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30 April 2008
MICHAEL LAWS
LUCY'S DADDY
Update on Lucy - Wednesday, 30 April
"For every step forward, we were warned, there is a corresponding step backwards or sideways. Yesterday proved that and in fairly dramatic fashion.
Lucy went into Wanganui Hospital yesterday morning for a simple procedure - so simple, I can't even recall. During the procedure, the paediatric nursing staff discovered that her portocath was not working properly. It could receive infusions but it could not be used to draw blood. In other words, it was like a deficient vacuum cleaner - it could suck but it could not blow.
The procedure completed, Leo took Lucy home. At 1.30pm I received a call from Leo that the ambulance was on its way to our house, that Lucy's temperature was 39C and rising and that she was unconscious and breathing fitfully. The later rationale is that the portocath had an infection that passed itself into Lucy's system.
Her temperature exceeded 40C and her heart-rate exceeded 200 as I carried her from the emergency room over to the paediatric ward. Finally, they stabilised her but then the bad news that she is neutropenic (has no effective immune system) and that her white and red blood cells are at extremely low levels.
Lucy's consequent treatment was intravenous anti-biotics and a blood transfusion - all through a vein in her hand. After four attempts at finding a vein - most appear to have collapsed.
By 8pm last night, her temperature was down and she was halfway through the transfusion and well enough to eat a few noodles and watch a DVD ('Open Season' - a bit of a favourite). I stayed in her room last night on a single mattrass on the floor but she soon insisted she sleep with me so we shared the mattrass, and listened to the rain pour down.
This morning she awoke at 5.30am, had a juice, a bath and we read some books together - so, forgive me, I'm not at the top of my game this morning. Rado Live were very good and found a talk replacement for my show this morning, but the blood tests this morning suggest I'll be on the mattress again tonight too. Which is the consolation - Lucy's tiny body huddled into mine, and her rhythmic breathing, is more sleep-inducing than the physical surroundings suggest.
I guess this is going to be our lot - certainly for the next 12 months. The days of normality that induce you into thinking everything is OK ... and then the occasional day or night of horror - when you are reminded that it is definitely not OK.
Through it all, Lucy is simply stoic. How I fathered such a brave little girl, I'll never know."
Kind regards
Michael |
