Becky’s recovery has been smooth and uneventful.
She’s been resting and taking long naps.
Read More »Round 4 – Results
Month: July 2021
Beckygram: Discovery
I’ve been inspecting my surroundings closely. After running a battery of tests, I’ve made a discovery.
I’m trapped.
Round 4 – Settled
Round 4 – Recovery
Becky is out of surgery.
She’s agitated and has some stridor but her stats are good. We’re enjoying a cuddle as I wait to speak with Dr. Sherman.
Round 4 – Patient 5411050
I’m sitting in the surgery waiting room. I finally had a chance to eat, wolfing down a salad and some hard boiled eggs. The warm latte is kicking in and I’m beginning to feel more human.
Nurse Kathleen just came through to update another family. She was Becky’s first PCICU nurse and took care of her in the delicate hours after the first open heart procedure. She came over for a quick hug and promised to stop by our room later.
There’s a terrible soap opera playing on the television. I can’t see the screen but it’s impossible to ignore. Apparently Carly wants the chief of staff position fierce and is double crossing her rival. And someone is trying to dump a body.
I’m keeping a close eye on the board. Becky is number 5411050 and I’m tracking her progress through the various stages. It’s like watching the board at the airport. I’m waiting for the landing.
Round 4 – Underway
Becky has been taken back to surgery.
I met with Dr. Sherman and he apologized for the delay. He said there are strict guidelines and procedures in place for complicated infants like Becky. Her age and cardiac condition necessitate certain OR personnel. And sometimes that doesn’t always come together on time. He anticipates that all three procedures will take about 1 hour (10 minutes for the tubes, 10 minutes for the bronchoscopy, 35 minutes for the brain stem response test). Becky will be admitted either to the pediatric floor or the pediatric ICU.
I am so grateful that she slept almost the entire morning. And that the hospital Starbucks is open for another 15 minutes.
Round 4 – Delayed
The nurse manager just stopped by to tell us that Becky’s surgery is delayed. Dr. Sherman is running behind and there are some complications securing the anesthesiologist that Becky needs. He is currently operating in the Outpatient Pavilion but will come over to the hospital at some point. Hopefully, everything will happen around 2:00pm. Becky hasn’t had a feed since 7:00am but is holding up just fine. I just settled her down for a nap.
Our Keurig coffee maker refused to work this morning. Of all days. And the English Breakfast tea wasn’t quite strong enough. So I may join her.
Round 4 – Arrival
Round 4
I previously posted about Becky’s graduation from the Heart Fab Team. Now that her heart is repaired, the focus has shifted to other medical issues and therapeutic needs. An ongoing concern has been Becky’s hearing and swallowing.
Becky will undergo surgery #4 tomorrow to address problems with both.
Read More »A Strong Constitution
I previously mentioned that we’ve traveled quite a bit this summer. And there hasn’t been room enough to pack this blog alongside luggage for 10. Either in the van or in my brain. So posts have been sparse this month.
But that doesn’t mean Johnny hasn’t generated a solid body of material. Much of it in the form of questions. And his questions usually begin with the word “so”.
So let me tell you about some rather direct questions he asked while on the road.
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The Refillable Glass 