HI everyone

Wyatt was done in the OR around 3:30pm this afternoon.  He stayed stable throughout the surgery.  They did not end up putting any lines in at all, they will attempt a different type of line at another time.   For now he has his art line still, two IVs, the line in his neck, he will need another one, but it can wait a couple days anyways, as long as they don't lose the IV's
They were able to lift the pulmonary artery off the airway, relieving the pressure on it.  I am still wiating on details of HOW they did this exactly, but the important thing for now, is that they did it.  Dr VanArdsell was not happy with the effect it had on the airway, as it didn't open it back up the way he was hoping, but it did make a difference, so we have to hope that over time, it will help more.  They already have stopped giving him the muscle relaxants, so they don't want him to be so out of it for so long this time, and are hoping that he can come off the vent sooner.  Keep your fingers crossed, and prayers coming. 
He has been fairly stable since surgery, his heart rate is still a bit wonky, but no more so than it was before.  They have also stopped the medicine that was helping to control his heart rate, as they want to see what his heart rate will do off of it, as if he doesn't need it anymore, it can actually be making it go wacky, so taking him off it, is the only way to see what his heart rate will do now on its own.

That is all I know for now, I will update again in the morning with better details.

Laura

Hi everyone,

So, last night was a bit eventful, the CT Scan showed that his Pulmonary Ateries are what is compressing the airway.  Dr VanArdsell said he needed to look at everything, and would talk to Lisa in the morning. 
They decided to take out that new line they had put in that sat in the atrium, for meds etc, as they thought it was possible that it was tickling his heart, causing all the major fluctuations in the heart rate.  So they took that out last night.  His heart rate was still all over the place though.   They wound up re muscle relaxing him again.

This morning, Dr V came and spoke to Lisa, and he decided that he needs to go back in, and lift up the Pulmonary Arteries to get them off the airway, that if they don't do that, Wyatt won't come off the ventilator.  SO, forgive me for my crappy description here, I will better describe later on when I get back from the hospital, but somehow, they are going to lift everything up (heart) with some sort of a netting or something like that, and tie it up and off the airway.  They will use a bronchoscope at the same time to watch it and see where they need to tie it to in order to relieve the pressure.  At the same time, Dr V is also going to try to put in some other type of line, seen as how they had to remove the other one, and he can't get another PICC, he will try to do this at the same time. 

They were trying to get him in either today or tomorrow, and have gotten him in today, and he will be going in anytime now.  It is supposed to take a couple hours, and they will be going in at the same spot they have gone in all 3 other times the last week and a half.  He is hopeful that this will help to solve some of the problems Wyatt has been having since surgery, and that this will help him to get of the ventilator.  He said that even if it doesn't show that it is immediately helping, they would still do it anyways, as it could help later on.

So, please, once again, lots of prayers for Wyatt, that he has the strength and will to get through this once more, and that is works how they want it to.

I also wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who writes here, on both the sites, to Wyatt and Lisa, and our whole family, it means alot, I know that we don't all know all of you, and some of you none of us know, but it means alot, and helps us all to get through some of the tough days,  and it is so good to know that there are still such caring people out there.    Wyatt is one tough little bugger, and he has a lot of people rooting for him, that is for sure.

And one last note, I just spoke to my Dad, and understand that his work, Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac, put together a surprise fundraiser BBQ today, and invited him and Karen and Lisa to surprise them.  Obviously Lisa didn't go, but anyways, it was a big surprise, and very kind of them to do that. I know my Dad was very overwhelmed by it.  So thank you very much.  OH, and wheres my burger???  HAHA  Anyways, thank you very much for that.

I am off to the hospital, so I will update when I get back, later tonight.

Laura

Hi everyone

Well, Sunday night Wyatt was misbehaving again, his heart rate going all over the place, and they ended up having to give him two doses of that medicine that keeps his heart rate lower.  It still jumps up sometimes, but not for long.  It is also still going low at times, and so then the pacemaker kicks in.  Yesterday he was doing the same thing again, so they decided to put him on a continuous infusion of the meds.  They had to put in an IV for it, as it is not compatible with the meds he is getting through his other lines, so now he has one more line, an IV in his foot.   His heart rate is still going kooky, but not quite as drastic as it was.   He was showing some very tiny signs of movement yesterday, he was trying really hard to open his eyes, but couldn't quite do it.  He was also wiggling his fingers a really little bit, and squirming when he heard Lisa talk or kiss him.  So those are all great signs.  I had a nice visit with them, and Lisa got to give him a little "bath".  He smells so yummy!   He had his first poop last night, so that is also great, as they had stopped his food again since it was just sitting there, so hopefully now they will restart it.

