Owen is Extubated! At around 4:30, we tried to wake him up and pulled the tube. He was on regular flow cannula at 4 liters. We brushed his teeth and cleaned his mouth for him.
Then he showed us his best sleepy smile. This has been the most awake we've seen him.
Then he was back to sleep. We tried to sit him up and blow bubbles. He just slept. We tried to get him to cough to help wake up his lungs and he gave us two big coughs before going back to sleep. He has been so sweet and brave. He can hardly keep his eyes open. He is less than 24 hours out of surgery, and he had a very long operation and spent many hours on bypass. Baby steps. I'm still amazed that he is doing so well!
Since he's sound asleep and only wakes up every once in a while to ask for something, we have his bed on pulsing therapies to do a little work for him. He loves it so much!!
Owen was too sleepy to keep his sats up and his sats on his blood gasses came back a little low, so we switched him from 4 liters of regular flow oxygen to 10 liters of high flow. It was just what he needed. He is resting soundly, his blood gasses are perfect and everything else looks good.
He is currently finished another vibrating session and he's looking as good as can be expected. Prayers are being answered.
11 comments:
I had hoped these pictures would come today! He looks so good. I will continue to pray for him and am glad to see he is so peaceful.
Carolyn (in Las Vegas)
Words cant describe the joy in our hearts. That is a special heart, Owen is blessed. Praise Jesus. Owen is a fighter with an awesome smile.
Praying for your little super hero!
And for his great parents and big sis! You have a precious gift, thanks for sharing his story! God and doctors are an amazing team!
I keep checking the website hourly. So excited and elated to see him doing so well. Continued prayers and good wishes s we my your way
So happy to read that he's doing so well. Prayers are being answered!!!
You are THE most positive person I have ever met! I'm so glad things are going good and I pray things continue to improve!!
I love him! He is just the sweetest! So many prayers continue for this precious boy!
There are so many praying for your brave family. My heart is happy. Sending prayers for YOUR strength as well!
Blessings,
Judy
he looks so great and is so brave! Continuing to pray for his recovery. He looks so pink.
Monday, November 28, 2011
A Walking Time Bomb
Those of you who enjoy this blog I apologize for taking a rather long break from sharing my thoughts on life.
Photo: My 2nd annual cardiac catheterization and biopsy test
Ever since I was given a second chance it feels as though time has sped up. I'm not any busier than I was before, but maybe it's that I understand now more than ever how fragile our time here on earth is.
On the downside, I often feel like a walking time bomb with only so many years ahead of me.
Photo: My daughter Eden making a scary Halloween face. She loves the Halloween holiday.
Transplanted hearts usually don't last beyond 10-20 years because your body fights the DNA of that heart like a virus. But transplant medicines are strong. Each has some side effects. These side effects are different in each person. The doctors will try to give you medicine that has the fewest side effects for you.
The biggest problem with any of the transplant medicines is that they make it hard for your body to fight off infections. Also, transplant medicines can make you more likely to get some types of cancer, mostly cancer of the lymph glands and skin cancers.
Doctors will try very hard to make sure your body gets enough transplant medicine to keep your new heart healthy. At the same time, they will try to keep you from having infections and getting cancer.
Photo: With Lynnette on Lake Cuomo in Italy during our fall tour.
Chances for me of receiving a 2nd donor heart is even more challenging that getting the first one. I hadn’t counted on the possibly until this past week when I received peaceful assurance for my own future.
Seven years ago, my neighbor's son Kenny received a heart transplant. However, over the past several months his donor heart was failing. Only 20% of Kenny's donor heart was functioning. Depressed and discouraged, the family was told there was nothing doctors could do for him. He was too sick to be listed for a heart transplant.
However, this didn't stop the family and the doctors from trying. They’d lost their mother recently and with all the faith the father could muster he put his faith in a loving God and hoped for a good outcome for his son.
Eventually, Kenny began to get some strength. Last Tuesday doctors made the decision to list him. He was approved and less than a week later he received his 2nd donor heart. This is a rather unusual event especially for someone with the most popular form of blood type, O.
Photo: At the leaning tower in Italy during our fall tour.
Grateful for Kenny’s new life, I continue to enjoy my own donor heart. I think about my donor every day. I often feel he’s close by. I pray I may live worthy of the miracle I received from my donor and from our Creator. Through the knowledge and wisdom of doctors, the Lord has given me more time.
Every minute of every hour in life, matters. What you do with your time matters. This holiday season; make the moments in the lives of those you love matter.
Posted by Paul Cardall at 2:36 PM
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Congenital Heart Defects | AHA
Adult Congenital Heart Association
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Saving Tiny Hearts Society | Research
Intermountain Healing Hearts
It's My Heart
Averi Budde Foundation for CHD
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Paul Cardall Family Foundation for Congenital Disorders
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“Nothing that I can do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my voice I can help the greatest of all causes - goodwill among men and peace on earth.”
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Paul Cardall
Award winning pianist, producer, author, and speaker lives with his wife Lynnette and daughter Eden in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sending many prayers and love and hugs from Salt Lake City!
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