13 December 2010

Scope Results
The scope of Jereth's upper respiratory tract confirmed a moderate case of laryngomalacia or weak walls of the larynx. When he breathes in the moving air creates an area of low pressure in the larynx. Since his larynx walls are weak, the larynx collapses and makes it difficult to breathe.

Dr. Beck who did the scope said he appears to also have mild tracheomalacia or weak walls in the trachea. Both are conditions that are made worse with reflux so the treatment for reflux he is getting should help. Neither condition is severe enough to need special treatment and the walls should get stronger as he gets older. To confirm the tracheomalacia would require a scope with Jereth sedated so the scope can get past the vocal cords.  Since the treatment would not change with a confirmed diagnosis there's no good reason to do a sedated scope.

Out of Intensive Care
Although we were told there was no way for Jereth to have the air flow treatment he is receiving outside of an intensive care setting, that changed today. It sounded like the head nurse in the PICU could not understand why we were there when the level of care was nowhere near "intensive".

So with a little prodding from her, Dr. Dauplaise was able to approve a move to the pediatric floor. He explained that the treatment is not involving added oxygen and Jereth does not have diseased lungs which is the usual diagnosis for someone receiving this treatment. Because oxygen is not being used and the treatment is for the upper respiratory tract, not the lungs, it was approved to be given outside of the intensive care unit.

So we are now in a nice, large room in the pediatric wing with a flatscreen TV and our own bathroom (which means a lot more to me than to Jereth).

We have not heard any more about the schedule for Jereth's heart surgery. I'm sure Dr. Walker would have let us know if any decision had been made today, so I'm supposing she's waiting to see what the doctor in Utah can do to get Jereth into his schedule.