Heart of Beckett

Leah left early this morning after we got to the hospital for home (Upland) to get a nice long “nap” in this afternoon before she works her first night-shift in the ER tonight since before Beckett was born. She’s actually always enjoyed the night shift beforehand, but since Beckett, the day shift has typically worked better, or at least has been all-around slightly more convenient. Either way, it’s always difficult to leave Beckett, and this time during a night shift. Thankfully she can (and probably will) call in to whomever Beckett’s nurse is and just check in on him throughout the night.

Beckett has been kinda fussy all day today. He hasn’t really been cranky, but just easily irritable. It isn’t what Leah and I would constitute as withdrawals, but more-so just uncomfortable or not predominately happy (like he usually is). We had some visitors today, and during most of the time they were here, I had to bounce Beckett, leaning over his crib, just to get him to somewhat settle; however, as soon as I would set him down he would start whimpering, and if not immediately corrected he would start crying again. Everything within me wanted to “chalk-it-up” as normal baby whimpering, but I just wasn’t certain. After finally getting him to fall back asleep this afternoon, I ushered my friends to their car, returned to Beckett’s room to notice that he had an irregular heartbeat. I thought, that’s odd, and pointed it out to the nurse. I then asked if she knew how to print a strip of the heart rhythm to show Cardiology, and she did. I spoke with the nurse practitioner, and she said she would contact Cardiology. After staring at his heart rate for minutes (which seemed like hours) while he laid asleep in bed, Leah then texted me asking how Beckett was doing. Sooo, sure enough, I got the privilege to freak her out by saying that he kinda has a funky heat rhythm right now. They first proceeded with a 12-lead EKG and wanted to get a print out of that, fax it to Cardiology, and then see what they recommend. Additionally, his hematocrit was in the low 40s, and after I heard the nurse share that information in rounds, I could help but inquire that I thought Cardiology had increased his range to be between 45-55. Sure enough they did, so they sent a sample of Beckett’s blood to the lab to be more accurately examined. It came back as 39….sooo, the consensus: another blood transfusion. Meanwhile, by the time the 12-lead EKG was hooked up and reading Beckett’s heart rhythm, he had quite the erratic beats and was back to “normal.” Of course, right? Well, I guess that’s better than him still doing it. They decided to increase it Digoxin (an oral heart med) to match his increased weight gain, they are going to add a drip with magnesium in it, and kinda confirmed that what he was doing this afternoon was called P.A.C.s. He’s done it before, and I guess it’s “ok.”

Shortly after all of this I was told that I had some more visitors. Four good friends from my Graduate Program came to visit and all wanted to see Beckett. So I brought them back and we got to enjoy watching him sleep peacefully (after a long day of irritability and erratic heart rhythms). I wish they could have seen him open his eyes and “play”, but that just wasn’t the opportunity at hand. Afterwards we then went out to eat, and all-in-all, today was just a great day to spend some good time with some old and new friends.

The night actually ended with me running back to the hospital after dinner and checking in on Beckett. The nurse explained that she did have to give him a half spot dose of morphine this evening because he wouldn’t settle down AND she noticed that she needed to switch out his Sub-Q Port. A Sub-Q Port is kind of hard to explain, but it’s kind of like a needle that is always in his leg which helps the nurses administer a drug called Lovenox without technically “pricking” him each time…but he still really hates it every time…especially when they have to rotate it from one leg to another (every 7 days…or something like that). However, he is doing much better now, he’s got some additional drugs in him, he’s got his shots out of the way, he’s actually back down on his Oxygen Support (earlier today it got increased to 40%, and it’s now back down to 28%), soooo….we’re feeling “good.” Leah will be back tomorrow, and all will be well.

Thanks everyone. Sorry for the late post.

#GoBeckett
#ODAAT