Yesterday Mia was put on a heart medicine called milrinone. This medicine is supposed to help relax her heart and help it beat stronger and supposed to help dilate the blood vessels in the lungs. We first thought that the lungs were the main problem causing some smaller issues with the heart. Now the thought is that the heart is the real issue. There is still no evidence of any infection. The prevailing thought is that her heart failure is due to her chemotherapy regimen. The goal yesterday was to get her off the ventilator. It didn't happen. We hope that will happen today. She should be able to breathe without it, just on a nose cannula for oxygen. However she is getting nitrus oxide through her breathing tube. This medicine/ therapy is helping the pressure in her lungs. Last night after the nitrus oxide was turned off her heart rate jumped up to the high 180's. That is apparently considered heart failure. So she went back on the nitrus.
Today she will start getting another IV medicine that should take the place of the nitrus. After a couple of doses we will try turning off the nitrus and see how her heart does. Mia is on a steroid to help with possible inflammation, a couple of antibiotics and an anti fungal just in case it is an infection, the milrinone, a feeding tube, her breathing tube with the nitrus oxide and oxygen. She was able to have the catheter removed yesterday and so she was very pleased with that. However since she is on lasix, a diaretic, she has to get up to use the commode regularly. That is quite a production!.
The plan, as of this morning, is to continue to support her heart function with drugs. She will be in the ICU until the end of this week at least. Since we don't know the underlying cause we are in a waiting pattern. The doctor does believe that there is no permanent damage to her heart and with time her body will heal.
No comments:
Post a Comment