Today started with an elevated CO2, again. More fiddling with ventilator settings brought it down a bit.
The respiratory therapists use this ventilator a lot for newborns, but not so much for adults. That makes this somewhat of a learning process for them, too. They have several values they can set, and the combinations of this one up a little and that one down a little are nearly endless.
They went ahead and tried her on the conventional ventilator again, and again she wasn't ready. After that trial, they changed another setting on the Oscillator, which really brought her CO2 down - it's only about twice normal now.
Her other numbers continue to look good - she is able to maintain saturations in the 90's with only about 50% oxygen. As I understand it, her main problem now is that her lungs are still very stiff, needing lots of pressure to force oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. The increased steroids yesterday were to help that, but mostly she just needs to start healing.
The doctor did say that she is improving, albeit very slowly. Each of her nurses continues to remind me, generally subtly, that she is very, very sick still, and not at all out of the woods yet.
She remains in God's hands, and we do so appreciate all the prayers on her behalf. He will continue to heal her if it is His will.
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