Sat. Day 8 Post Op-Gavin's Great! Mom's Tired!

Today was a very big day for Gavin! He is officially off all the IV meds and that meant his nasty "lines" in his armpit and his jugular (neck) could come out! I didn't realize that they had actually stitched these IV lines in! It was so unexpected to see the stitches when they took the dressings off, the way the skin pulled as the lines moved--I must say it was possibly my queasiest moment yet! So he's down to just one heplocked IV on his hand and a few gadgets attached to him (Blood pressure cuff and EKG and oxygen saturation reader). But these are nothing!

The IV "Christmas" tree. Everything is turned off!


















Bottom line is Gavin's BP is below 100 consistently, and I think they are going to move him out of ICU tomorrow! And hopefully home on Monday!

Besides watching his BP, the only other concern right now is Gavin's weight. Tonight he only weighed 11 lbs 5 oz. That means he's down a pound since this whole thing started, and that he's only 1 pound heavier than his birth weight. He's 2 1/2 inches longer, so he's kind of on the skinny side! We really do need to plump him up and make sure he's nursing aggressively enough to get the nutrition he needs! If he doesn't gain weight soon, they'll probably have me bottle feed and add a "supplement" to the milk. Whatever it takes! :)

Gavin is a total flirt with the nurses.














And me? Well. I'm getting tired! The adrenaline of the past almost two weeks is wearing off and I have been left with a nagging headache. So I've actually been taking naps in Gavin's room when he's sleeping--which has been just what I needed!

Ah yes. My wonderful visit home! I want to add a note to tell Spencer, Rachel, Levi and Elizabeth how much I love you!! I miss you so much! It was SOOOOO GREAT to have those two mornings and a bedtime and the day in between with you. Being a mom pretty much means being there for those "everyday" moments in life, and I never have appreciated them more than I do now. Thank you so much for being so brave and for your faith and prayers for "baby Gavin." We will be home for good VERY soon!

Making a leprechaun catcher with mommy. So what if it was 2 days after St. Patty's Day.















P.S. One of my good friends from my ward, Elisa Pope is now here with her son Carl as a patient! I couldn't believe it when she walked in to my room with one of those orange parent necklaces! She brought him in to check out the cause for a nagging fever and they found a blood infection probably contracted through dental work--something that people with heart "conditions" are susceptible to. This is something I'm going to have to look into for Gavin!