Well, the day has finally come for Xavier's open heart surgery. The day started as a typical morning with Xavier with his feedings, blood work, vitals, and diaper change. We were told that there was going to be an eco-cardiogram in the morning which finally happened at about 9 am. The man came in and did the eco and Xavier was not pleased at all at him doing this. When the man left he went to the nurses station to make a phone call. I didn't mean to over hear what he was reporting, but my ears caught the phrase "his PDA is open 1 1/2 cm". I immediately told Cindy (my sister-in-law who is staying with me) that I knew something was wrong. The man came in to do the eco-cardiogram again. I asked him if there was a problem and he refused to tell me, he just said that Xavier was moving to much so their pictures weren't very clear so they had to take new pictures.
His main cardiologist came in with such a horrible look on his face and I said to him "that's not a good look you have" and he replies "no, no it's not, let me see the results of the eco-cardiogram and then I will explain". And of course my mind started racing of what all this would mean. Finally ten minutes later he explains what is going on. Here is what happened:
The surgeon cut my son open to go and clamp off the hole in his PDA when what he really did was clamp off an artery that leads to his lung. Since April 5th Xavier has only been functioning with one lung!!! It just blows my mind that they were pushing him to go home when this whole time he was struggling. My motherly instinct was correct in that he wasn't ready to go.
I met with both the surgeon and the cardiologist to make a decision whether this surgery should be the open heart surgery to fix both his PDA and ASD and possibly the 2 VSD's. Or should they just reopen the incision and un-clamp what they had mistakenly clamped and clamp the PDA instead. But there is a risk that the artery would not reopen, so they would just have to turn him around and do the open heart surgery anyway. So we decided that the best thing would just to go in and close the PDA and ASD. The 2 VSD's are extremely difficult to reach in the heart and a lot more risky at the moment so we decided to hold off on that.
At 2 pm they took him from my arms and off they went :( I was told that the next time I see him he would have a ventilator in him and several tubes coming from his chest. It's horrible to think about not to mention how I will feel when I see him! :(
At 3 pm they opened him up and began the surgery. He is in God's hands now and He will take care of him. He is strong and brave and I know he will make it through. There are so many people praying and supporting him during this time. There have been several people here in the waiting room to give me great support and am so thankful for those as well! Everyone has been truly amazing!!!!
It is now 6 pm and the surgeon is done and on his way to speak to us!
I can not imagine what you are feeling right now. I have been through open hearts and set backs and strokes and seizures but never a 'mistake' like this.. Honey the tubes. Most kids come out with 'pigtails' two tubes on either side of the chest to drain fluid and a blake above their belly button that looks like a clear plastic grenade that will help get extra fluid off of his heart.. The pigtails drain down into a box that collects and measures the amount of fluid being pulled out.. We will not cease our prayers.. I promise you that..
ReplyDeleteGosh! I can't begin to even fathom what you are going through! I hope the same surgeon didn't touch him! Luckily they found it when they did, but even more sad to think about that it even happened! He is one strong little boy!!!
ReplyDeleteWe are constantly in prayer for you, as well as hundreds of others!