Alicia Delbridge of Fort Frances is showing signs of gradual improvement in a Calgary hospital, where she has been since Aug. 6 after being stricken with a mysterious, potentially-fatal heart condition, her father said in an e-mail Wednesday.
The one-year-old was on a respirator for nearly two weeks before doctors were able to remove it successfully last Wednesday.
She has been breathing on her own since then, but still is considered to be in serious condition.
Cory Delbridge, the assistant manager at the Canada Safeway here, reported his daughter was placed on a heart monitor for 24 hours beginning Monday and the results showed nothing abnormal.
Then on Tuesday, she was given a full-body x-ray, which took 30 minutes to complete. The tot protested the procedure vigorously, which was perceived as a sign she was returning to her normal, feisty self.
The x-rays showed no unexpected abnormalities, Delbridge wrote.
She also underwent additional heart tests Wednesday to determine if her heart has returned to its normal size. Those results were not available by press time Thursday.
Delbridge also reported his daughter is sleeping normally again (but only if someone is holding her).
The next step appears to be to complete the process of weaning her off lorazepam—one of the powerful drugs that kept her alive during the initial stages of the health crisis.
She still is being administered morphine on a regular basis, but that also will be gradually discontinued as soon as her condition permits it.
Finally, Delbridge reported his daughter gradually is eating more food, although her system is having a bit of trouble adjusting at the moment.
Delbridge, his wife, Christina, and their son, Matthew, have been with their daughter in Calgary since the ordeal began almost three weeks ago.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
