By the time we got Lauren settled into a bed on the floor she was feeling a little better, still pale but at least talking to people and watching TV. We knew we would be in for few days for antibiotics and to wait for the blood cultures, which usually take at least 24 hours to grow. Well at 10 pm one of the residents came in to tell us that Lauren's culture had already grown (in less than 12 hours) and it was a gram negative bacteria (which can be really bad). They immediately started a third antibiotic and bumped her up to "stepdown". She was hooked up to a machine that continuously monitors heart rate, respiration, oxygen sats & blood pressure. They explained to me that the gram negative bacteria give off toxins and that's what makes a person so sick. When they kill off these bacteria with the antibiotic they can release a lot of these toxins at once and that could lower Lauren's blood pressure and send her into septic shock. They warned me that even though she looked good then, she could get worse before getting better.
But Lauren being the little fighter that she is just kept looking better and better. By the next morning she was begging to go to the playroom and was thoroughly amusing everyone. She has been fever free since Tuesday afternoon but we have to stay until we get negative cultures for at least 48 hours. Then we have to continue IV antibiotics for another 7-10 days. We had a negative culture on Wed but unfortunately Thursday's culture was positive. We won't know about today's culture til tomorrow.
Also Lauren's central line will most likely have to be pulled. They finally identified the bacteria today and she actually has two different gram negatives (as if one wasn't enough!) Not that these names will mean much to you but one is an Enterobacter (agglomerans) and the other Escherichia (E.) vuneris. The doctor said that these two are very rarely seen in a line infection (of course!) and are almost impossible to eradicate from the line with antibiotics. The antibiotics are working on the systemic infection but these little buggers love to hide in the nooks and crannies of plastic n the lines. We'll know by Monday if the broviac will be removed.
I came home today for a little R&R and Bill will be in with Lauren over the weekend. Timmy and I are heading down to Grandma and Pop Pop's house tomorrow for a family BBQ. We had planned this visit weeks ago and we were all looking so forward to it, especially Lauren (the food is always better at Pop Pops!) We were really hoping that Lauren would be out in time to go. Well... we'll just have to have another one when she's better!
I will be heading back to the hospital right from Bill's parents house on Sunday so I may not be able to update again til Lauren gets home as I don't have easy access to a computer while in the hospital.
Thankfully we caught this early and Lauren has responded well to the antibiotics. Hopefully we'll be home in a few more days.
Thanks for all the continued prayers!
