The Bad Day - revisited...

Alright. I think I'm ready to blog about what I am lovingly going to refer to as "The Bad Day." So, I've mentioned the medication problem from yesterday. This was obviously something we weren't really happy about, but at least the cardiologist caught it before something worse happened. Also, it's something that can be fixed.

The big problem of the day started after all of that. Olivia was having trouble keeping her oxygen saturations up. The fact that she has Down syndrome and the fact that she was on a ventilator for 25 days earlier this month both contribute to a floppy/sensitive airway. Anyway, to open her airway, I have always put my hand under her chin and lifted her neck to help her "open up."

So, our nurse came in a told me that Olivia does not have an airway issue and that I should not put my hand under her neck to open her airway. If there were an airway problem, the doctors and nurses would hold her neck up. It's stressful to be up here and we should just support Olivia by loving her and reading her stories. Let the doctors and nurses do their job.

I informed "nurse" that I was instructed from the day she was born to put something under her shoulders or neck to open her airway. That is the only way they were able to keep her sats up Friday night when she was having difficulty. I did find it entertaining when "nurse" said that I should let the doctors and nurses do their job, because the reality is, they hadn't. This was not okay. We have spent so much time up here and have always trusted each and every doctor and 99% of the nurses. They have always respected our thoughts, questions, and opinions. They have asked us to help on many occasions with Olivia's care. It has always been clearly stated that they encourage the parents to take an active role in their child's care. We have always been able to do this. Why not with "nurse." Needless to say, I lost it.

I never lose it. Everyone up here assumed it was because of the medication screw up and that I was stressed. I am not stressed. I'm over the medicine thing. We have always handled every critical moment Olivia has had with the utmost faith in the doctors, nurses, and, of course, the Lord. I apparently am not, however, able to handle someone telling me that I should not care for my child in a certain way.

Anyway, I won't go on. I just needed to get this off my chest. I feel so much better now. Have a great day!