He
is still with us. He seems to be holding on. He is strong. There is a
nurse who's only job is to watch the ECMO machine. That poor lady,
because she is now my captive audience for my millions of questions.
The machine can regulate his temperature, so no more fevers. It
regulates his mini-blood tests & his saturations. It can't help his
heart rate or blood pressure, they are normally fine
during all of this anyway. All of his other organs are doing great,
stellar, is what the doctor said. It's just his lungs that are really
sick & this will let them rest & heal. His low to no immune
system as part of the chemo from the fight with Leukemia, left him
susceptible to any virus or germ in the community. He has been fighting
it all but the pneumonia came on fast. So, with the ECMO, there is just
a big risk for infections since he has the openings where the main
tubes of blood have to go back into his body. His immune system is
better but not great, it's immature, since he just recently got it back
from finishing all of his hard leukemia treatment & moving into the
maintenance phase. This machine is like mechanical lungs washing the
blood of carbon dioxide & oxygenating it. They said he can be on it
for a few weeks to a month, but with big risks. There is a chance he
could be fine too. They also have to thin his blood with heparin so he
is at big risk for bleeding or blood clots. They will ultrasound his
head every other day to check for strokes. It is just a risk for this
machine. The other option was to not do this machine and he had 24hrs
the doctor said. The words a parent never wants to hear. We won't give
up, never ever(NEGU). That is not an option. We want to do what is best
for him & right now, this is what we as a team with the doctors,
think is best. So here we are, watching waiting & praying. Thank you
SOOOOOO MUCH for the prayers!!! They worked, every prayer counts!!
Loves & hugs to you all ♥