 I just got off the phone with my Dad (Wyatts Grandpa) now, and he said that the nurse told them that around 2am Wyatt had a real good squirm fest, and that he had a really good night (FINALLY!!)  His potassium levels are finally back up to where they should be, so that is really good too.   They are going to try and lower the pacemaker today (it is set to kick on at 110 right now) and see what happens, and how he does.  Hopefully he will maintain ok on his own....  We don't know yet what time his CT Scan is, but I will update you again as soon as they give us the results.    Hopefully his good night is the start of some more good news to come, and his CT Scan will come back with good results for both his airway and head.  Prayers and fingers crossed for that today please!
I will update again when we get results,

Laura

Hi everyone

What a rolelrcoaster this last 11 days has been!   Little man was put back on the muscle relaxants Saturday night after Lisa went to bed (she wasn't happy when she found out in the morning) They put him back on because his heart rate had went up, and wasn't coming back down.  So, Sunday morning, she talked to the Drs and they decided to take him back off... .What a step backwards to have put him back on, it was silly... so, they took him back off again, and he is still off them now.  He made small little movements yesterday, stuck his tongue out at Lisa (a true boy) and wiggled his feet and hands a little bit.  This morning Lisa  said he was trying to open his eyes a bit, but because he is so sedated, it was hard for him, and his eyes are rolled back .  Last night again his heart rate spike up in the 200's, and they had to give him two more doses of that medicatin they had to give him the other day to lower his heart rate.  His blood pressure also dropped way too low.  They are trying to find a balance with his fluid levels, because he is getting his diuretics of course still, but they almost seem to be drying him out too much, which can cause the blood pressure to drop also.  His eyes are still sunken.  He is still being fed, which is great.    This morning, he is up to his funny business again with his heart rate sky high, and his blood pressure way too low, so they are putting him on a continuous drip of the medication to keep his heart rate lower, and then he is on the pacemaker still, which is set at 110 in case it goes too low.    Now they are trying to figure out why this is happening.  They say it is not uncommon for something like this to happen in the days immediately after surgery, but its not normal for it to start so long after it as it did.  So, they are doing a CT Scan tomorrow, and going to look at his heart, etc.  They want to check the blood flow of everything, and how everything is working now with all the new "plumbing" in there.  Also, they are going to look at what is compressing his airway, and decide what, if anything, they need to do about that. 
Also, today, they realized that the ventilator machine has not been working properly (unreal, I know, seems like a comedy of errors sometimes) SO, they have now gotten him a new machine.  I wonder if that has had any effect on anything?

We also found out yesterday that he has a bit of pneumonia, which they say is not uncommon, considering the amount of time he has been intubated now.  So he is on antibiotics for that.   He is right now waiting to get an IV for these heart rate meds, as it can't go in anywhere else, as they are not compatible with anything else that he is getting, so they need there own way in.

That is about all I know for now, I will update you again soon, when we have more info or details, or anything is going on.
Thank you for the continued support and prayers, he still needs lots.

Granny Lyn and Grandpa Celsie are down with them today, and I will be down tonight.  They have had lots of company over the last week and a half, and Wyatt is getting spoiled with love and stories and songs etc.

Laura

Hi everyone,

Sorry for not updating last night, but got in way too late.

Friday night they had put  Wyatt on a pacemaker because his heart rate was continually going too low.  This pacemaker will kick in whenever his heart rate falls to 80 or lower.  He used it quite a bit Friday night, and his blood pressure went up quite high for a while as well.  It came down finally, and he had an ok night. 

Saturday, he used the pacemaker a little bit in the morning, but not in the afternoon/evening.   They took him off the muscle relaxant in the morning, and we waited to see what he did, how he reacted.  Myself, Colin and Gabby went down together, and then Grandpa and Grandma went back down as well.  We took turns visiting with him, and read him lots of stories.  His little fingers were twitching, but thats about it so far (I know up to bedtime last night right now, I have not heard how overnight was yet)  They are expecting him to move his little hands and feet, and open his eyes.  By no means do they want him jumping or flailing about, they ( and we) just want ot see movement..  If we don't, there becomes concern of neurological damage.... As apparently, I found out yesterday, the "brain tests" that they did the other day really wouldn't have told us much aobut damage, but more about if there was any seizures or anything like that going on.   They are planning a CT scan for tomorrow, which I believe can also tell us about any type of damage.  But hopefully, through the night, or this morning, he will start moving some more, and we won't have to worry so much.  That would be so great.  Also, I finally found out yesterday what branch off the lungs was narrowing (it was not Lisa who was telling me that info that day,) and its actually his airway, his aorta and new pulmonary artery are pressing on it.... so we have to hope when the swellling goes down, it will not lean on it anymore, or that it will adjust itself.  If not, they will go back in again, and put a sac around the heart, and lift it up a bit, to take the pressure off.  Hopefully it will just correct itself.    The ventilator is still doing all the work for him, and he is on 60% oxygen now.   

He was having to be suctioned a lot yesterday, and was up to regular boyish antics, by blowing spit bubbles out of his mouth, and boogie bubbles out of his nose...   Little turkey.  There was lots of gunk coming out when they were suctioning him.   He is obviously still very heavily sedated.  They finally started his food late yesterday afternoon, since he is off the muscle relaxant now, and they have to check and see if it is being digested now, or just sitting there still.,  It would be great to get him back on his food again.

I will update about his night when I talk to Lisa this morning.

