CICU Day 2 - First Full Post Op Day

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS & VIDEOS

We had a really tough night. Cameron got sick around 3 am and threw up all over himself. We had to sponge bathe him and change his linens. He was so sore and disorientated so it didn't go over very well. We got him out of the bed and into the chair a little after 6am. Not long after that we did our first walk about the unit floor. He screamed a lot - but the nurses all said it was a normal reaction for what was happening at his age. He didn't want to move because it hurt - but he didn't realize that he HAD to move because it would hurt more if he didn't.

He stayed the rest of the day in the chair and watched movies. His arterial line was pulled, then his foot IV. We went for another walk around the unit with the PT and OT staff. They were impressed by his progress and recovery. Cara - our new day nurse - then pulled his chest drain - which as you can imagine was not a fun procedure. He did say he felt much better after it was removed.

We met one of our seven surgeons.

Toward the afternoon, we got the news that he had improved so much he was being transferred out of ICU and into a bed in heart and kidney ward. Before we transferred, PT came and did one more test to clear him - he walked up and down a flight of stairs! He's so brave and so incredible. I'm in awe of his strength and determination.

He needed to have one more x-ray done to confirm the drain tube was properly removed.

After we settled into our new room, we gave him a sponge bath to get rid of more of the grime that had built up and put him in clean jammies from home. He is happy mommy can sleep in bed with him tonight and made a deal that he would try to eat more than a few handfuls of sour cream and onion chips at a time.