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!

Gavin is in NICU--He Needs Heart Surgery!

I can not believe I am here, at Children's in Seattle, with Gavin. Yesterday I took him for a well-child 2 month old checkup. The doctor heard a heart murmur and ordered an X-ray at Valley Hospital. By the time I returned home from that x-ray apptmt, and picking up kids from their playdates, Tim met me in the driveway and told me that doctor had called him (my cell phone was dead)--we had to take Gavin to the ER at Children's immediately. Wow. Gavin looked fine. He's had a cold for 3 weeks, and granted, he's had a funny way of breathing, but he's been thriving, is alert, everything. He didn't act he was in critically compromised health. Dr. Chan's words to Tim were: "I've called ahead to the ER at Children's. They are waiting for you. You need to find your wife."

I took the news in stride. Talking with the kids, gathering them for a prayer, as I processed this in my mind. It wasn't until calling people and verbalizing "I'm taking Gavin to the hospital" that I broke down.

The X-ray had shown that his heart was enlarged (a big sign of a problem, of the heart over-working because of a problem) and that there was fluid in his lungs.

The bottom line is, Gavin is going to be OK. They called in specialists and did an ECHO right there in the ER. The cardiologist has diagnosed him with a Coarctation of the Aorta. Basically, there is a kink in the artery that is seriously impeding the flow of blood to his extremities. Luckily, the blood flow to his brain has been fine. What has kept him alive and thriving, is the simple blessing that the PDA (artery that delivers blood from mom to baby in utero) did not fully close. The blood that was blocked in his aorta took a detour through that PDA artery and then back into the aorta and on through the body.

The surgery he needs will involve cutting away the section of the aorta with the kink and bringing the two ends together. The surgery should be done through an incision in his left side--moving some ribs aside, should give them complete access to the aorta. He should fully recover. His heart is enlarged right now, because it is having to pump extra hard to get the blood around the kink. After surgery, his heart won't havt to work so hard, the tissue will shrink back to normal, which will allow the fluid in his lungs to clear up. This is how I understand the facts at this point.

Gavin spent the night in the NICU. I slept for a few hours in a sleep room. They arent' letting him nurse. I can't bear to deny him. It is a terrible thing. But so far he has been exhausted enough not to fight it--he was sleeping when I woke up this morning. So I went to breakfast. They will page me when he wakes up. They don't want him to nurse, because he is on a medication to keep the fetal artery open, and they don't know if because of lack of bloodflow, if his stomach lining has been compromised. It's possible his stomach can't tolerate the medicine and the food. Doctors have also noted, and been concerned that he's only gained 2 lbs since birth (he now weighs 12 lbs 6 oz). He's never been a voracious eater--that could be because of the amount of effort it took him to eat and keep oxygenated. The medicine he's on, should make the blook flow more easily, giving him extra strength and rest before his surger.

I can't believe we are here. Gavin is in the same wing of the hospital that his cousin, Mia was in until just a few weeks ago--with a heart condition of his own. It has been a comfort to have Mimi and John's support and advice. They know the ropes around here better than anybody ever should. (For those that don't know, my niece Mia received a heart transplant here at Children's in November. Their story is at www.mcdonaldfam.blogspot.com.)

We are waiting for the doctor to visit Gavin. They will tell us when his surgery will be. I'm expecting it will be within the next 7 days. I am hoping it will be ASAP, especially if he is not going to be able to eat. Thank you for all your prayers and support for us here, and for the kids at home. Thank you for wonderful family, friends and visiting teachers. We will keep the blog posted with any updates--as it is the fastest way to reach all of you.
Love,
Gavin's Mom and Dad