Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The CICU

6:O7 AM. Well after a huge day yesterday, today is a fresh start, and we are happy to report that Logan is doing great. His breathing is doing really good, in fact, and if his blood weren't slightly acidic now (something that's completely normal after surgery), then they would have already pulled him off the ventilator and had his breathing tubes removed. This will more than likely happen later today. (Our nurse said this is remarkable for the day after surgery). Logan had two drain tubes installed during the surgery that help his body remove excess fluid from his void spaces and lungs. This morning they are collecting less fluid and the fluids are running more clear (again, great news). Logan is currently on a few different medications (morphine, tylenol, dopamine, and lasik), again, all part of the procedure. He looks great, given what he's been through, but we can't wait to get his breathing tubes out. He isn't as swollen as I'd expected him to be, and his coloring looks good. We should be able to hold him today too, which we've been yearning to do. Yesterday they had to give him quite a bit of fluids, because his blood pressure was a bit low. Normally after heart surgery, your heart will "sag." What this means is that 6-8 hours post surgery the heart has its hardest time recovering, but that's what the CICU is for. The drugs they've given him help his heart contract more, in essence loosening it up. Remember, Logan's exterior wall of the heart had become thicker (since the heart is a muscle and it was working extra hard to get him oxygen), and so also more stiff. Now that he has 4 separate chambers in his heart, like we all do, his heart has to figure a way to pump to get all of the blood going where it should. I can't tell you what it's like to look up at his vitals and see his oxygen in the high 90's! No more tet spells for Logan (not that he's had any, but now that risk is over!) We'll get some pictures out later today as well.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for all of the updates. We are so happy that he is doing well. We are thinking of you guys.

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