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Wednesday, July 02, 2014

June 30 2014

 

I am writing this from Katy’s ICU room… back in the little window seat/bed.  I have been here many times in the last six years… I have slept if you can call it that listening to the beeps and the hums of the ICU.  The ICU is usually our stop gap before home or the floor.  We thankfully never spend much time within these walls because Katy is always too well to be in the ICU.

This time is different… so different.  There are new noises coming from the ECMO machine that is keeping her alive… she is not the easy patient for this nurse… there are two nurses bedside at all times.  There is no Frozen or Annie blaring from the TV… no crafting or card games.  No it is sterile, quiet and horrible… no one can believe that it is Katy Murphy the firecracker who was tooling around the ICU halls in her go cart just hours before she was in cardiac arrest.  No one finds it harder to believe than me.

How did this happen?! I keep asking… no one knows.

What happened?

Monday was a normal day… well normal as far as days in the hospital go.  Katy was in the ICU to try a big gun Beta Blocker in hopes of bringing down her heart rate… after 24 hours and reaching maximum dose and no improvement.  It was decided that she would go back to the cath lab on Tuesday and they would see about finding a hot spot and ablating it and hopefully that would do the trick and no pace maker would be needed.

Katy was having her typical hospital 7pm snooze and Mike and I both thought she would be down for the night since she had an early day.  Change of shift happened… Night nurse was preparing 8pm meds and Mike was headed across the street to pick us up some dinner. Katy woke up to take her meds… said she had a belly ache, I thought she may have to poop.  Was putting her crocs on when I noticed her face/lips looked very purple/gray… looked at her a second later and her eyes were rolling back in her head… I screamed for the nurse (who thankfully was bedside with us) she looked at Katy and went to push the code button… I ran to the hallway and screamed help…within 30 seconds 30 people were in Katy’s tiny bed space.  They bagged her and immediately started chest compressions… within 3 minutes the decision was made that she needed ECMO… the team worked flawlessly, nurses, doctors, everyone knew their role and did it effortlessly. 

I of course was losing my mind… and begging God and anyone who would listen to save my girl. An amazing fellow ICU parent who was walking down the hall at the time picked me up and held me and told me it would be OK.  He was so kind… I will never forget the kindness he showed me in that moment.  Then my poor husband could hear my screams from the hallway and knew it was Katy… I can’t imagine what was going through his head as he walked through those double doors… I do know that the strength and courage he showed while watching the team work on his baby girl was remarkable.  He watched the entire time as they performed CPR for what seemed like hours.  Holding me and giving me updates as he thought I could handle them.  Pointing out the good things… only stepping away once she was on ECMO to call my parents.

It is nothing short of a miracle that Katy is alive today.  One of the nurses who was performing CPR (there were two and they switched off) came to see us last night and he said that he felt it was divine intervention in that room that night because it was bad.  Her heart just completely stopped and her lungs filled with blood. 

Because of pressure in her lungs once she was on ECMO she had to go to the cath lab immediately to relieve the pressure in her heart.  They did this by making a hole between the ventricles. Now we wait… we are approaching the 48 hour mark and Katy is doing as well as anyone can hope on ECMO… There appears to be no damage to her other organs, her lungs which took the hardest hit are already showing improvement.  Her CT scan did show a small brain bleed… nothing concerning at this time and certainty not unexpected.

The plan as of now is to begin warming Katy up overnight… and lift her sedation just enough to ask her to squeeze our hand… and move her feet in the morning.  This will also give them the opportunity to assess her heart rate as she warms. If the heart rate rises as she warms they will still have to resolve this problem which means a trip to the cath lab for ablation. She would probably go to the cath lab while still on ECMO to put as less stress as possible on her healing heart and lungs.  This procedure could result in the need for a pacemaker. We will just have to wait and see one day at a time.

I just want to see her beautiful blue eyes…and eventually that gorgeous smile that can light up a room.  Everyone is hopeful that Katy will bounce back and make a full recovery… I am trying to latch on to the positive thoughts of those around me.  I know that my girl is a fighter and she has THE BEST team possible working together to get her back to her sweet & sassy self. 

Thank you for your calls, texts, emails etc.  I am sorry if I haven’t responded…it’s just been too hard. Please know that they mean the world to Mike and I and hopefully one day Katy when she is old enough and I can share with her how she has touched the hearts of so many. 

 

31 comments:

Jessica said...

Amiee, we are praying for your Katy! Thanks for sharing your lowest of lows with us! We are looking forward to the day when you are sharing beach pics, dance recital photos and back to school pics with us! Hugs to all of you! <3

Anonymous said...

Praying for your sweet Katy and you and Daddy!!

Terisa Brakefield

Anonymous said...

