Team Teagan Update | Mar 11th 2007
This is a quick update about Teagan. It has been a VERY busy last few days, as many of you know, Teagan was readmitted to Albany Med last Monday with a fever. During the week they were able to get her infection under control with a cocktail of anti-biotics. On Friday, she was scheduled for surgery to replace her central line which ruptured the previous week, and was in good sprits up until Friday. Preparing for surgery, Teagan turned into a little beggar as she asked everyone who came near her for her BaBah â Thatâs Teagan speak for Bottle. Since no one (who came to see her) was willing to help her out, she started to wave to any stranger, nurse or doctors who passed by her window using both verbal requests and sign language asking again for her Babah.
She went into surgery around 2:00pm Unfortunately, as we have become used to at this point, things donât always go as planned. During the surgery one of her heart chambers was punctured by the guide wire from the central line causing her blood pressure to drop rapidly and her heart went into arrhythmia to the point where they had to briefly manually pump her heart. She was brought into recovery to try and stabilize her and control her breathing. After about an hour, the doctors were still unable to stabilize her heart rhythm and did a chest X-ray to find that one of her heart chambers was filling with blood and the presence of a blood clot forming inside the heart chamber.
The Pediatric Heart Surgeon was called and it was decided that she would require heart surgery to relieve the pressure and get her stabilized. So of to surgery she went⦠Surgery lasted about two hours, but was a complete success. After the fluid was drained and the clot removed, there was no further bleeding and the blood pressure stabilized.
She was moved to the PICU (Room E713), where she had a chest tube, breathing tube, and 800 various wires connected to her. Her Heart is still in Heart Block (Fancy word for beating out of synch) but the Doctors think it will correct itself with time⦠She was heavily sedated to keep her comfortable. At this point she is Neutrapenic (more fancy words) this one means her immune system is compromised. She is receiving a cocktail of antibiotics and some mild pain meds. They have removed the breathing tube, but inserted a tube into here stomach (through the nose) to pump out fluid and gas, since her bowels have decided to go on vacation causing her major discomfort.
Holly and I have been taking 2-3 hour shifts staying with her and trying to sleep in our wonderful broom closet size âParent roomâ with a fold out chair, which is directly attached to the hospital refrigeration system ⦠because the temperature is about 60 degrees⦠but weâre not complaining, as we could be stuck in a bed like Teagan with 800 wires connected and Purple Gloved strangers coming in every 5 minutes poking, pulling on various wires. Especially within minutes of when we have gotten her to finally fall asleepâ¦
Teagan is being a real trooper; sheâs scared and disoriented, misses her brothers and dogs⦠and still begs for the Babah⦠Hopefully by tomorrow they will be able to remove her from the tubes and give her some real nourishment⦠Her Color has returned, the swelling of her face has subsided â for which I am glad, because the âMike Tysonâ look was not a good one for her. She (and Holly) are currently resting. Iâll try and get some shut eye in my lounge chair and keep watchâ¦
Thatâs it for now, Iâll send more later.
Thanks for all your concern and support.
Holly, Juergen and Teagan