Pseudonocardiaceae

Ford is being treated for a pneumonia even though it only sort of looks like he might have an infection in his lungs. He was initially put on the antibiotic Vancomycin as a preventative measure while they waited for bacterial and viral cultures to return, but after an initial round of results turned up negative they have decided to discontinue it and switch to Clarithromycin, which is used to treat pneumonia.

He seemed a little more himself today, crying while they poked and repositioned him. But his cry was weaker than we've grown used to hearing from him and was at times merely a sad whimpering. He still slept most of the day, and we are taking that (in addition to his growing protests) as a sign that he is on the mend, that the antibiotics have done the trick.

It was hard to watch him move back downstairs, especially-so as not a few minutes before I got the news I was happily calling family to arrange times to visit us in our luxurious penthouse suite. I had no idea that they were so concerned about his condition until I walked back in the door and was told we has going back 'downstairs'. He was put back on an IV drip, back on the high-flow nasal prongs, given a catheter, and started to look way too much like he did 4 weeks ago. Very disheartening.

Despite the general optimism that whatever bug was giving him additional trouble with his breathing is now on the way out, Cardiology fell upon us this morning to deliver their typically heartless assessment (heartless heart doctors - hahaha), proposing that he does in fact need to have his descending aorta 'ballooned' open via cardiac catheterization, which means more surgery. Apparently this can happen as soon as tomorrow morning, which we are planning for, but could be delayed a few weeks as well. I guess we are hoping it happens soon, so he can recover soon. And then maybe we can go home soon...

After weeks of having nurses and doctors ask us "does he usually breathe this quickly? does he usually struggle like this?" and us, accustomed to his general appearance, answering "yes, it's totally normal for him," I am glad that they finally decided that it might not actually have to be his base line, that he might be working harder than necessary, and more importantly that there might be something they can do about it. Regardless of the fact that this in yet another unexpected, invasive procedure requiring intubation, anaesthesia, and prodding at his heart, I am coming to accept that Ford is not going to be the kind of kid that can just ride out a cold, or cope with a little extra strain and pull through unaided, that he will probably be more comfortable hopped up on drugs and swaddled in plastic tubes than he might be playing shoeless in the dirt.

I'm also hoping I'm wrong.