24 Hours Post Op

How's Michael doing? (We know that's the question everybody wants answered)

We are happy to say that he is doing really well.

Firstly, the nurses were impressed with how he held up during surgery and he's been strong in ICU. He was given additional fluids, blood and breathing assistance from a respirator plus he was to be kept under sedation for the first 24-36 hours after surgery. It looks and sounds like a bad situation but it really isn't. When we saw him an hour after surgery, I was surprised at how healthy he looked. Not at all pale or worn from the operation.

Can still see dem chubby cheeks under the tubes

It was really weird coming home with no baby. Trevor and I laughed at how we kept thinking he was sleeping in his bed so we had to remind ourselves there was no need to be quiet, keep the lights low or plan everything around an evening feed. So, we indulged a lovely soak in the bath, watched Suits in bed and had 8 undisturbed hours of deep sleep.

I went to the hospital after church to see how the little guy was getting on. His ICU nurse told me he was being rather lazy and didn't want to breathe on his own on her first attempt to remove his respirator. I spoke to him for a few minutes and he was moving and wiggling in his sleep. So, the head nurse and the physio said it was time to try taking him off the respirator again as his breathing pattern had improved in the hour since their first attempt. And, he was indeed ready as he started breathing just fine on his own once the apparatus was removed.

Looking good 27 hours after surgery

Now that he is minus a few tubes, the next step is to give him some breastmilk since he's only been receiving fluids via a drip since the operation. I feel like a cow being milked on a regular basis. I really do take my hat off to women who pump exclusively because this expressing milk thing for every feed is a bit hectic.

Trevor will be visiting Michael this evening to hear what the plan of action is for tomorrow but the ICU nurse says he is doing great for such a small person. She also says that every time she tries to get him to lie straight, he twists himself off to the left...that's my boy! Still doing whatever he likes even under heavy medication and with tubes in his nose LOL!