The night was stable.
Even better: Gabriel’s lungs are showing signs of improvement for the second consecutive day.
ECMO plays a vital role here: it allows his lungs to rest while the machine does the work for them. Thanks to it, they can slowly regain strength.
However, this technology, as powerful as it may be, has side effects.
Due to continuous operation, ECMO can disrupt the rest of the body: liver, kidneys, blood… It’s a bit like a very strong medication that treats one organ but weakens others.
And this is what’s starting to happen with Gabriel since yesterday.
The longer one stays on ECMO, the higher the risk of complications. Unfortunately, today, we don’t have any other option yet… but there’s hope (I’ll tell you more about it below).
To minimize risks as much as possible, doctors closely monitor all markers: platelets, hemoglobin, liver enzymes… and intervene as soon as necessary with blood transfusions.
We are therefore in a critical period, with real risks due to ECMO.
So we grit our teeth.
We pray.
We hold on.
And above all, we continue to send him all our strength.
Because the real good news is that his lungs are improving!
Objective for the Coming Days:
To give the lungs the ability to breathe on their own.
As I write this (11:25 AM), ECMO is still doing 65% of the oxygenation work. The goal is to reverse this ratio, have the conventional respirator take over, and make ECMO secondary.
When this milestone is reached, we can remove ECMO and keep only the respirator – and thus reduce the risks I mentioned above.
The doctors mention a possible removal of the ECMO within 24 to 48 hours (depending on the lungs)
We’re praying for that! And that this machine hasn’t caused any significant damage elsewhere!
On our end, we continue to seek support, to draw strength where we can.
Today, we’re going to print all your messages of support and stick them on the wall next to Gabriel.
He needs to feel the love surrounding him, to know that he’s not alone.
Finally, the doctor confided in us that, for her, Gabriel’s case has become a personal challenge.
She’s putting all her heart, all her energy into it.
She wants to prove that technologies like ECMO can really save lives, and convince the hospital to invest more in these solutions, despite the enormous costs.
Gabriel is fighting. Every day. Every hour. He inspires those around him.
If you want to help him, continue to send him your thoughts, your messages, your prayers.
Together, let’s show him that behind the machines, the tubes, the numbers… there’s an entire army that believes in him.
And that he’s not fighting this battle alone. 💛
