A Much Better Day!

We got up this morning and called in to Alistar's nurse to find out what was going on this morning. She told us the plan was still intact as far as she knew. So we had ourselves a quick breakfast and hustled off to the hospital. We missed him before he was taken down to the OR, but that was okay. Our nurse came out and let us know the updates as they occured. They took him off of ECMO and stood there for an hour and watched him. Nothing happened and he was tolerating the change. They decided to try to close and when they were bringing his sternum together, it easily fell right into place which means there was not enough swelling remaining to hinder the closing. He also remarked that his heart a very different heart from the one he saw on Friday morning. It is much smaller and will continue to get smaller. 

Once he was back up in the ICU, we got to come back to see him. Boy did he look different! He looks smaller, his chest was closed, his color was better and he has very little swelling. Most of the day was uneventful. At some point during the day, he spiked a fever...around 103. Their theory was it was due to the stress on his body from ALL the procedures and ups and downs, etc. But just to be on the safe side, they have cultured his blood and urine and started him on a few antibiotics until the cultures results come back. They also gave him some Tylenol and placed a cooling blanket under him. We went and visited him just a while ago and his fever had broke! 

They started him on some Pediasure, more for getting his gut going than for sustenance. They also began giving him some Miralax because he is on so many medications that cause constipation. When we stopped by earlier, the nurse said she had heard his bowels working. She said it is better for them to work some of this stuff out while sedated as anyone who has has major surgery knows that first time is a doozy!

The next step for Alistair is to get him off the vent. They have alluded to the fact that it will be Tuesday morning, but there is a very small chance it could be tomorrow night. They will begin to ween him off the nitric oxide (not nitrious) tomorrow sometime, which will be slow. They also need for him to be awake and alert enough for him to breathe on his own. 

This is Alistair's Heaert Pillow. All cardiac surgical patients get one and it comes with a pen for care providers to sign it. We have collected quite a few signatures so far...we might need another one!

This was another needed day. I think all of our shoulders have relaxed a little more and our worrying has lessened. Because of the sudden state of calm, all of us are beginning to feel our lack of sleep catching up with us. I have heard more yawning this evening than I have heard in many nights! It's amazing what stress does to your body! Tomorrow morning we don't need to be in right away, so it will allow us the ability to sleep in or at least have a slow start to the morning.

Gillian is now staying in Woodbury with Aunt BJ and Uncle Joe. She had a fun morning with the Sandholms and then spent the afternoon with her cousin Alexis. We got a teary-eyed call from Gillian this evening. She tried to go to bed, but decided she missed us. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel guilty and a little heartbroken that I couldn't be there to ease her sorrow. But I also know she has had a very fun and tiring time so far and it is all catching up with her and being in an unfamiliar place just compounds that...even though she knows the people, and dogs! She just needs a good night's sleep and tomorrow will be a new day.