More tests and a good idea

We got some test results back today. One of the cultures started to grow a staph bacteria. It has the doctors a little baffled, because it is a strain that is normally only found on skin. They drew some more blood and are going to culture it again. They are thinking that she might have had the staph on her skin and it just tagged along when they poked her for the first blood draw. She's on an antibiotic already, and she seems to be responding to it, but it's not one that would work on a staph infection. So there is some confusion. I'm hoping to have a better answer tomorrow. On the positive side, I think we're making steps in the right direction with her feedings. One of the docs had a brainstorm that maybe Elaina is lactose intolerant. Makes sense to me. All the spitting up nonsense started when I switched her to formula since I wasn't able to give her breast milk any longer. She's on a preemie formula, so there really isn't a milder one to switch her to. They are starting tonight to give her "lactulose" which should help her digest the milk better. She's been on continuous feedings since last night, and they're trying to shorten the time now. She's starting with 2 hours on the feeding pump and 1 hour off and trying to work her down to a 30 minute feeding time. This will be done over a several days. She is able to take some milk with the bottle, we started today with just half an ounce and then the rest through the feeding tube. We want to make sure that she can keep everything down before we give her larger amounts at once by mouth. The doctors are also trying to wean her oxygen down. Because she's on the blender, she's also on a higher oxygen flow. She's on 1 1/2 liters of oxygen right now. The goal is to get her back to the baseline she had at home of 1/8 to 1/4 liter of oxygen. At this point I'm being told to expect her to be in the hospital for at least a week so that when she does come home, she'll be in a good pattern and able to stay home. Elaina is such a little trooper. She puts up with the nurses and even flirts a bit now and then. She lets them know when the blood pressure cuff is too tight and she tells them off when they try to take her precious blood (she doesn't like to share!), but otherwise she is content and doing well. I think that she's glad that this trip hasn't included a ventilator or any major sedations! She sure does love to be held and rocked though. I had to come home tonight so that I could spend some time with Ben and get ready for work on Monday, so the Charge Nurse scheduled a nursing tech that can stay with Elaina tonight. This way Elaina can be held and rocked and I don't have to be so worried about her being all alone at the hospital. She's improving day by day and I am truly blessed to have this precious little one in my life!