The bad news is we are not going home YET. It looks like Monday. Thursday morning Ethan had developped quite a bit of fluid in his right pleural space. It was back! He was breathing a bit harder, but it wasn't bothering him as much as usual. They put him on IV diuretics for 24 hours and this morning it was GONE! This is the great news. Ethan has never been able to get rid of an effusion on his own. They always would try diuretics prior to a new chest tube and it never worked before. But this time it did. His little body is learning to compensate better and he is managing the problem. To me that is GREAT news. I was expecting a chest tube this morning. I was shocked to hear the good news. Now we need another day or two with no fluid build up and we can go Monday morning. I was begging for Sunday but the policy around here is that they don't discharge such "complex" babies on weekends.
Whether it happens Monday or not, we are close. . . He has overcome soooo much in his first 6 weeks of life.
Love and Thanks-
Heidi
5 comments:
Fingers crossed that he can go home on Monday! He is such a fighter!
I am so glad the diuretics worked! What a blessing. It's a wonderful thing when medicine can resolve what previously required invasive interventions. Go Ethan, keep up the good work little guy!
We were down the hall from you at St. Joseph's with our little girl London. I found your blog on Lewis' page. I'm happy to see that Ethan is progressing!! He is a cutie! I'm praying for your family that you'll be able to take him home soon! It's the best feeling in the world to finally be home! You are in our thoughts and prayers!
Hello - I've just stumbled across your blog, and thought I would drop you a line! I'm so glad that Ethan seems to have turned the corner as far as the chylothorax is concerned, and I am hoping that you are all back home together very soon! It is a sweet relief to step off the hospital rollercoaster - even if it's only for a month or two while you wait for the Glenn! My son, Charlie, will be six in November, and he has HLHS. He has had the first two surgeries, and should be having the third in the next 6-12 months or so. We live in the UK, and the Fontan tends to be done a little later over here than it is in the US. Charlie has his own blog at http://charlieturner.blogspot.com if you'd like to have a look and see what he's up to - I remember how much it encouraged me to see older HLHS children doing well when Charlie was tiny! I will keep checking in on your blog, and will keep your whole family (especially little Ethan) in my prayers. Hoping you are all back home VERY soon! With love, Alison x
Hi Heidi and family--Just wanted to say that I love you and that you all are always in our prayers!! Hope you have a great birthday, Heidi, and that Ethan gets to go home tomorrow !! What a beautiful baby boy!! What a beautiful family!!Love, Kathy(Sandi's mom)
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