Fontan surgery updates

7:30 everything is going very good so far. He’s still been asleep the whole time. They are starting to wean his sedation. He had his eyes open just now for about three minutes, asked for some water- he got two ice chips. Also asked to sit up, so we raised his bed a bit which the nurse said was actually good for his new fontan circulation. I whispered I love you and he whispered back I love you too! 😭❤️His lips and toes are pink for the first time in his life- mike and I almost think he looks like a different kid! His oxygen saturation’s are running 97, also the highest they’ve ever been in his life!! The switched his pain meds from fentnyal to morphine, are lowering his dopamine for blood pressure. His blood gasses have all been coming back good. Honestly, as good as we could have hoped for right now. I’ll say again how overwhelmed we were today with everyone’s support- we all LOVE this kid!! 

They just did shift change for nurses and will be doing rounds at nine. Only one of us can stay in the picu with him tonight/ not sure who yet. 

4:00 we finally just saw him. Everything is going good. He’s still sedated we can’t touch or talk to him for prob another three hours. He’s got meds and lines running everywhere, I can’t begin to say what all he’s on. He’s extubated, just on nasal cannula oxygen. He has three chest drainage tubes and his pacer wires are still in. He’s on quite a few pain meds. They had to give him some fluids and some blood pressure meds as it was low. All are normal things. As time passes, risks if complications will decrease. He’s got some stridor noise going on in his throat, we are adjusting his head to help right now. Here’s a current pic and one from earlier. We know the prayers are being heard! 

2:15 no update.... still waiting for him to come out of surgery. We haven’t had an update, praying everything is still going ok 

Noon AMEN, AMEN, Glory to God!! Dr Hammel just came in, the repair has been done. The Fontan went fine, his pressures are fine, he did a non fenestrated (no hole) Fontan. Dr Hammels assistant is currently closing his chest. He put in three drainage tubes. Current prayer requests: to come out of surgery off the ventilator, no blood clots, maintain blood pressure, no extra complications drainage. We are no where near out of the woods yet, so keep prayers coming. It will be an hour and a half before he’s finished. Lots of hurdles in the next 36 hours- praying this Fontan keeps working and his body approves. 

I wanted to add how amazed moved and touched we are by all of your support. We can’t wait to show Blaise your messages photos and more. Our apologies if we aren’t currently able to respond to messages but please know that we are getting them!! ❤️❤️

10:50 The nurse just came into our waiting room to say they just made it through scar tissue and are starting the Fontan repair. A lot of scar tissue, and they had to go slow. Please Lord watch over Blaise while on bypass and while his heart is cut and sewn and repaired. 

10. The nurse called about 9:10 and said they’d made the incision (Praise the Lord) and he went to sleep well and lines went in well. 

9:00 Dr Hammel was just in. They’ve performed the echo and nothing has changed on it so it’s go time for the Fontan. Dr Hammel was calm, we told him we’ve said many prayers and he headed off to save our little boy. It will take quite a bit of time to get through the layers of scar tissue to cut through his sternum. Once in, fontan should take 1/2 hour. Probably three hours total from now he said. 

8:00 We’ve kissed him and he’s handed off at the surgery doors. He was very calm this morning, besides having to take his versed medicine to calm him. He threw a fit and kept yelling he was gonna puke. It kicked in and he was pretty out of it when we handed him off. Dr Hammel is doing an echo now and then will be in to tak to us. 

6:50 am We are checked in, calm and ready. Watching Berenstain Bears movie while waiting. God’s on our side, we can feel it!! Keep the prayers coming strong!

Updates will be on this same post, moved to the top as they are made.