Aimee & Mike, Still praying & praying that precious Katy will have the strength in her body to recover. I am sorry she and also the family have to go through so much. Reading your words is so heartbreaking for what you have experienced with this major event. Thanks for sharing or us through your worry. Thoughts and prayers for all you! God bless! Take care!

Margie Harper said...

Hit the wrong button for above message. Margie Harper and family and Rosary Group from Crystal River is praying for Katy and your family!

Unknown said...

Amiee my thought are with you and mike. Katy is a tough little cookie praying for you!!!! Please call if you need anything

Kerry

michella said...

Thinking of you all and sending lots of prayers your way!!! She will be ok!!! I asked my angel to watch over her. Xoxoxoxo

Anonymous said...

our thoughts and our prayers are with you and the family. Hoping Katy responds well to treatment.

Kayla & Jeremy said...

When we met Katy she was more than a firecracker! She has a heart of gold, a beautiful soul and a precious smile! Aimee you are a strong spirited woman! We know the struggles and thoughts that go thru our minds when were in those small confined spaces in those rooms with beeping and buttons clicking from the computer! We are continuously praying for her! Sending love and prayers from the Hess Family in Virginia!

Anonymous said...

Prayers for you all!

ruelpal said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ruelpal said...

Prayers to the strongest little girl and family I've ever heard of. I hope Gods Devine intervention continues to pull you all through. Dear Lord make
Prayers to the strongest little girl and family I've ever heard of. I hope Gods Devine intervention continues to pull you all through. Dear Lord make

Prayers to the strongest little girl and family I've ever heard of. I hope Gods Devine intervention continues to pull you all through.

Unknown said...

Praying for Katy every day... Praying for strength to Amiee, Mike and Patrick.. Praying that your baby girl will be stronger than ever once off ECMO.. Love to all.. xoxo

Anonymous said...

What an amazing mother and support team Katy has! You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Such a strong and beautiful girl she is!

Anonymous said...

Aimee, I too will hold out hope and pray for God's immeasurable mercy and grace to bring healing to Katy. She has a wonderful sparkle and I hope we can see her twinkling eyes soon.

Carolyn (in Las Vegas)

slfunk said...

I have read your blog before, but recently had something tell me to look for it again. I am praying for Katy and your family during this time. She is a tough cookie and is a fighter.

Shari Funkhouser

genalee said...

Sending you my thoughts, prayers, and love!

Anonymous said...

Aimee and Mike, your strength amazes us and that strength you have passed on to your beautiful girl. We are all thinking of you, praying for you, loving you. Thank you so much for taking the time to share the update.

Erin and James McDonagh

Anonymous said...

Thinking of you all and praying for the very best.

Unknown said...

Aimee...words cannot convey how very sorry I am. I am praying for Katy. I have seen my nephews bounce back from that awful ECMO machine and I know that Katy will too. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Please, PLEASE take care of you during all of this. I know how hard it is to forget about yourself but you have too. <3

Linda said...

This is my first visit to your blog and am so sorry to hear about your daughter Katy. I know first hand the situation you are going through. I also had tachycardia (due to my sinus node) and many cardioversions and ablations. What finally worked for me was Sotalol. I take 80mg twice a day and my heart rate went from in the 100's to 52 and has stayed low for over a month now. I have tried numerous medications (I could open up a pharmacy) and this one finally worked. I will pray for Katy and hope that you will find a medication that will work for her. Good Luck..I will continue to follow your blog.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry for all that you and Katy have gone through. I am so hoping she has seen some improvement this last week. My thoughts are with you and your entire family.

DianeTaylor said...

Praying for Katy - new to your blog, sending love and light from Baltimore MD. Sent in memory of my son Jonathan Paul Daily, 4/25/87 - 3/1/12

Anonymous said...

Hi Amiee! Hope Katy is doing so much better! Please update when you can! We've been watching and watching for an update!

Anonymous said...

Praying for your family! Please do an update when you have time.

KB said...

How is the rockstar doing this week?

Leanne said...

Sending prayers all the way from Australia. What a brave little girl you are Katy ! How lucky you are to have such a loving family and brilliant medical staff at hand. I will keep you all in my prayers for a great result in your recovery. What a star you are ! xxx
Leanne ( friend of Lori's )

Anonymous said...

Thinking of your family. Hope tremendous progress has been made for Katy since you last posted! I keep you all in my daily thoughts.

slfunk said...

So, is Katy OK? I don't use FB so I have no clue what's going on. I am sure there are others who'd like to know,too. My prayers are with you.

Jane said...

Just to let you know I am thinking about you and your family.

Thesis writing service said...

we will pray for her. God will bless her

Anonymous said...

Praying for you and your family. Dear God, although I don't know this precious family personally, the Murphy's story has been placed on my heart. I pray that you wrap them in your peace and comfort and ease their heartache. Please give them hope and courage for the days they face ahead. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.