More mixed news

Gabe had another great night. All blood gas results remain good and they weaned his rate on the ventilator a little more. His potassium was a little low again, but that happens with lasix. The left chest tube is still barely putting out any fluid, which the doctors are now starting to say is a good sign that the pleuradesis worked (they said pretty much no matter what happened over the weekend, either increased or decreased output, they wouldn't feel comfortable making any predictions about whether or not it worked for three to seven days). Unfortunately the right chest tube has not slowed down any, so they are tentatively discussing a right pleuradesis in the OR for Wednesday. I hate to see him go down to the OR yet again, but Dr. Little said this morning that if the left side worked, it is an encouraging sign that the procedure on the right side should also work. So in that light, if he needs it, then better sooner rather than later.

I was sitting at the bedside this morning talking to Marcia (scroll down for her picture) and she continued to confirm, as others have, just how serious that first week was. She was monitoring his blood gas levels during surgery and had a front row seat. She said she saw his little heart beating in his chest when he was open. We were talking about the Morgagni's hernias (almost like a bilateral hernia, as mentioned previously) and how rare they are. I asked her if she had seen any before. She hesitated, and then answered that she had not seen many here, and Gabriel was the first she had seen survive (at this hospital, anyway). I told her we could feel the seriousness and tension in the room the morning of his surgery as everyone was busy getting ready and she simply nodded and then told me it was an emotional day for everyone involved. She has seen Dr. Rouse and Dr. Little work together many times and it was as serious and meticulous as she had ever seen them. Everyone in the room that day was amazed at how well it went, particularly that there was virtually no blood lost. Apparently Dr. Little was taking pictures with his digital camera during surgery, b/c what they were witnessing was so rare. He mentioned during surgery that he had seen one other Morgagni's hernia at the hospital he had been at previously and that child was now 3 years old. More proof that we are so fortunate to be where we are and what good hands we have serving little Gabriel (actually, he's still a bit water logged and VERY heavy to help move!).