Home Again, Home Again

After 3 failed IV attempts. Don't worry, we had 12 more.

We're home! Ohmygoodness, that was crazy. Let's just say, Charlotte will never be a Red Cross Blood Donor.

We were admitted around 9:00 PM PST last night. 10 hours, A NICU nurse, 3 PICU nurses, a PICU attending, 2 attending anesthesiologists, and some sedation later, Charlotte finally had an IV placed. It took an hour after sedation to get a line in. When they finally were successful, two doctors placed IV's at the same time, so they left both of them in. By the time they wheeled Charlotte from the sedation room down the hall to her room in the PICU, one had already blown. This girl does not like IV's.

Once we got the line in, we waited for another 4 or 5 hours before IR could fit us into their schedule. At this hospital, IR uses sedation when placing J-tubes. At CHOP, they just told the kids to suck it up. (I'm sure they did it as nicely as possible). Having gone through both experiences, I'm not certain that the trauma from placing an IV was worth the lack of trauma during the J-tube placement. At least that only lasts about 15 minutes. The IV ordeal was drawn out over several hours, and Miss Charlotte was convinced we were trying to kill her every time I put her on the bed.

However, it's all over now. Except for when it has to be replaced in three months. I think I might schedule a vacation conveniently at that time. {Peter doesn't read the blog, he'll never know :)}

Thanks for all the texts and messages of support. We know you are all probably burned out on this journey and our neediness.

Don't worry, so are we :)