Thank you for all your messages of support yesterday, as well as for your prayers.
Yesterday was an extremely challenging day (probably the most difficult since the beginning), and we are deeply grateful that Gabriel came through it like a true champion.
I like to believe that all the love he received from all corners of the world helped him overcome this ordeal.
I invite you to continue, every day, until we leave this place in full health!
The news
Gabriel spent the beginning of the night with his godmother, who had to return to São Paulo during the night.
A huge thank you to her for coming, her help, her unwavering support, despite working during the day in parallel. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Leila! (And thank you for her super magic potion that gives us energy.)
He then spent the rest of the night with his uncle Tiago, who is helping us just as much.
On our side, we tried to rest a little this night to be more refreshed. It was necessary.
Gabriel is now in an isolated room. The first time you see him with all the equipment, it’s quite impressive. But we are grateful that he was able to benefit from this machine to help him.
The hygiene protocol has been significantly reinforced (finally!), and for now, we can only see him behind a window.
The beginning of the night was very encouraging: his saturation rose to 100%.
They were able to decrease the settings of the breathing machine to more reasonable levels (it had been running at full capacity for several days), which will allow his lungs to recover better.
However, during the night (I don’t know exactly at what time), his saturation dropped again.
They performed several interventions which I cannot explain in detail, but they reassured us: this is not abnormal.
Also, this morning, when I approached the window to see him, he opened his eyes and slightly raised his arms. He hadn’t moved like that in several days.
The objectives for today are as follows:
- to raise his saturation and stabilize it,
- to analyze his brain to verify that everything is in order (standard protocol after setting up ECMO),
- perform an abdominal ultrasound to ensure everything is fine on that side,
- continue to fight infections with antibiotics and respiratory physiotherapy sessions.
Moreover, we now know the name of a new enemy (in addition to those he’s already fighting):
Staphylococcus hominis ssp hominis, present since at least 05/06, the date on which a sample was taken. Most likely contracted in the hospital.
I imagine that with this information, they will be able to better target the treatment and help him even more.
Update at 4:00 PM
Gabriel’s general medical condition (exchange with Dr.)
- Blood Test Results: The infection is decreasing. The rest is stable considering the severity of his condition.
- Chest X-ray: No improvement, the lungs are still filled with fluid. ECMO continues to filter. We need to wait 72 hours to hope for an evolution.
- Brain Analysis: Everything is normal.
- Abdominal Ultrasound: Nothing to report. The intestine is functioning slowly to prioritize vital organs.
- Treatment for Staphylococcus: A treatment is ongoing for cutaneous staphylococcus, managed by the medical team.
- Next Steps: Stabilization for 72 hours, then more targeted treatment of infections.
Additional Observations
- ECMO Monitoring: Only one person monitors Gabriel 24/7, with no possible relief as the team is overloaded (multiple hospitals, multiple children on ECMO). There was an exchange this morning. The staff is really friendly and competent. It’s reassuring that there’s someone watching him 24/7.
- Gabriel’s Responsiveness: He is slightly more conscious (opens his eyes slightly, moves his mouth). This brings hope, but he needs to be sedated to avoid discomfort and poor synchronization with the machines.
- Hiccups or Spasms: Observed movements are likely due to air sent by the machine. Sedation adjustment is underway to limit this.
Medical Interpretation
- CRP reduced by half, which is a good sign: the antibiotic seems to be starting to work.
- Despite the absence of visible pulmonary improvement, the decrease in inflammation and signs of reactivity are considered positive indicators.
- The condition remains very concerning, but there is hope in the short term, to be monitored hour by hour.
Conclusion
Gabriel is in a critical but stable situation, with some encouraging signs. The objective is to stabilize him in the coming days (72 hours) to hope for improvement.
We’re staying strong. I will update this post later in the day.
