Day four PCICU

A picture from last year's Christmas

The docs have weaned Errol from his cardiac meds and now his sweet little heart is working well all on its own! Unfortunately, Errol's heart is still arrhythmic, and we are hoping it will straighten itself out (as hearts often do). I'm thinking of Errol's heart right now and imagining it beating synchronously. Join me, it might just work!

In the quest for tube free Errol, the Little Man was extubated yesterday (go team!)
2 - 4 - 6 -8 Who did we just extubate! Errol! Errol! Errol!
and his sats are pretty good (for Errol - I'd be on my knees - wait, I am on my knees - I'd be passed out) but he's having a hard time breathing. We don't know if the breathing difficulty is because of pain - he's mostly off pain meds (he's tough as nails, they stick Errol for blood and he doesn't even flinch or wake up) - or if it's because of his partial lung collapse (not unusual in post-op). The docs may have to stick a chest tube in him this morning to drain off the right lung, or he may just get better. While you are sitting there with visions of synchronous hearts dancing in your head, take a second and imagine his lungs drying out. But not too much. We don't want to dehydrate the lad!

There is a ton of science up here in the PCICU but there is also a lot of art involved (knowing what to do and what not to do, when to do it, when not to do it. There are hunches, bets, guess work, hopes.) It's fascinating to watch. Most doctors try to pass their hunches off as hard science, but these Duke docs are good enough and confident enough to tell you when they don't know. We appreciate their transparency.

So, as Errol loses tubes and lines (an untethered Errol is the goal) the main problem right now is getting him to breath easier. Do your visioning homework and check back for updates.

Cary and I moved into a friend's sunny Durham garret last night. It is so comforting to be in a cozy home with shower, fridge, and stove - hot damn! We are dividing our days and nights at the hospital (1st shift: 4 am til noon; second shift: noon - together!!!!; third shift 8 pm til 4 am). We have been apart from big brother Owen since Tuesday and we miss him so. We are ecstatic that he will be joining us this afternoon - hooray! Owen's life and his Christmas dreams have been totally disrupted by this hospital stay, and we are determined to make this as fun a holiday season as possible here in sunny Durham! The snow will help!

This is a different life than we expected, but it's an exciting one and dear sweet Errol has made it so rich and deep.

Your love buoys us through these rough seas.