3-28-2005

Aliyah is still very weak from the surgery. Her voice is stronger today though. She is having some trouble with coughing when she drinks and the speech person is afraid she might be aspirating liquid into her lungs and this could lead to pneumonia. As of this afternoon she was to be given nothing by mouth util a swallow study can be performed. She will probably have a swallow study tomorrow and because she hasn't eaten any food for 4 days (and was unable to keep much food down for the last 2 weeks) she will begin getting nutrition through a feeding tube tonight or tomorrow. I hope that will help her build up her strength. She has been off the respirator since yesterday at 9:30 A.M. and while her blood oxygen is good, her lungs are not looking as good today as yesterday. If she needs to they will put her back on the respirator until she gets her strength back. She also still has a fever but that is not totally unheard of after an operation like she has gone through. They are worried about an infection though. She started on blood thinners today so she won't develop blood clots with the device and is on morphine for pain. That's it for now. Thanks to you all for caring!!