The Best and Worst Week – Day 4 – Unexpected Surgery

Day 4 – July 13, 2017

We met with the doctor mid-morning. She says that Andrew is still very stable for a 27-week old preemie. His pH and CO2 are still exactly where they need to be. His platelet count is good which means that we do not need to do another blood transfusion. One of the openings in his lung isn’t open completely so they have adjusted the ventilator to help open that back up. His bilirubin number is down to a 6 from 9 so they took one of the lights off but will keep two lights on him until tomorrow. His blood pressure and heart rate are looking good.

The arterial line came out last night so they are having to draw blood from his heel each time. They are going to try to just draw blood less frequently, but it’s not great because they have no access at this point. They will place a different type of IV in him next week to continue giving medication. He is hanging in there and we are loving him more and more every single day!

Pre-Surgery

I was in my hospital room attempting a little rest when I received a call from Andrew’s doctor asking me to come quickly. She said he is ok but will need emergency surgery … Lord, please don’t let this be it.

My amazing nurse, Christa, literally ran my wheelchair over to Cooks and got me there in record time. Andrew has a perforation in his intestines. They did a scan and “accidentally” found the issue. He seems stable right now, but this is definitely an emergency. His stomach is distended and doesn’t look good at all. We are praying they are able to place the drain successfully, that everything drains out, that the hole in his intestines fills in on its own, and that there are no other complications with the surgery. We are thankful to have Dr. Thomas performing the surgery. He comes highly recommended by very good friends of ours. He is kind, informative, and his faith is apparent through his communication with us.

Post-Surgery

Surgery is over and was successful! The drain has been placed and is draining everything properly. His stomach is back down to normal and they have started antibiotics for his recovery. Dr Thomas was awesome and feels very good about how it went. We appreciate all of the prayers that were being sent up to God during the surgery.

The girls are preparing to leave for Arizona to enjoy a little fun vacation with their cousins. So thankful to Laura, my sister, and Michael for showing them around their new home and taking them on lots of adventures. We have a long road ahead so this may give them a little break from all the doctors. Before leaving, the girls came for a visit. They got to hold Andrew’s hand and tell him goodbye. All three kids got to build Andrew a special puppy at the Build a Bear Workshop… thanks to my best friend, Stacey. The kids named the pup Lucky, because we are lucky to be blessed with such a sweet little boy. And, Andrew is lucky to have three siblings that love him so much.

Small Steps

The day ended on a high. I enjoyed a wonderful dinner on the patio with my mom, Stacey and Tami. Peter is taking a little break to spend time with his family at our house. And the girls are off for a fun adventure.

We are thankful for small steps in the right direction. Andrew is such a strong, amazing fighter! He is responding to his medications, ventilator changes and treatments in great ways tonight. The medical team and nurses at Harris and Cook Children’s are amazing. I have no doubt that Andrew is exactly where he is supposed to be. The staff has the perfect combination of knowledge and caring personalities.

Day 1 – Andrew is Born

Day 2 – A Positive Report

Day 3 – A Roller Coaster Ride

Day 4 – Unexpected Surgery

Day 5 – The End is Near

 

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