Day 6 -- Out of ICU!

The heart pacer wires were removed today and Levi is moved out of ICU!!  He still has one "baby" chest tube to let out the remaining air from around his lungs and a PICC line in his arm.  He has lost 15 liters of fluid and looks like himself again.

Please pray that the recovery continues to be smooth, and for healing.

Day 5

Today was a busy day in Levi's room.  The final 2 chest tubes were removed.  His right lung had compressed some, possibly from those large chest tubes.  A much smaller one was inserted into his chest to get out the last of the air out.

The central line was taken out of his neck and a picc line inserted in his arm.  He can move out of ICU with the picc line but not the central line.

The dressing was removed from where they opened his chest.  It looks as good as something like that can look. 

He walked another 3 laps around the unit. 

There is talk of moving out of ICU in a day or two and possibly going home next week.  He told us this morning, "It seems they want me to go home, like I've overstayed my welcome!"

Day 4

Levi had some air around his lungs that the doctors said needed to come out.  Therapists came in, got him into the chair and had him do "chair acrobatics" to get it out.  Levi said, "I didn't know I could pass air through the holes in my belly.  Belly farts!"

He then walked 3 laps around the unit.

This afternoon Levi was having some intermittent arrhythmia.   It was determined that his magnesium levels were low.  After getting an infusion of that he then walked six laps around the unit.  Half a mile!!

Day 3

Levi spent most of the day sitting up in a chair and he is no longer on a liquid diet.  We watched a doctor remove three (of five) drainage tubes from his chest.  Yikes!  This afternoon he walked two laps around the unit.  He is absolutely amazing!!

Day 2

Levi spent most of the afternoon sitting up in a chair.  He now has a magic pain relief button that has helped a lot.  He also got a heart shaped pillow to hold against his chest when moving / coughing / etc.

He's in a good mood and talkative.  We have to put on gowns, gloves and masks to be in the room with him and can only stay for 15 minutes at a time.

Pray for pain relief

Levi is in quite a bit of pain, as would be expected.  They are controlling it the best they can with meds but please pray for relief.

December 1, 4:25 AM:  The heart is in! Another hour maybe hour and a half of closing things up and finishing up the surgery!  It went well! The heart physically fit well, and the swelling was low enough that they are going to close up his chest, unlike the plan!

1:30 PM:  Levi is still sedated but they are lowering the sedation, starting to wake him up.  The nurse said he is moving his hands and feet when asked to.  She thinks they'll take the breathing tube out in about an hour.

2:30 PM:  The doctor that did Levi's surgery just came by.  He said he's very happy how things went and that Levi is doing very well.  He also showed me a picture of the old heart.

3:10 PM:  He's awake and off the ventilator!  They let Jessica and I go in for about 5 minutes. The nurse said, "We never get them off the ventilator this fast."