Feb 14, 1:50 pm, Out and doing well...I guess

Oh my, thank you for the comments on this morning post. The support is overwhelming! It has been emotional just reading the comments.  That was truly an emotional and life changing event for Stacy and I. What a blessing to witness that and have such a spiritual experience.

Lindsey finally came out and ready for visitors (Mom and Dad) at 10:00 am. It was several hours later than usual, not because of Lindsey, but the donor procurement process was again delayed.  I learned from the doctors there are basically 3 'breaks' during a transplant surgery. 1st, they prepare Lindsey's IV lines, heart/lung bypass, ventilator, and body but do not open her up, until the procurement team has seen the heart.  Once the team as visually seen the donor heart and have giving the go ahead, they move to the 2nd phase. They begin to open her up and prepare for transplant. The procurement team finishes and begins traveling back to LPCH. At phase 3, Dr Katz receives the call that the heart is in the elevator. At that time they begin to cut out her old heart and prepare for transplant. Each one of those phases there were breaks in the surgery. In her case some of the breaks lasted between a half hour to an hour, all depending on the status of the donor heart.   As we know, we saw the heart go on the elevator at 5:50 am and the call was made.  I didn't hear what was said, but phone calls were being made.

She had a little bleeding after transplant, but no real concerns they are telling me about.  She looks great I guess, 8 IV's, 2 chest tubes, 4 IV points, blood products, a ventilator, tracing wires, heart monitors, and of course the foley catheter. This is all standard and 'should' be weened off fairly quickly. They are even talking of letting her start waking up and taking the vent out this afternoon. Stacy and I were thinking Lindsey would be on the vent and maybe we could both sleep at the RMH, but this would be even better! 

Regarding the chin hair. There will be a ceremony on 3 West at 7:00 pm during shift change. Lindsey will have the scissors in hand and cut it down like the basketball nets after winning the state finals!

As for Sierra, I am sitting here with her 4 rooms down from Lindsey. She is eating, doing some homework, and acting great.  They want to move her to 3 West, but as always there is not rooms available. We are wishing we would have procrastinated cleaning up our Room 3241. The issue with Sierra is her heart pressures (not blood pressure). They want the heart pressure in the 7-9 range. Last month it was a 13. This time it was a 30! That is what has her landed in the CVICU.  They were hoping it was raging rejection, because they know how to treat that. But her rejection was only a 1B. So now they are looking closer at the antibody rejection. If it is worse even with the IVIG, then they will talk about plasma pheresis and other rejection therapies. If it is not that, then maybe the coronary arteries or fluid around the heart. Just have to see.

Couple of interesting stats for Lindsey we have learned about. 1) She is the 300th transplant from LPCH.  2) In 3 days she would have set the record for being on the Berlin the longest here at LPCH. The record for thee longest Berlin is a child in Europe that waited 3 YEARS in the hospital. Thank goodness no records here. 3) Yesterday, the policy was passed by the committee to allow parents to take Berlin patience on walks, school, Sobrato room, etc, without a nurse! It goes to the Board for final approval in 2 weeks. The policy was inspired 100% by the Princess.  Ironic we will never use it (for now).

This morning Mary Ellis, the Berlin specialist, took us down and showed us a Thorateck machine. This was the machine Sierra was scheduled to go on the next day before she received the heart. It's a monster of a machine. Thank goodness for the Berlin!

So there you go. Stacy went home to shower and take a nap. I am here with Sierra and Lindsey. It will get really exciting when Linds starts waking up.  By the way, Megan had a good basketball game yesterday.

 May look the same as July 1, but much different! She looks GREAT! Watch and see how the next 24 hours go!

 IV's and vent

My beautiful wife after a long couple of nights.

Yes we are wearing the same clothes.