Post-op Day 2

Nate continues to do fantastic! He walked part way to the play room last night and played for a while.

Walking really hurts, so he is NOT happy to do it, but it's good for him so we smile and cheer him on. Part of the pain of walking right now is the chest tube. It really isn't draining anything anymore, and hasn't all day, so it should come out tomorrow. He was also able to start a full liquid diet yesterday afternoon, instead of just clear liquids which allowed him to drink his favorite drink of all time...milk!

 

 

Last night, he was talking on Skype to Grandma and Linde and they asked how he was feeling. He said, "My tummy hurts, I can't go home". Then he said, "My tummy got cut in half when I was sleeping". Oh my gosh!! The poor kid! Really, what must he think of all this?! We tried to explain what was going to happen, but he isn't even 3 yet, how could he possibly understand it.  I just hope he doesn't become afraid to go to sleep.  I already know it's going to be rough getting him to sleep in his own room when we get home, because he has had so many days now with me and/or Chris in the room with him.

Last night, he spiked another fever that never really went away.  They ended up starting him on an antibiotic.  I guess they usually give an antibiotic for 24 hours after surgery and never started Nate on one.  They also took some blood cultures but we haven't heard anything in regard to those yet.

This morning he got up and had a waffle, 3 cartons of milk, and a Gogurt.  I got him up and walking and he and I played in the play room for 2 hours while Daddy went back to the Ronald McDonald House and showered.  I kept asking him if he wanted to leave the play room and he didn't.  He was having too much fun.

Last night, before he was allowed to eat food, he requested McDonalds, after seeing a commercial.  The poor kid was probably thinking, "We've been staying at McDonald's house for several days now and the guy hasn't even given me a Happy Meal!"  So, Daddy brought him a Happy Meal for lunch.  He ate all his apples, one nugget, most of his milk and most of a Danimal smoothie.  He then requested more McDonalds for dinner (more McDonalds in one day then I usually let him eat in several months) and got a Baskin Robbins milk shake for dessert.

I know you wanted to know this, but Nate has also pooped a couple times today.  This is all great stuff when you're talking about being released from the hospital.  He has been fighting a little fever, since surgery and also a racing heart rate.  His heart rate runs a little on the high side normally, but it hasn't been under 150 since surgery, which is pretty high.  A high heart rate is usually due to pain (check), fever (check) or a fluid imbalance.  We've been trying to keep his pain and fever under control but the heart rate hasn't been dropping.  Right now, as I type this, I've been watching his heart rate drop.  It's now down to 126 and he doesn't feel warm to me at all (the nurse will come in soon to get the official temperature).  I also asked him if he wanted me to push his button (pain medicine button) before he went to bed and he said, "no".  I'm hoping this is all an indication the his fever is gone for good and his pain is subsiding a bit.

We walked to, and played in the play room again tonight, right before his milk shake and bed time.  He cried a lot on the way there, but barely complained on the way back.  Such a strong boy.  I'll check with the doctor in the morning to see how much longer they think they'll keep him.  Once the chest tube is out...he's eating, walking and pooping.  As long as the fever stays away, I can't imagine they'd need to keep him a whole lot longer.