Visual cues vs oximeter

We had a minor scare during the weekend. What happen wasn't serious, but in fact quite funny come to think of it.

We were attending a church service last Saturday when in the middle of the service, we noticed Kaelyn's O2 Sats weren't doing too good. We proceed to perform some suctioning on her airway as she has quite abit of secretions. But she didn't maintain her sats but it continued to drop slowly.

We were starting to get anxious and turned on her oxygen supply, when we also smell something. It is slightly embarrassing on Kaeyn's part, but well...she is just a little girl. It was smell of poo :) we pushed her out of the room quickly before the congregation leaves the room :P We were also slightly anxious still as her O2 sats are still not good.

Since the changing room was in the ladies, I did not follow. After minutes of changing Kaelyn out, they came out. Kaelyn is fine. I think she was exerting strength and not breathing as much hence the drop in O2 sats.

Funny when we come to think of it but not so funny at that time.

Oximeters is just a machine and it only reacts according to how the body is or how you are condition your body to be. Perhaps we depend on the oximeter a little too much. It would be good if learn to be more sensitive to visual cues that Kaelyn shows as well.

Happy morning

Kaelyn woke up feeling really happy this morning. She is all along a morning person. She wakes up cheerful. But this morning, she was especially happy. Not sure why but maybe she had some really sweet dreams the previous nights.

When you ask her to call papa, mama or auntie (our helper), she gives a short grunt or hmpf. If you ask her to sing a song, she actually pulls that grunt or hmpf longer. I am also glad that she is known as a courteous girl as she will greet and wave hello to any visitors who greeted her.

However we noticed that her movement in her mouth/lips area has lessen. From her old videos we had, she had more variance in her pitch and rhythm in her vocalization. She also used to be sticking her tongue out as and when. But now, she could only manage a short peek of her tongue out of her mouth. It could be the muscles being weaken in those area. This will probably affect her speech. Perhaps I wouldn't be able to hear her call out papa or mama.

No matter, every morning she wakes up with a beautiful smile is an added bonus for us. We treasure it.

The Easter weekend

It was consider a busy weekend for Kaelyn as we had plans for Kaelyn on both Friday and Saturday.

We had a friend who is having a dinner gathering for his birthday at Sentosa cove area on Good Friday. We had not gone there before so we took the opportunity to go and bring Kaelyn there as well.

She enjoyed the air condition hotel room and plushy bed. Then we went out for dinner. While we had our dinner, Kaelyn lay in her stroller, smiling and waving hello to some restaurant goers who occasionally turned around to make faces at her.

All was well until end of dinner when she choke slightly on her secretions. Combined with her not so nice behavior , she desat slightly. We cleared her up slightly and into the car she goes, and fell asleep while on the way home as her sats recovered.

We were invited to come along to a church service on Saturday evening. What a appropriate timing, during the Easter weekend. We had wanted to try go to church but was slightly apprehensive of how Kaelyn might take to it, both the crowd and the way we can arrange/accomadate Kaelyn. But since this was a couple we knew in hospital and with a kid on ventilator as well. If they are ok with the facility, we could try it out.

We went on Saturday evening service. They had a room away from the main congregation. And it was spacious so we had room to maneuver Kaelyn's stroller or move around to suction her. And it was ok to turn on your noisy suction pump as there other kids who were similar.

We had people pray for us. Kaelyn turn on her charm for people who prayed for her, smiling and making her brand of pretty eyes and waving hello to them. But as before, it was nearing her bed time. She is making her usual bed time tantrums. Anyway service was finishing, so we just left earlier before everything finished.

We could try that again. But maybe we better find a service timing in the day time when Kaelyn is easier to manage.

Outing to Marina Barrage

Shuhui's cousin organised a picnic at the Marina Barrage. We were invited. It was a good chance to bring Kaelyn out for some sightseeing, sun ray and a whiff of fresh air.

Well...not really fresh as she still puts on the bipap mask over her nose.

It was 5:30 pm when we reached. The sun was setting and it was breezy. Worries about the rain were of no concern. So it was good for this young lady who will grimace and voice her complains at strong and warm sunlight.

Finally a session at L

We have been making appointments for Kaelyn to attend L's therapy session, but we have to put off thrice because of Kaelyn's. Finally after 3-4 months, Kaelyn was well enough to attend.

The session we had was mainly about fine tuning our technique and timing for chest physio and suctioning this time round.

We also tried sitting her up which is fine as we do it at home sometimes. We flipped her over on her tummy as well. This put her secretion in sort of a free flow mode, which is good as it will not clog her throat. Even L's so call water resistance membrane cloth was not match :)

We tried flipping her at home after the therapy session. She wasn't as cranky as she was at the therapy session. Probably she was surprised by such a move the first time round at the therapy session, considering we didn't put her in this position much. While lying in this manner home, she watched enjoyed her back rubs and massages.

All 3 of us took turns flipping her on her tummy and back. All this flipping back and forth probably tired her out. She was cranky at end of session and was knocked out when we put her back into the stroller.

This is her having her nap in the car while on the way home. Good nap.

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Time for Vaccination

Upon advice from doctors, we got Kaelyn to go for flu vaccination. She was scheduled for this jab for quite a while. It had to be postponed due to hospitalization, fever or was on anti biotic medication.

Finally, she is ok to go for the jab. But she has 2 for the day, since it was time for her 2nd pneumococcal jab as well. So 1 jab each up her left and right bum.

She is quite experienced and remembers her experience of her jab well. The moment she was flipped over for the jab, she started tearing up. But anyway she finished without much commotion.

However we had to stay a little longer than we wanted in the clinic as she desat due to her secretion. We cleared her up and got out of the place.

Kaelyn's Lunar birthday

Kaelyn's lunar birthday just past. Grandma took the effort to make the red eggs and longevity noodle for her.

Although she couldn't eat any of the above, she had some fun posing with it. She also had the chance to have a few licks of the egg and noodle.

This girl is loved by all :) and we are thankful for that