Lucy Kate Update VI

Lucy is continuing to make progress. Yesterday, the doctors put another chest tube in her right side to help drain the fluid near her lung, which helped dramatically. The large amount of fluid was restricting how much her right lung could expand to oxygenate her blood. Overnight, her respiration rate and oxygen level were reduced on the ventilator. This morning, her sedation drug dosage, Fentanyl, was reduced by half. Lucy is slowly beginning to become more awake and aware. Her sedation level is approaching a fine line, so it's awkward to see her try to cough and cry, but still can't.

The doctors will test her on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) today, to see how well she can breath on her own without removing the breathing tube. If everything goes well, she will be extubated later this afternoon and fully awake.

We are so excited that we'll soon be able to hold out little girl again.