The first night after surgery involved intense monitoring to make sure all the machines and medicines were operating at the right level. Owen was still heavily medicated and would remain that way for a little while. There were a few hiccups, both figuratively and literally, during the first night. Owen had hiccups at one point which scared Michelle and me as we watched his little body jolt up. They informed us the hiccups were perfectly normal and not to worry. That was easier said than done. Owen's heart also got out of rhythm over night and they had to use a pacemaker to get it back to the appropriate rhythm.
Owen was out the next day as well. He continued to progress and they were pleased with how he was doing. He had one run in where his blood pressure dropped a little low, but they gave him some medicine and adjusted the temperature of his bed to raise it a little bit. With the big incision on Owen's chest continuing to heal and all the tubes and wires, Owen can't be bundled up and has to lay in the open air. To keep him warm, his bed has a heat lamp over top that they turn on to keep him at a comfortable temperature. The nurses and doctors told us these were all things that happen post heart surgery and there was nothing out of the normal going on.
Things were pretty quiet in our room with Owen sleeping and Michelle and I had to entertain ourselves. We are lucky that our room is equipped with what very well may be the first Zenith tv ever made.
We've read books, watched Netflix, and brought some DVD's in to watch. We were reminded how funny The Office was during the early seasons. We have also taken the opportunity to catch up on sleep.
On Saturday, they started to ween Owen off some of the drugs and removed the big tubes from his chest that were being used for drainage of excess fluids. He also had his catheter removed and other little things were coming out. Around the middle of the day, Owen started to open his eyes. We were so excited to see them again. He was clearly still out of it, but we could tell that he recognized our voices. Owen also still had some incredible strength and was grabbing and squeezing our fingers when we touched his hands. Owen was continuing to do well and they planned to remove even more stuff on Sunday, including taking him off the Ventilator. Owen was progressing and continues to take the next step.
We have been spoiled with homemade meals from the Murphy's, the Ginocchio's, and Betsy Linz. All the food has been delicious and far more than we would have ever expected. We can't explain how grateful we are to you all for going out of your way to make these meals.
We also continue to receive wonderful cards and acts of kindness. The Kuehnle family absolutely stunned us with their kindness and generosity. The Tostados Bravados, a world class softball team, came with what I can only assume was an early recruitment pitch for Owen. The Murray's and The Thompson's sent over some delicious bee cookies that were a hit to look at and eat.
Owen also received a special gift from the Hambleton's. A superhero needs an appropriate outfit, and now Owen has his cape.
Owen continues to progress and was just taken off of the Ventilator Sunday morning. Owen handled it like a champ and it is a big step in the recovery process. The hope is that Owen will be able to have more tubes removed Monday morning and we might be able to hold him again and even start feeding. Owen is a tough little guy and he is ready to get the tubes out. He continues to fight and it is obvious he can't wait to be held again. The little warrior is living up to his name.
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