2022.05.31 - Post Op D5

Maaaaaaan, we slept GREAT last night!  Everybody.  They loaded Cannon up with pain meds, plus his pain was greatly reduced by "something" they removed yesterday.  Cannon couldn't tell what it was, but you could tell he was feeling much better.  Pain levels had been at 7-8, but by bedtime last night he was at 2-3.  I never saw his eyes opened all night long, not that my eyes were open as often as the previous few nights.

This morning, the LAST chest tube came out, in addition to all but two IV ports!  There's not even anything going into the IV ports, but the ICU nurses like to keep access to his veins just in case they need in.  We don't think they'll need them at all.

So far this morning, we started at about 7 with the standard and obligatory X-ray.  Then nurse Jennifer Barr came in and took out the chest tube, heart probes, and JP line in his groin.  We went for a walk, had OT and PT stop by and teach him how to get dressed and shower (which are tricky tasks now).  It's hard to explain how eager he was to get a shower.  Don't tell him, but he smelled pretty bad!  He sweats like his daddy (mommies don't sweat), and he's been sweating a lot in his hospital bed.

The nurses have taken seriously to his bed sores.  I didn't know how serious bed sores are!  Our nurse has seen bed sores go so deep as to expose organs.  There's also laws/rules/policies in place governing the care of bed sores... they're required to patch them, and then sign and date the patches.

We have an echo coming up this afternoon which will be interesting.  We should see:

• More flow through the new conduit.
• Blood actually progressing properly through the heart, with the appropriate start/stop
• Since 2018, he's been "missing" a pulmonary valve.  It was stented open to try to increase flow for his growing body.
• A reading of the pressure through this mitral valve
• We'll get a reading a rest, but the real concern here is the pressure under stress.  Both with and without the beta-blockers.

For the rest of Cannon's life, he'll likely be on beta-blockers and aspirin.

• The aspirin will prevent the new conduit and valve from calcifying as quickly.
• The beta-blockers will clip the upper range of his heart rate to prevent it from going into "rocket" mode.  This will ease the pressure (read stress) at the mitral valve and prolong the heart muscle as long as possible.  Prayerfully, for a full and long life!  But who can extend his life by even an hour by worrying?  All this is in God's hands.

Cannon's appetite is back in full swing.  He attacked a biscuit and gravy this morning (with bacon), and for lunch he just polished off some of Nana's "airplanes" (a family-favorite of roast and noodles).

Gonna post pics to a separate posting... we gotta run get a special x-ray.