Extubation day part II

I am on my way out of the NICU right now, but am very pleased to report that Woody's 2 o'clock blood gases came back good: 7.31 and 60 on the CO₂. That compares pretty well with the last ventilated blood gas, and ensures that he will be staying on the CPAP at least until tomorrow, barring any big unexpected changes. We are very happy with this. I have been sitting in his room most of the day and have noticed that on balance, he is actually doing better on the CPAP than he was on the ventilator: he doesn't ring as often, for low O₂ sats, and he recovers quicker when he gets below the alarm threshold. Several nurses have commented that his respiration is very deep. Apparently a common problem with CPAP infants is the tendency to breathe shallowly, but Woody is pulling air deep into his lungs, which is great for his air exchange.

He's also started squeaking a bit more when he tries to cry, which is very cute. When one has a tube rubbing against their vocal cords for months, it will naturally leave one very hoarse, so it makes sense that he doesn't make much noise. And I am sure that the time will come when we will be very happy to not hear him cry, but for now it's just a welcome sign that he really is a regular baby.

I am going to go home now and have a burrito or something. I am already pretty tired, and I will be back later in the day. Keep your fingers crossed, but all looks very good still. I am very proud of him.