30 AM. She tells me his blood cultures were negative (no MRSA) which is really good news. She also says that his chest x-rays were better than the day before so we are clearing up the pneumonia. She explains that Zack will remain on the new drug Linezolid until all the infection is gone. I didn’t realize how fortunate we were to have ID handling his infection until I discovered that they only come to 5West to see him. Another set of hands and eyes doing Gods work to heal him. The Neuro Team (Dr Densler, Dr Mutchnick and Dr Harpring) comes by to check on him. They tell me not to be concerned but they are ordering another CAT Scan today. They have no reason other than to just check things out. The scan shows no changes which means no additional swelling. They discuss that when Zack has no “nursing issues” for 24 hours they will move him out of ICU. Yesterday I had decided that he would be transferred to Kosair but Dr Mutchnick is trying to convince me to keep him here. They are concerned with “continuity of care” and want the same team of doctors to continue to follow his progress.
He will get his feeding tube placed in his stomach tomorrow afternoon so I have a little more time to decide what to do. I am stressing about it so I ask for prayer that when I wake up tomorrow God will clearly have the decision made. It is strange right now to think he might be moved from bed 4 in the Miracle room. I have come to love the staff here, their excellent care of Zack and compassion for our family. I know that leaving ICU is a positive step but right now I’m experiencing joyous fear. We have developed such a pattern but a glimpse into the future is uncertain and at times unnerving. I am alone with Zack at 6:30 PM. I take the opportunity to read the postings on this site. I don’t get to see them until someone prints them off and brings them to me so I am a week behind. There is God again. As I read I am reminded that Zack is surrounded by prayer. I am touched by how people describe him. I am uplifted by the thought that while Zack sleeps God is talking with him. That he is revealing Himself to Zack and telling him how much He loves him. I look at Zack without that anxious feeling of wanting him to wake up so badly and instead imagine God whispering to him. What a perfect way to be directed back to God’s timing. Thank you Lord for perfect prayers!