More Post Op Day 1

Sorry for the delayed additional update. We stayed with Mitchell in the ICU all day.
Since he is still requiring a lot of sedation, we have returned to the hotel for the night.

He is still having a lot of pain and requiring several sedative/pain medications. He will rest for a bit; and then start to wake up...not very happy. Severe headaches are typical after this heart procedure; this in addition to the incisional/chest tube/new G tube pain.

His heart lines were removed this morning. His oxygen saturations have been stable on nasal oxygen. The drainage from his chest tube has slowed significantly, so it may be removed tomorrow. He still has a central line in his neck, 2 lines in his upper leg, 1 in his arm; and he has pacer wires. His catheter may also be removed tomorrow.

His blood pressure continues to be a little elevated when sleeping and significantly high when he wakes up. 1 of the IV medications was stopped today; the other continues, and they have increased a routine BP medication that is given 3 times daily.

He seems to be making slow progress. It is hard to see him so irritable when he starts to wake up; we hope to see the pain improve soon. Given that his blood flow to the lungs is passive, the crying causes a quick decrease in his oxygen saturation.

We are told that he may be ready to go to the Step Down tomorrow, but we will see. For now, he definitely needs the quick intervention and medication available in the CICU.

An Upper GI was done today- we haven't seen the General Surgeon yet or gotten an official report, but the Cardiac Physician Assistant gave us a preliminary report- it looks as though his fundoplication (stomach portion wrapped around the esophagus) has passed through the diaphragm (Hiatal Hernia). It is likely that this will require surgical intervention, but we are waiting for the consult. We are hoping to get him home and recovered from this big surgery before this is necessary. We may be able to return in a month or so.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our little boy. It is such an encouragement to us.