Thursday, February 20, 2014

Klebsiella pneumonia

Dear Ellie, 

Your mother and I were holding out some hope that the lactose fermenting, gram negative bacteria found in your lungs was perhaps something benign.  Not one of the virulent, nasty, baby killers.  It wasn't.  It's a Klebsiella, probably Klebsiella pneumonia.  The name itself would clue anyone in on how dangerous it can be.  Pneumonia is a bad thing for anyone to have, but someone with a practically non-existent immune system?  When we first came into the NICU, we were told that two major things kill babies in here: infections and ruptured intestines.

I'm watching your oxygen support as it slowly inches upward.  Infected lungs can't breath as well, after all.  And where is that fiery little spirit, those flailing arms?  It's a scary time.

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