Otis update 12.7.22
I’m just going to do a quick overview as recounting the last few days in detail will take me forever and I just don’t have it in me this morning. But! I know people want updates and it’s getting hard to keep up with messaging everyone so I’m putting it in one spot.
Backstory for those who do not know… I took Otis to the ER Monday, December 5, at about 10:45am. Prior to me rushing out of the house in a panic he went cold, blue/gray/purple in skin coloring, and just limp in my arms. Yes, I thought he was dying. I’ve never witnessed anything like that before in my life. I don’t think I will ever forget that visual. And I’m sure Ben will never forget hearing me over the phone.
They got us in right away (thank you Mayo for taking a scared mom seriously). The nurse weighed him and took his temp and just started rushing down the hall without a word. Ben caught up with us and basically there was a lot of chaos for the next hour. (At one point I found out his temp was 91.7 degrees, hence the nurse rushing down the hall) So many staff members in and out while Ben and I just sat in the corner watching as everything blurred in front of us. Then at one point the doctor said, “We are going to transfer him to Rochester. The helicopter is on its way.” At this point we didn’t know yet what was going on but he kept Desatting and he’s only 2.5 weeks old. Before the flight team got there they told us he had RSV. So we at least had something to go off of.
Ben or I weren’t able to ride with him, so we drove together to Rochester after grabbing a bag at home. When Otis got here he had some seizing activity. They called us as we were driving to let us know. So we were back to feeling a bit terrified. Once we got here they had multiple people working to get him all hooked up and stable. He had a breathing tube put in before the flight and he was mostly sedated.
Fast forward, we got through night one, yesterday they ran additional tests to check for other causes of the seizure. We are still waiting on the MRI results from a radiologist perspective (the neurology doctors thought they looked normal), but they are quite certain the seizures were from his glucose level dropping. He didn’t have anymore after that point which was also reassuring.
Late last night they did a spontaneous breathing test and he did great, so they extubated him. As a parent watching the transition was not easy. Watching him try to cry and scream with no sound coming out was heartbreaking. But by 10:30pm-ish I was able to hold him! It was like giving birth all over again. The relief that washes over you when they enter your arms <3 Ben and I slept great after that. They have a couch and recliner right in the room for us. I told Ben we’re like roommates on a sleepover! He called top bunk ;) And yes, it made me think of Stepbrothers. Lol! “It will give us so much extra space in our room to do activities!”
Right, okay, got sidetracked there. I’m skipping over a lot of details, but here we are now today, Wednesday the 7th of December. Otis has turned a major corner overnight. He is more alert! They took him off meds and he just had an IV and feeding tube. And of course lots of little stickies keeping him monitored. He’s also getting albuterol to help with the wheezing and has a cannula with oxygen if he needs it, but is breathing 99% on his own. We tried doing a bottle feed but he’s not quite into it yet. Just a lot going on still for him to concentrate on it. They did just take him off PICU status, so we will be moving to the pediatric area in a regular room.
Sorry if this post is a bit all over the place. We do greatly appreciate all the love and support! Thank you doesn’t even cover it. The amount of outreach … well it brings me to tears sometimes how amazing everyone is. Please keep sending your texts and messages. We may not respond right away but we can feel the love and it’s helpful! I also appreciate hearing all of your normal, everyday life stories to help keep me in reality. It’s a complete time warp in here and you start to get a little consumed in a hospital bubble. But we are doing our best to leave the room and take breaks. I left the hospital for a little bit yesterday to pick up some food at the grocery store. It was nice to get fresh air!
And on top of our amazing family and friends… all of the hospital staff has been so fabulous! I will never be able to acknowledge every single one of them. But off the top of my head… huge shout out to Dr. Pennig, Nurse Mindi, and Nurse Pam in the Mankato ER. And that fantastic guy at the ER admission desk who has helped me at least 5 times in the last two months! He’s always on his A-game and so nice. I should know his name, but I don’t. So if you know him tell him I appreciate him. Then there’s the Mayo One flight team who are now superheroes to me. They look so BA in their flight suits! Tricia, Peter, Steph, and Maria… you amaze me! And then there are the gazillion staff members at Mayo Rochester. I’m fascinated by literally everything you do. There’s a reason it’s the number one place to be for care. I know everyone is likely overworked and short staffed, but I see all of you and how amazing you are!
Lastly, my mom. Who continues to show up time and time again to rescue us and be there for Theodore and Violet! We probably just need to build her a guest house at this point. She has been so incredible and patient. Thank you, mama! And I know we have a line of other people willing to step in if she needed a break, which is so comforting. The kids have been handling it better than I thought they would. Though it’s only been two days. I’ve heard they’re still their happy selves. So if you see them, tell them they’re doing an amazing job!
So many have asked how they can help… I honestly don’t really know. I don’t even really know how I’m feeling most of the time. I do know that feeling the love and support is so very helpful. I know in time I will eventually probably cry for a day and then want to sleep for a week. Otis isn’t even three weeks old yet, which means I’m not even three weeks postpartum. We’ve been in the hospital as much as we’ve been home, which is crazy to think. We do have two registries, mostly just for ourselves to keep a list. On Amazon you can donate to gift cards. I’m hoping to purchase a fancy humidifier and an owlet bracelet to monitor his oxygen/heart rate at night. There’s a lot of winter left to get through.
And now this post is too long. Sorry, not sorry. Love you all!
Ashlee and Ben
Thinking of all of you and lots of prayers
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