Day 6 - Monday

Jace hasn't felt as well today.  His color is not as good this morning.  He has dark circles under his eyes and they look sunken back in his head.  He looks like he is beginning to get dehydrated.

During rounds this morning, they decided to stop his miralax and one of the diuretics to see if that would help.  They also said they would check on his ear since he acts like it is hurting.  The cardiologist said he didn't think that the chest tubes were quite ready to come out yet.

The resident doctor came in to check on Jace's ear.  She said it looked red so she asked another one of the doctors to look at it.  She said it has fluid on it, but it doesn't look like an infection.  The fluid is causing pressure and that is what is making him uncomfortable.  The pain medicine should help with it.  They are going to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't go into an infection.

We started him back on bolus feeds today.  He has had some gagging at times, but overall has done well with it.  He drank a lot more water today and that seems to have helped.  His color is looking better and his eyes seem better.

At 3:00, the nurse came in with morphine.  She said they were getting ready to pull one of the chest tubes. Kelly, with the surgery team, came in to look at him.  She decided to first pull the pacer wires and monitor him for an hour.  If his blood pressure does okay and he doesn't have more drainage, then she will take them out.

At 4:30, a charge nurse did a CPR class for the parents on our floor.  We did this before we left after the 1st surgery.  Since it has been 2 years and Jace is much bigger now, we thought it might be a good idea for us to go.  I feel better knowing what to do, but I sure hope I never have to use it.

About 6:00 they came in and gave Jace some morphine because they were about ready to pull his tubes.  Jamie and I stayed in the room to help hold him.  He did much better than I thought he would.  I think he did much better than I would have done.  I couldn't believe how long that tube was when it came out.  I told Kelly that I thought Dr. Bichell must have had it wrapped around Jace several times.  He should start feeling much better now that the tubes are out.  They will watch him for a day or two to make sure he is not retaining fluid and if not then we should get to go home.

No more tubes!!!!!

Shew!! I need a drink after that ordeal!



Getting weighed tonight was much easier without those tubes.