If you could through a little prayer my son's way

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Another day of xrays, blood tests, steroids, antibiotics, breathing treatments, and other assorted medication. Basically he's pushing 3 liters (I believe that's the standard measure) of air and is maintaining a 91% percent average. Tragedy is I don't know what the hell that means short of his blood has less oxygen in it than it should have. He's at the minimum going to be spending another night and I wouldn't be surprised if he's spending Christmas night too.

He's incredibly bummed and I'm doing all I can to keep his spirits up, but I'm failing miserably. There's only so much happy conversation that a guy can come up with that can compete with spending Christmas in the hospital.

Are you in Joplin? If this goes on much longer you need to get to Children's Mercy. There could be a thousand things that could cause hemoglobin to not carry all the oxygen it should or can. Almost every single one can be fixed.

Christmas in a hospital sucks for kids. Spent a couple of Christmas's in Childrens Mercy taking care of kids. Each parent handles it differently. There is no right way other than just being by their side, reassuring them they are not going through this alone and are loved.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Are you in Joplin? If this goes on much longer you need to get to Children's Mercy. There could be a thousand things that could cause hemoglobin to not carry all the oxygen it should or can. Almost every single one can be fixed.

Christmas in a hospital sucks for kids. Spent a couple of Christmas's in Childrens Mercy taking care of kids. Each parent handles it differently. There is no right way other than just being by their side, reassuring them they are not going through this alone and are loved.

I am in Pittsburg. There is a distinctive chance that I'm becoming impatient as it is my job as a father to protect and I feel as helpless as helpless can be. We came in here last night and they pushed him back and put him on oxygen. After a day of this his oxygen levels are still in the 88-91 range (occasionally dipping to 85) and he's pushing 5 liters of oxygen now.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I am in Pittsburg. There is a distinctive chance that I'm becoming impatient as it is my job as a father to protect and I feel as helpless as helpless can be. We came in here last night and they pushed him back and put him on oxygen. After a day of this his oxygen levels are still in the 88-91 range (occasionally dipping to 85) and he's pushing 5 liters of oxygen now.

I obviously don't know all the details or read the chart but if they got a 10 year old on 5L and he's pulling an 88-91 the problem is not that he is not getting enough oxygen. He's getting plenty. The problem is the O2 is not getting around to the cells because its not properly binding to the hemoglobin.

Common sense will tell you this. Your pumping 100%+ into the body and getting readings of 88-91%. The solution is not pump more oxygen into the body. The solution is to figure why the O2 is not binding to the hemoglobin.

I know it sucks. I have spent Christmas day with children in the hospital and with their families. You just endure and move on. The good news is that they should know fairly quickly why the O2 is not binding to the hemoglobin soon. And in my experience 99.9% of those causes are fixable and fixable quickly. And that was 12 years ago. they surely have made advances. So I know its easy to let you mind wonder, is it cancer, is it some disease etc. I may have been out of the field for 12 years but one thing will always be true.......... your son needs his Dad and he will forever remember you being there for him. It's a positive that comes out of the pain. Families become closer.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I obviously don't know all the details or read the chart but if they got a 10 year old on 5L and he's pulling an 88-91 the problem is not that he is not getting enough oxygen. He's getting plenty. The problem is the O2 is not getting around to the cells because its not properly binding to the hemoglobin.

Common sense will tell you this. Your pumping 100%+ into the body and getting readings of 88-91%. The solution is not pump more oxygen into the body. The solution is to figure why the O2 is not binding to the hemoglobin.

I know it sucks. I have spent Christmas day with children in the hospital and with their families. You just endure and move on. The good news is that they should know fairly quickly why the O2 is not binding to the hemoglobin soon. And in my experience 99.9% of those causes are fixable and fixable quickly. And that was 12 years ago. they surely have made advances. So I know its easy to let you mind wonder, is it cancer, is it some disease etc. I may have been out of the field for 12 years but one thing will always be true.......... your son needs his Dad and he will forever remember you being there for him. It's a positive that comes out of the pain. Families become closer.

Just out of curiousity would lack of nutrition/dehydration contribute to those causes?

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Just out of curiousity would lack of nutrition/dehydration contribute to those causes?

of course. Thats the #1 cause in kids. At Children's Mercy that's the first thing we think especially when the family is poor. 24-48 hours in the hospital with an IV and proper food they are as good as new. But, there is always some underlying cause also.

Has he had diarrhea or refusing to eat lately?

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

of course. Thats the #1 cause in kids. At Children's Mercy that's the first thing we think especially when the family is poor. 24-48 hours in the hospital with an IV and proper food they are as good as new. But, there is always some underlying cause also.

Has he had diarrhea or refusing to eat lately?

He started the weak with diarrhea, Tuesday was a fever and wednesday they gave him antibiotics. He went with my ex until Sunday and when I picked up him up he had a wicked cough and shortness of breath. She also said he hasn't drank and ate much and hasn't really had much of an appetite for drinking or eating here.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

He started the weak with diarrhea, Tuesday was a fever and wednesday they gave him antibiotics. He went with my ex until Sunday and when I picked up him up he had a wicked cough and shortness of breath. She also said he hasn't drank and ate much and hasn't really had much of an appetite for drinking or eating here.

well there ya go. He should be as good as new in another 48 hours.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I obviously don't know all the details or read the chart but if they got a 10 year old on 5L and he's pulling an 88-91 the problem is not that he is not getting enough oxygen. He's getting plenty. The problem is the O2 is not getting around to the cells because its not properly binding to the hemoglobin.

Common sense will tell you this. Your pumping 100%+ into the body and getting readings of 88-91%. The solution is not pump more oxygen into the body. The solution is to figure why the O2 is not binding to the hemoglobin.

I know it sucks. I have spent Christmas day with children in the hospital and with their families. You just endure and move on. The good news is that they should know fairly quickly why the O2 is not binding to the hemoglobin soon. And in my experience 99.9% of those causes are fixable and fixable quickly. And that was 12 years ago. they surely have made advances. So I know its easy to let you mind wonder, is it cancer, is it some disease etc. I may have been out of the field for 12 years but one thing will always be true.......... your son needs his Dad and he will forever remember you being there for him. It's a positive that comes out of the pain. Families become closer.

You're awesome man...