He's awake and letting everyone know it

 

I am not sure the doctors and nurses really expected the feisty little Tiernan that showed up today. 

Now that his chest is closed, it is more acceptable for him to be awake.  The problem is that he is struggling to understand what is going on.  He knows he's mad though. 

 

The good news is that his spirit, the thing that makes him my Tiernan is still there.  To someone who hasn't experienced having their child go through something like heart surgery (where the understanding of how longer bypass runs affect the brain is relatively still unknown) this may seem a little dramatic.  But I can say this.  I have not cried much at all throughout  this experience, but the reassurance that he is still him? That got me.

 

With the breathing tube still in, he can't talk, which is frustrating to him, but he will clearly respond with a nod or a shake of his head to signal yes or no to things.  It is just a bit like playing 20 questions. 

 

Do you have owies?

 

No.

 

Are you mad?

 

Yes.

 

Do you want me to play some music?

 

Yes.

 

(start playing Everything is Awesome)  Agitation.

 

Do you want me to turn it off?

 

Yes. 

 

(Because he is not feeling like everything is awesome right now, I'm sure.)

 

(he lifts his arms)

Do you want us to pick you up?

 

Emphatic YES!

 

We can't do that right now.  Do you want us to move you up?

 

Yes.

 

You get the idea.  The kid still knows what he wants and he won't settle for anything less.

 



 

I think this picture speaks volumes.  That little lip.

 

 

Other events of the day:

 

ROUNDS:

 

Everyone is pretty happy with his progress.  The Kidneys have decided to forgive and forget.  His creatinine was down to 1 this morning.  That is super!  He is doing well with the peeing and getting some diuretic support, so they decided to pull the Foley catheter.  YAY!

 

His LAP was down to SIX!!!!! today.  It has gone up again from all the awake and annoyed time he had, but it had gotten to SIX!

 

Everything suggests heart function continues to look great, even if it isn't without support at times. 

 

They started him on NG feeds to his tummy.  Very low rate, only 5 mLs per hour, but I'm glad they are starting to stimulate his gut.

 

His Left upper Lobe and Right lower lobe in his lungs are a bit collapsed.  So today he started his treatments with his RT.  (Respiratory Therapist).  This involves Albuterol and Mecumist in the vent and suctioning.  He was pretty much awake through all of the suctioning today and seems to be learning not to bite down on the tube when they do it.  They have pulled out some pretty awesome luggies (yes, that is the correct spelling for this incredibly legit medical term) from his lungs.  He is working on coughing and that has helped too.  He is handling the suctioning really well.  He doesn't like it, mind you, but he is tolerating it and recovering from being mad pretty quickly. 

I'm really proud of my big brave boy. 

 

At this point he has finally succumbed to the 2 doses of versed and 1 dose of morphine that he got over the course of 90 minutes and is sleeping very soundly.  I am sure that last night was indeed the last night of decent sleep we will see for awhile.  Pray for us. 

 

Tiernan has been receiving so many lovely cards and gifts already.  Thank you all!  I am pretty sure he was looking at all his Greeting Cards on the window when he was awake today. 

 

On that note, if you are struggling to find that link on my blog post, the words "Greeting Card" are a hot link directly to that part of the Packard website.  If you are looking at it on your phone, then you are probably seeing it in the mobile view.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you should see "View Full Site".  If you click that it will take you to the web version where you should be able to see the color change on the link if you hover at those words. 



 

This little cutie came from one of Tiernan's "girlfriends" at preschool, Vivienne.  When he woke up during  RT, we showed him the elephant and told him who sent it.  He immediately reached out and grabbed it and pulled it toward him.  He snuggled it to him and fell asleep.  Thank you Vivi!!!!

 

That red thing is a stuffed Heart Cell!  Hahahahah!  That came from my sister's friend Jenner.  I think it is amazing.  Although, I am pretty sure it is upside down, and the doctors here are not convinced that it is really a true representation of a heart cell.  Whatever.  That thing is rad.

 



This is Fred.  He is Tiernan's dolphin.  He was really happy to see him today.