Last 48 Hours

03/07

5:28 AM

Last night, Gabriel had a peaceful night, sometimes waking up to share a few tender moments with his Aunt Jaqueline, who calmed him by humming the Barney song to him, before he peacefully fell back asleep, soothed by the magic of lullabies and love.

Today is the big day!

Exactly two months later, they are finally going to remove Gabriel’s breathing tube. This is a very important step for him.

We’re crossing our fingers and sending him all our positive energy so he can navigate this new stage with strength and courage.

Come on, Gabriel, we’re all with you 💪❤️

15h26

Gabriel was extubated at around 12.30pm, after exactly 2 months!

According to the doctor, the first 15 minutes were very hectic. For a while, they even thought it wouldn’t work.

They administered a sedative, but it had no immediate effect.

Little by little, he adapted to the device placed in his nostrils and eventually calmed down.

This device is called a high-flow nasal cannula.

It delivers heated, humidified oxygen at a high flow rate, which is more comfortable and more effective than conventional oxygen spectacles.

Initially, he was receiving 100% oxygen, and they’ve already been able to reduce this to 55%.

Since then, everything seems to be going well.
When he sleeps, it’s peaceful. When he’s awake, too. And when he cries… it’s a little more rock’n’roll.

The next few hours / days will be decisive.

He has secretions in the form of bubbles in his mouth that need to be regularly aspirated, as irritation of his throat and mucous membranes (larynx, trachea) causes an overproduction of saliva and mucus.

He remains under close surveillance for the time being.

Bonus moment: we finally heard a bit of his voice when he cried!
He hadn’t made a sound for two months.

I think we’re the happiest parents in the world when we hear our child cry ❤️
It’s like a second birth.

Thanks for all your messages!
This strength, coming from the four corners of the world, helps him (and us too) to fight every day so that he can leave this hospital in full health!

02/07

4:55 PM

The night went well, with him by his mom’s side.

Gabriel is stable, with the machine administering 30% oxygen.

When he wakes up, he is sometimes agitated and cries (like any baby), but his general condition remains stable.

Note: Our complaint to the hospital regarding a person who was not wearing their mask correctly was heard. It was actually a temporary replacement, and that person has not returned since. This reassures us, as the safety of hospitalized children must remain an absolute priority!

Unfortunately, last night, we lost one of his little neighbors… And this morning, another neighbor seems to have had a serious medical emergency (cerebral issue? I don’t know exactly). Both were admitted to the hospital for bronchiolitis.
This virus is truly formidable. Please be extremely careful with your children!

Now, for the good news:

1) First good news

Today, they finally made a decision: Gabriel will not undergo a bronchoscopy. Dr. (Nielton, I believe) feels that the risks of such a procedure are not justified for now, and thinks that with time, Gabriel might be able to recover his lungs naturally. It will be a long road, but a bronchoscopy can always be considered later if necessary.

2) Second good news

His breathing tube will be removed tomorrow! Two months to the day after his intubation.

This will be a significant step and a real challenge for him: after spending two-thirds of his life with a tube, he will have to relearn to breathe unassisted, even though he has been managing his respiratory rate on his own for a few days now.

His trachea might be a bit irritated or inflamed, so the doctors will be very attentive. He will receive oxygen via a mask or nasal cannulas.

Send him as much love as possible; he’ll need it to get through this 💪❤️

3) Third good news

I was able to hold him in my arms this afternoon. Pure joy.

Seeing him fall asleep peacefully, speaking softly to him, and gently caressing the little bit of fat that is gradually returning to his legs… it’s priceless!

Come on everyone, let’s raise our arms and send him all the energy he needs for this new step to be successful!