Draining

Caroline had a very anxiety filled blood draw this morning about 4 am.  Because she is such a hard stick and they blew so many veins during surgery trying to start lines, we were dreading seeing the phlebotomist.  We got super lucky and she got labs on the first try.  Not a very fun way to wake up in the morning... We also had to go downstairs to get a chest X-ray right after labs.  We got to try out our new wagon!  

This little girl is wicked tough. She has deemed it necessary to go to the potty and pee.  She hasn't had narcotic pain relief in 12 hours. She's starting to eat a little, and has begun smiling more and telling jokes. 

They came in and separated her chest tubes so we can monitor drainage more closely. Waiting on her to pee a little more with Lasix and the tubes to drain less before we can talk about home. 

Step Down!

They just rolled her into the step down unit and she's taking a nap. She's on lasix, antibiotics, and Zantac. Also a bit of pain medicine with morphine as needed. 

Less is more

Caroline is awake and watching a VHS version of Alice in Wonderland. She looks like a whole new kid! She's on room air and has no lines in other than capped IV's. It's hard to believe we're less than 24 hours post open heart surgery. She's still in the ICU. Now the chest tube draining game begins! 

Progress

After formal rounds this morning, we were given the thumbs up to head to the step down unit. She's currently on a quarter liter of oxygen, zero functioning medication, weaning narcotic pain drugs and expecting to have the arterial line and central line pulled with the foley and backup pacer within the hour. So, soon she should have her 2 main chest tubes, 2 IV's, and oxygen left! 

Update

Caroline has settled into the CICU.  The vent was removed immediately and she has weaned down to 3 liters of oxygen.  They had a tough time starting a central line and she vaguely resembles a pincushion. She is on a couple functioning medicines and pain relief.  Our short term goals are to wean the IV drugs and get her to the step down unit. 

Update

Just talked to Doctor Kanter. He said everything went well. She has an extracardiac fenestrated Fontan and a pacemaker. He also patched her left pulmonary artery because of some narrowing. Waiting an hour while they get her up to the CICU. 

Update

She's off bypass. They're working on controlling the bleeding and placing the pacer.