Thea the Brave

21/03/2025

18/11/2024

Today makes day 14 of Thea’s PICU stay. We haven’t shared a ton, but here’s a quick recap.

The week of October 21, Thea was congested and tested positive for COVID with diminished lung sounds on the right. We kept her home for two weeks doing all of the respiratory support we could do at home. She had a lot of ups and downs during that time. On November 3, she went from room air to needing every bit of support we could give her. After a chest xray and a p*p visit the next day she ended up in ED and admitted to PICU. She’s been there ever since. Her left lung is completely opaque on CXR and has been for a while. Everyone is doing what they can to open her lung, but it is remaining closed.

Some specific ways to pray for her:

• Her left lung starts to have airflow and her CXR starts to look consistently better.
• She continues to tolerate her food via gtube and we can push rate and volume forward.
• She does not pick up a hospital-acquired infection.
• We are ready for her to come home. Pray for her team to make the choices that bring her home quickly but also safely.

Ways to pray for the rest of us:
• We are weary. The constant back and forth between the hospital and the house or the hospital, work and home is really stretching Doug and I thin. Pray for strength and persistence for us over the next few weeks.
• Livia is starting struggle with, well, everything. She misses Thea and she misses Doug. She is going to have to forego her birthday plans because Thea is in the hospital. It’s hard for her. Pray that she feels seen and heard by Doug and I. Pray that she feels comfortable expressing her feelings, even if it is to someone else. Pray that we can support her how she needs to be.

31/05/2024

We are looking to find a full-time home health nurse for Thea. During the summer hours can be fluid but it will be afternoon/evening hours during the school year. We are looking for a weekday, weekend and backup nurse.

The nurse will care for Thea's day to day needs: feeding, diapering, giving medications and bathing and other miscellaneous tasks that will arise. The nurse will also travel with us to appointments if they fall during the shift.

Contact Maxim Healthcare Services if you are interested and if you aren't a nurse, please share!

26/05/2024

PSA

If you do not have a disability - DON’T PARK IN HANDICAP. I don’t care if you’re waiting on someone or will be “just a minute.” These spaces are there for a reason.

22/03/2024

Thea started school on campus this week! It’s been an interesting few days - hiccups and speed bumps - but it’s been good for her. Handing your kiddo off to a stranger is hard, but so far she’s handling it well. She’s coming home and taking some LONG naps. 😂

27/02/2024

26/02/2024

Thea says “Happy Monday!”

She’s staying tonight because they wanted Pulm to get eyes on her and they said she’s good to go for tomorrow. Short of anything crazy overnight she will be heading home after rounds tomorrow.

25/02/2024

Thea is having a good Sunday. She’s on room air, tolerating her food and is acting much more like herself!

Her personality had been different, and because the change was gradual we didn’t even notice. She’s been so much happier today than she was before.

We are still cautiously optimistic about getting released tomorrow but she could stay until Tuesday. NSG will hopefully clear her to go home tomorrow, then we are just waiting on her to get her BP, temp and O2 stable - she’s been doing really well today on all of those.

Ps - S/O to for being a lifesaver for Eliza this week.

24/02/2024

The took her back right around 4:00. Not super sure on the when her surgery will be complete - she’ll be done when she’s done.

24/02/2024

Well, Thea is heading to surgery sometime this afternoon. All of her weird symptoms are probably her ETV failing, so neurosurgery is going to place a shunt to drain.

Prayers for Thea and everyone taking care of her in the OR are appreciated!