Of course, many tubes are still attached and we are still quite a way from taking him home, but it was great to take this step. Since they had put in the BROVIAC catheter yesterday, they were able to remove another arterial line, so losing one more tube. On the whole, Peter was doing about the same as yesterday. His heart rate is still a little elevated (around 150bpm) and blood pressure is a little soft (about 65/35) but that is not unusual for a child with a chyle leak. He has to take synthroid for a while to compensate for low thyroid levels. The doctor explained that that is a temporary side-effect of the chyle leak because the thyroid needs some of the protein that is being lost as a result of the chylothorax. We weren't able to find out how he is doing on the leak; probably about the same, or a little better--because he wasn't being moved about so much today.
Despite the desire for calm, the nurse (a South African lady with whom we can speak Afrikaans/Dutch) said that Peter was so naturally calm today that she thought it would be alright if Betsy held Peter in a rocking chair. So here is a short (if somewhat blurry) video of the moment.
Photos have been updated on the Picasa website too.
What a precious, precious picture, to see Betsy's arms no longer empty, and to see Peter where he belongs--God is good!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Van Heests
Soon, soon, Lord Willing, you'll have lots of pictures just like that - in your own home! (minus tubes, of course!) Hooray for this new step!
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