Intubation

While in Naperville visiting our two older girls, we got a call from Dr. Kukkera.  Muriel's struggles with her CO2 levels started causing her to thrash around, clearly agitated, and she was tugging on the various tubes and sensor cables.  Her struggles weren't helping her oxygen saturation either - when she cries the pressure coming from her mask in her nose just goes right out her mouth!  For this reason and after consult with the cardiologist on call, she decided it would be best to go ahead and Intubate .  

To get the tube inserted into her trachea she had to be sedated, and for that very small doses of Morphine were used.  By the time we returned to the hospital she had been on it for about an hour, and the change was dramatic.  She was no longer thrashing, her heart rate was a bit slower (probably due to the sedation) and her oxygen saturation levels were in the high 80's and 90's - much higher than we had been seeing.  It was hard to see her with a large tube in her mouth, but it was apparent that she was relaxed instead of struggling, and that was reassuring.

The intubation was going to be part of the surgery preparation anyway, so it was just done a bit early.  We spoke at length to the nurse, and asked that Dr. Kukkera come in to speak with us a bit later, so we could get something to eat and let Megan pump (she has been producing milk for Muriel to start with when she is ready - hopefully next week).  We met with her around 11PM and she was very positive - reassuring us that this was done electively, and purely to make Muriel more comfortable and let her rest for the coming surgery.  Hard to do, but we must not look at this as a setback.  She is still in far better shape than anyone expected.