A Big Step!

The doctors decided to trial Eli off dialysis early yesterday morning to give him a chance to urinate and see if he could keep things under control himself.  Around 3:30am they took him off and he was able to keep his labs at a pretty good spot but by 4:00pm he still hadn't gone pee so they put him back on.  Even though we were all hoping his kidneys would start working on their own, we knew it wasn't likely and figured he'd have to have a few more days of the CRRT.  The doctors' hope is that after a few more days of dialysis, Eli's lungs will get even stronger because they'll be able to pull more fluid off and all of that should help his kidneys start functioning again.  This circuit will run for 72 hours and we will reevaluate on Monday evening.

However, we do have some great news!  Logan and I ran downstairs to eat lunch yesterday and when we came back about 30 minutes later they had switched Eli from the oscillator to a traditional ventilator!  While on the oscillator, he had to be sedated and paralyzed because any breathing with the machine messes up his ventilation but on the regular ventilator he is allowed to breathe with it and doesn't have to be paralyzed.  A couple hours after they stopped his paralytic he opened his eyes for the first time in over 2 weeks!

I can't tell you what a wonderful thing it is to see those sweet eyes again.  He looks completely drugged up, exhausted and confused but it's still so fun to see those bright blue eyes :)

After roughly 24 hours on the ventilator, the doctors are very pleased with how Eli has handled the transition.  He is taking nice breaths along with the ventilator and continues to oxygenate well so we are slowly chipping away at the settings on the vent now.  A couple days ago they placed a feeding tube in Eli's nose so we can slowly get his tummy used to feedings again.  He is receiving a very slow rate of formula but something is better than nothing!  At times it feels like we have been down here for ages and will never get to leave but we can't deny the amount of progress Eli has made and continues to make every single day.  We are so proud of our little fighter!

Shoe of the day:

Fight on, little Eli!