An update

Yesterday a pulmonologist was able to use a tiny scope to look in Brigid's lungs and see if there was any type of blockage causing her continued issues with CO2 ventilation. The good news is that he believes he may have found a narrowing at the end of her trachea, called a tracheal web, that is like a flap of skin inside. It's something that may require surgery. It is acting like a one-way valve, making it easy for oxygen to get in and hard for the CO2 to get out. He's not completely certain whether it is a web or inflammation from the tube and suction they've had to use, but either way, he's pretty sure it's causing the issues she's having.

Because of this, they have placed her endotracheal tube (the tube for the ventilator) just below this narrowing, and have found that to be very effective for keeping her carbon dioxide levels in normal range. Unfortunately, the space they have between the bottom of this narrowing and the top of the place where the trachea branches into the lungs - called the carina - is extremely tiny. If she moves the tube a little too low, it touches the carina and cuts off her oxygen. If she moves it out a bit, it's above the narrow area and causes her carbon dioxide levels to rise. She is a strong girl and tends to move a lot, even under sedation, so they have actually had to keep her paralyzed to keep her from displacing the tube. It is so very hard to see her like this.

A surgeon took a look at Brigid yesterday evening and said he'd prefer not to operate just yet since her trachea is so small and fragile. Plus, they're not completely sure whether they're indeed seeing a tracheal web or just an area of inflammation/granulation due to irritation from the ventilator. The plan is to keep her as sedated as possible until Friday, when they're hoping to do a different type of bronchoscopy, and have the ENT doctor, the pulmonologist who did her scope yesterday, and the surgeon all in there together to determine what they're seeing and what the best course of action would be.

I've been praying that they'll look in there Friday and see NOTHING because it will have miraculously healed between now and then!