Sunday, April 14, 2013

All smiles and silly faces!

This is what happens when they take you off the good aka bad stuff after surgery...







Surgery Update!

Ethan is 2 days post op after having the intestinal malrotation repair, appendectomy, g/j tube, and circumcision. The malro repair was straight forward no problems there. She did say his stomach is half the normal size it should be which could explain a lot of why his reflux was SO BAD. We decided that it was best before he had surgery to put in a g/j tube so if he didn't tolerate the gastric feeds they could always switch it to the jtube which he would be fed into the jejunum or first part of the small intestine. They remove the appendix because once they position the intestines back where it should be the appendix is not in the correct place. So if he were to have appendicitis it would be difficult to diagnose.

His intestines are paralyzed from surgery and they naturally take 2-8 days to start working again. He has an NG tube to pump his stomach. He is starting to get bowel sounds and he has more drainage, which is a good sign things are starting to work. Not passing gas yet. He has been on a nurse controlled pain pump which delivers continuous pain medicine as well as frequent as needed doses. So this medication has helped with pain but it also causes things like poo to slow down!! So today they have added a strong IV anti inflammatory called toradol and his pain pump is just as needed. He's more awake and we have gotten a couple smiles and babbles. He is certainly headed in the right direction!!! We are so pleased!! We are back on the cardiac floor with nurses that know him so that is nice. Everyone has been excellent as always!!! Oh and BIG news! Ethan has been completely off oxygen since Friday night even at sleep his oxygen levels are 98-100%!!!!!! YAY ETHAN, so looks like he will be going home tube, sticker, and a tape free FACE!

So the gtube is a longer tube directly on the outside of his stomach. I think there is a small midline incision next to it but there is a dressing. In a month this long tube will be converted in the office to a "mic-key" button.

The pictures are not great of him, the one where he is awake he is SO DRUGGED!!! Hope to get some good ones up tomorrow!











Thursday, April 11, 2013

Belly Surgery!

We have a time for Ethan's belly surgery. Tomorrow at 830am!!! He will have the intestional malrotation repair and gtube. The entire surgery is supposed to take 3-4 hrs this is including anesthesia. Not sure if he will go to the ICU but I think this was the plan. He's not allowed to have anything in his belly for a couple days after surgery until his bowels start working again. We might be there for a week after surgery. Depending on how things go. I can't wait to get this tube out of his nose!!!!!!