HI everyone,

Well, the meds they gave Wyatt to lower his heart rate did stabilize him, and he was doing better again, with a regular heart rate.  The Drs were just going to keep an eye on him, as there is no way to know when the meds will wear off, because it depends on how the body metabolizes them, for how long they stay in the system. So basically, they could stay in the system anywhere from a few hours, to a week, depending on how fast they got metabolized.  So, basically, we would have to just wait and see what happened with his heart rate when they wore off.

Then he had a spell of his heart rate being too LOW, that only lasted a few minutes, and then was back to normal.  We thought he was stable again, well now his heart rate is too low again, and is staying too low, like in the 40's and 50's, so now he is hooked up to a pacemaker.  They don't know why his heart rate is too low now, so now they are trying to figure that out too.  There doesn't seem to be too many answers at this point for anything, except wait and see.  The pacemaker is set so that if his heart starts beating slower than 100 beats per minute, then the pacemaker will kick in and beat it for him.  The good thing is, his heart can't stop with the pacemaker.  The bad thing is we still don't know what the heck is going on.  Why it went from way too fast, to normal, too now way too slow.....  His potassium is a bit low now, so they are giving him some potassium, and low potassium can cause the heart to beat too slow, but his heart started doing this when his potassium levels were still good, they have since dropped off.  So they are giving him potassium now, but can't give it too fast, as too much potassium can do just as much bad as too little potassium. 

So, for tonight they just watch him, and in the morning he is likely going for the CT Scan to see what is going on in there, and see if anything is putting pressure on anything that it shouldn't be.  He is as stable as he is going to be right now, at least he has the pacemaker in, so his heart can't go too low, so Lisa is going to try and get some sleep now.

I will update in the morning.  Lots of prayers for a restful, calm, stable night for Wyatt and Lisa please

Laura

Well, it seems I can't ever just have a good journal to write, and be able to leave it at that.

Wyatt had a stable night last night.   He had his brain wave tests done, as well as a head ultrasound.  All that came back normal, except for the small clot in his head, which we already knew was there.  His brain wave test was normal, which is a great relief.  He was stable through the night.  They discussed doing a bronchoscope today, but were going to wait till this morning and decide, based on how much he had needed to be suctioned, and how his night was. This is a scope put down into his lungs to take a good look, and to clean them out too.

This morning, they did decide to do it, and the procedure went fine.  They cleared out his lungs, and I THINK, but am not certain, they may have taken a biopsy as well. (not sure why, I didn't speak directly to Lisa).  While they were in there they noticed that one of the branches from the lung, is narrowing, and they aren't sure why, or if it will be a problem yet.  It could be the cause of his lower sats etc. So they are going to monitor that, and if need be, they may have to go back in and move some things around, as something could be puttign pressure on it, causing it to collapse.   They were going to take him off the muscle relaxant this afternoon.

He was having some arrythmias this morning, so they did and ecg, and were monitoring them, and trying to figure out why he was having them.  But they weren't overly concerned, as they were only lasting a few seconds, and then coming back to normal.  It was just something they were going to watch, and try to figure out why... could have been something bothering his heart (perhaps the new line) could be jsut part of the after math of surgery, could be many things.  Well, now, his heart rate is sky high, and all over the place.  Where he was sitting in the high 120's last ngiht and this morning, he is now up over 200, up as high as 240.   He was up to 190 when he arrested last week.  They have brought all the machines in to be ready, and the Dr is sitting beside his bed.  They have given him medication to try bring it down, but it hasn't worked yet.  His sats are low, in the 60's, but his blood pressure, at the moment, is ok.

I will update again when I know more, hopefully it will be a good update.

Lots of prayers please

Laura

Hi everyone

Just thought I would give a quick update of the night last night, and day so far today.

Wyatt ended up getting a transfusion last night, and seems to have been more stable since then.  His blood pressure had been a little bit high, but seems to be coming down a bit now.   

They did an ultrasound on his head, to look for any obvious damage, and didn't see anything.  The only thing that they saw was the blood clot that was there from last summer, and it hasn't changed in size or anything like that, so that was ok.    This morning, they did a brain wave test, and we are just waiting for the results on that, they are supposed to give them to Lisa this afternoon sometime.  Fingers crossed that everything looks good there too. 

They are taking out his PICC line this afternoon as well, it is not surgical, IGT will just come and take it out.  I am not certain what will happen with the big clot he had there, if they can take it out too, or if it is stuck to his vessel.  I do know though, that once this PICC comes out, if the clot is still there, they will never get another PICC in that arm again. 

Once they get the PICC out, they will be taking him off the muscle relaxants and seeing how he does.  They will still be keeping him sedated, but hopefully with the muscle relaxant gone, they may be able to start to try and feed him again. 

They are doing a kidney and liver function test today too, as now he is peeing too much, so they are also upping his fluids intake. 

I think that about covers everything so far for today, I will update you again as soon as I hear the results, and find out how it went with the PICC removal.

Prayers for a restful and stable rest of the day and night for Wyatt today please!

Laura