Josiah's chest is now closed. A surgical fellow did the procedure this morning and it all went well. Tonight when I left him most of his numbers were good. His NIRS numbers are a little low but it's unclear if it's just a bad reading. His temperature also reached 37.8 degrees so he has a big bag of ice on his head. It's quite normal for the temperature to be elevated for about 24 hours after closing the chest. It sounds like they will try to start lifting the muscle relaxant tomorrow. He has been on continuous profusion of muscle relaxant since his surgery. Our nurse said he may have some shakes and a hard time coming off of the medication so please pray about that. She said I'll probably see him trying to cry but of course with his tube in he can't make any noise.
I met with the dietitian to find out more about Josiah's feeds. He is currently on very small amounts of portagen as his lymph system was nicked during his first surgery on the15th. I had mentioned before that he'll need to be on portagen for six weeks. As it turns out, those six weeks don't start until all of his drainage tubes come out of his chest. The dietitian said an OT will work with us to help with Josiah's feeding when it's time to transition off the NG tube.
It was a beautiful day today. Yesterday I decided to get some regular blood work done that my doctor had ordered a few months ago. While in the waiting room it didn't take me long to start thinking, "Why is only one nurse on?" and "Why is the wait so long?" Fortunately God gently reminded me of where my son is and of the incredible care he is receiving and how blessed I am to be able to walk into a hospital and get blood work done after only a short wait in a comfortable chair. How quickly I lose site of reality.
After Josiah's chest was closed I noticed a little wound up thread on his chest. I asked the nurse about the thread. She said that if they determine he needs more room in his chest, they can pull up the chest bone with this suspension thread which would be tied to something over top of Josiah. Thus the bones and also his skin would be pulled away from his heart without needing to open up the chest. She said it sounds and looks a little barbaric. It's usually used shortly after the closure so we're hoping Josiah won't need it now that he's already gone about 12 hours since the procedure.
It's time to pump once more before going to sleep. My milk supply seems to be decreasing a little so please pray about that as well. I spoke with another mom who had a long stay in the CCCU and she said her milk supply decreased so much that her daughter can't breastfeed now.
Thanks so much for your support, emails, comments, prayers, and verses. We appreciate them all so much! God is so faithful and He's taking care of all of our needs.
Blessings,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI'm just checking in before heading to bed. I'll be praying that Josiah has a good night and that he does not need to have his string pulled, or the chest opened again, and that his transition off the relaxants goes smoothly. And I'll pray for your milk supply, too! Thanks for keeping us updated on all the details: big and small. Good night and have a peaceful sleep.
Love~ Jenn
hello Elizabeth and Graham,
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord.
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34 v 3.
It is marvellous that Josiah's chest is now as it should be. In the name of Jesus, there is the right amount of room for his heart and lungs to work perfectly, as Josiah's temperature is normal and as the muscle relaxant is gradually reduced, Josiah's body gently adapts.
In the name of Jesus, Elizabeth your breast milk supply will always be sufficient for Josiah's needs and you are looking forward to having him in your arms and breast feeding him when the time is right. Keep drinking plenty of water and be kind to yourself. Have walks and sit outside sometimes thinking pleasant thoughts.
Love from your Auntie Julia.