Plication Post-Op!

Job's plication went "exceptionally" well. He is even already extubated (off the ventilator)!! Because they gave him a localized nerve block, his sedation and pain meds were hardly increased, although he did have to restart milrinone (his heart med). He will probably be able to get his chest drainage tube out tomorrow.

I was incredibly discouraged and just really sad when we got the news he needed this surgery, because it felt like such a big set back (and it is). But walking into his room after the surgery it was immediately evident, even to my untrained eye, that his color was improved (he's pink again!), his breathing was less labored, and his renal NIRS (measuring the profusion of blood to his kidneys) were the highest I have ever seen them. I guess it just gave me immediate reassurance that this was a very necessary procedure and that it's already proving effective.

This surgery definitely requires several days of healing before we will definitively know how helpful it is in terms of weaning him off the CPAP, but all signs are hopeful!

Since Job will be sedated for the rest of the day we're leaving the hospital to go celebrate Ezra's fifth birthday.