One Day Post-Op

 Greetings, Those of You Who Love Us  -

Thank you for loving us!  Today's report is two-fold:

For the first part of the day, DJ did swimmingly.  The surgeon stopped by at 9:00 am, took a look at him, and declared that the chest tube could come out and that DJ could be moved from the ICU to the hospital floor.  Hooray!  DJ rested quietly on and off and was increasingly alert; his color was good, his vital signs were fantastically stable, and he seemed to be making great improvement.  Before noon the chest tube was removed and he took a walk - a small feat in itself, since it took the nurse 10 minutes to prepare the spiderweb of tubes and catheters and monitors and IV's that proceed from every which way of his body.  He smiled, he made jokes, and he also ate a lot of jello.

This photo shows the contraption that siphoned the gunk out of  DJ's non-lung space, through the tube that had been between his ribs and poked through his skin into the chest cavity.  We are happy that it has been removed.

This photo shows the PA removing DJ's chest tube.

The pain management team decided that DJ should be weaned from the epidural; but when that began to happen after lunchtime, his pain increased rapidly and he became more and more restless and uncomfortable.  It was a distinct downturn of events; but perhaps it is something like "Two steps forward, one step back"?  Bless the heart of DJ 's nurse - she worked so diligently and with such care in pursuit of a good cocktail of pain medicines, both intravenous as well as oral, that could possibly suppress DJ's pain.  This all began just about the time that DJ's parents came to visit, so they didn't see him in as perky a manner as I experienced him earlier in the day.


Since he was still hurting significantly, and since one of the meds being administered to him is not given in the Step-Down Unit of the hospital, it was determined that he should remain in the ICU another night.  I am glad for that; I surely hope that the medicines are taking effect such that he is sleeping peacefully, and that he will continue to do so for many hours through the night.  I pray that his cells are regenerating and that every hour is bringing healing and that he is sensing the presence of Jesus in spite of the discomfort.

(I am not allowed sleep-over privileges in the ICU, and visiting hours end at 7:00 p.m.  I am accommodated nearby at the home of the family of a friend; and although I prefer to be at DJ's side, it is very good for my own health and well-being to be well-rested through the night and free from the hospital noises.  "A happy wife is a happy life", perhaps?  :-)

This photo shows my hand holding DJ's hand.
I love him.

I eagerly expect that tomorrow DJ will awaken rested and refreshed, and that as each hour passes he will continue steadily in an upward motion towards a full recovery!

Thank you so very much for your outpouring of love and kindness and generosity and support for DJ and for our family.  You are part of our success!

The end, for now, xoxoxoxo from HollyB

PS - the children are doing just fine, it seems, in the care of Auntie Rae for these past 2 days, and now Auntie Shannon has joined the party.  Hooray for the aunties!

This photo shows that Brooke, Alex and Caedmon are happy that Sweet Pea has come to visit

The end, as off to Slumber Land I go!  :-)