Post-op Recovery Stinks!!!

Jaime's had such an eventful day! He was awaken (not really, he's still sedated and paralyzed) by a chest x-ray. This is a routine thing for most of these "critical" CDH babies. Anyway, just like day of life 24, Jaime didn't tolerate being moved, desatted down into the teens, turned blue and had to get bagged. It took him a while to recover from this episode, but eventually, he did. Today's chest x-ray showed that the ET tube was in too far and that the left lung (his good lung) was now collapsed. However the right lung looked better...go figure!
His sedation and pain meds were increased and another x-ray was taken to check the ET tube placement. It was better, but the left lung still was collapsed. By 2:00 P.M. he had another chest x-ray, that looked better, but not great. He was getting more comfortable and stable throughout the day....and then tonight....while Chris and I were getting Jaime "cozy" and ready for bed, we noticed that he started hanging out in the 80's in the way of O2 sats...not horrible, but moments before this he was in the high 90's. Then he started getting lower and lower, next thing we knew his respiratory monitor on his main monitor...not the vent, was showing apnea...we knew that couldn't be right with the vent showing it to be normal. Jaime is not breathing on his own yet because of the meds, so the vent is doing it for him. Well, turns out, Jaime was indeed having an apnea spell, started desatting quickly, turned blue...and yep, the blue code button was pulled (by ME...after making sure the nurse wanted it to be done, of course). Jaime's O2 sats got down to 26, but his heart rate remained stable, so that was good. He was bagged and brought back up, a second attempt was made to put Jaime back on the vent, by now x-ray was up to do a stat x-ray. Just before the tech could take the x-ray...Jaime started to desat, then the main monitor showed apnea again, he turn blue and he was bagged again. This time he got to 47% O2. UGH!
So, the long and short of things were, there was a mechanical error with the vent. We all seem to think that it's OK now. Jaime's heart rate is 140 with sats of 92% MUCH BETTER and more stable! :-) It's always scary to see your baby blue, really it's just not a good color. There are lots of people who come running when a code is called, those not in the room were asking if I was OK (I had stepped out because I didn't want to be in the way). I was...unfortunately, this wasn't the first time I saw Jaime blue. :-( I'm just sad that it happened with him being 195 days old...this is more of a 26 day old thing! :-( At least we know it wasn't "him" and that it was his vent. The fellow on said that if it looks like it's going to happen again that the vent must be changed out. We have no idea what happened because he had been fine on it all day! Anyway, we're going to be positive and hope that he'll be off of it sooner than later!
Now, other things that happened today...his pain/sedation medications were increased, he's getting TPN's (IV nutrition) , his urine output and pressures are really good and his temp is good. He was starting to get "puffy" today...this is a pretty normal post-op occurrence. He's been put back on the nitric oxide for his pulmonary hypertension and his vent settings were increased to help out with his blood gasses. Other than Jaime's lungs taking turns collapsing and his code....he's stable now. The surgeons were in early this afternoon saying that his closure wasn't as tight as they thought it would be so they thought they could take him off of his paralytics. I'm a bit horrified about this...because of the ET tube...if Jaime gets hold of that...out it will come and because of the incision site! (I was happy with a 48hr paralyzed state.) Anyway, they will be stopped tonight. Hopefully he'll be a good boy and the sedation medication and pain meds will be enough to keep him under control!

Please keep the thoughts and prayers coming, Jaime still needs them during this critical recovery time!!! Thank you!

Before I get ready to pack up and go back to the house (it's 1:30 A.M. so much for my plan to leave the NICU early to do laundry)...I thought I'd let you know that an orange Lego was spotted (and flushed) tonight! All is well on the homefront! :-)

Here are some pics of Jaime! I'd like to say "enjoy," but I know that it's rough for some of you to see him this way...just as it is for us, however, I don't want to shy away from reality...and he's still so darn adorable...it's hard NOT to take photos of him! :-)

Jaime this morning.

Such a big boy!

Jaime's new "Halloween" lights on his IV "tree."

Jaime's respiratory equipment.

Jaime resting comfortably.

Good night....