Skip to main content

Topic of the day - Chest tubes

Well I wish I had better news in regards to Masons chest tube drainage but unfortuntely I do not...
Yesterday's total drainage was significantly down (138cc) however today we are already at 230cc (drainage) and the "day" or 24 hour collection period does not end until 6am tomorrow morning. So we are going to have another high drainage day. (Dis-like / discourgaging / bad news - choose any other word you would like to describe and insert here_____)

Some good news is that they did not put back in an IV port(Thank goodness) and tomorrow morning he will have his left chest tube taken out. This could have happened today however we felt it would be best if he was sedated so he can not eat for 6 hours prior to the procedure. Thus the reason for this happening tomorrow AM vs. this afternoon. (Who wants to sit with a hungry 3 year old? Not us).
This is a huge step in the right direction but I am finding it hard to celebrate when we still have one large obstacle to overcome (Right chest tube drainage).

Tonight (thanks to my in-laws) Greg and I were able to escape and go have dinner with my family. It was nice to get out and to feel "somewhat" normal again but of course it is not the same with out Mason with us.

Did he miss us NO - I think he needed a break from us as much as we needed a break from this place... So even though I was hestitate to leave it worked out for all of us.

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

Comments

Katie said…
Hoping the drainage has decreased or even stopped :) It is so frustrating...hang in there. So happy Mason is doing great, he's sure a cutie!

Popular posts from this blog

Making Progress

Greetings from Seattle Children's, We are happy to inform everyone that Mason is doing very well and has been moved out of ICU and over to, "the floor." This is a good sign that he is recovering on schedule and should be just a few days away from going home. He orginally had three or four I.V.'s in and is now down to one, which included the removal of the main one in his neck. Kelsey and I were looking forward to that one being removed. He still has two drainage tubes in his chest which we would like to have had out already but the Dr.'s are being cautious because he drained a little more blood than normal his first day after surgery. The plan is to have those taken out tomorrow which will make him feel even better. He is waking up on occasion but isn't quite up for smiling yet...understandably. Kelsey and I just want to hold him and make him feel better but unfortunately he seems to become more uncomfortable when we do, so we try not to be too selfi...

Welcome to HOLLAND

It was time to start collecting all of the information needed to schedule and prepare for Mason’s Fontan Surgery. So last Friday – Mason went in for his Cardiac Catheterization. (Defined below) Cardiac Catheterization (Heart Cath) is the insertation of a catheter into a chamber or Vessel of the heart. This is done for both investigational and intervention purposes. Subsets of this technique are mainly coronary catheterization, involving the catheterization of coronary arteries, and catheterization of cardiac cambers and valves. (Did you get all of that?!?!?) When we arrived at Seattle Children’s Hospital– Greg was busy checking us in and I sat with Mason in the Surgery Center waiting area. Mason and I talked, I kissed him, I played with him… I pulled out all the stops so that he would not remember that he hadn’t eaten in 12 hours and that he was at his least favorite place – Children’s Hospital. During some point of my “operation distract Mason” I noticed you staring at us from acr...

To our moms (plural)

To my Mom… You might not always feel needed but you are. You raised two strong women. Who work hard, and try to play harder (at least one of us, I will let the readers decide who I am referring to).   You provided us with a childhood I dream to provide my kids with.   You showed us through experiences a taste of what this life has to offer. You are an amazing mom. AND an exceptional Nana.   To my Step-Mom… I don’t know this to be factual but I imagine that being a Step – Mom is somewhat harder… At least maybe to the two young girls below…. Joyce, you showed us a different side to unconditional love. You choose to stay and stand your ground. Even when you didn’t have to. Even when we fought back. The two women you helped raised are thankful for that! To my Mother in Law. You raised a man who is the best person I know.   (Side note. Mason just a...