heart surgery
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Ultrasound result
The results from Namine’s ultrasound came back, and everything is normal – blood flow is fine, and there are no clots whatsoever. That cleared things up for the physical therapist to come back and work with Namine’s legs, and since she has, Namine says her legs no longer hurt.
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New day, new pain
Namine started complaining this morning of pain in her right foot, which progressed up her leg all the way up to her hip. She then started complaining of her left foot and leg hurting. It got so much worse that she was crying and struggling in her bed. The nurse gave her some morphine in…
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A change of heart
I can’t think of a single time when the phrase “change of heart” has not been used figuratively, but in Namine’s case, it’s literal. Her entire body is getting used to her heart’s new physiology, and that comes with some drastic changes – not the least of which are a fluctuating fever, heart rate, and…
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Day one of recovery, done
Namine is asleep. I just got back from walking Jessica to our car, so she can go home and get some sleep. Not the proto-sleep of lying in the hospital bed – and I use the term “bed” loosely – but actual rest in our own comfy pillow-top. I will stay here for the night,…
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Waking up
Namine is starting to wake up today. She’s not a very happy camper, as the saying goes, but she was awake and lucid enough – before they gave her some morphine for the pain – to tell me, “Get me out of here! Get your little girl out of here!” The nurse said, “We need…
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Settling in for the night
Namine is tucked into her bed, in her own room, here in the ICU.
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The Fontan is done!
Namine completed her third heart surgery, a fenestrated Fontan procedure.
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Almost done
The OR nurse just stopped in to tell us that they’ve started to warm Namine back up. It won’t be long now, and one of us will be allowed to go back and see her. They’ll be keeping her sedated for some time, though; we’ve been told to expect her to be in a significant…
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The long haul
Not too long ago, the OR nurse came back to give us a status update. It took awhile to get Namine’s lines in, but now they’re getting ready to put her on the heart-lung machine. She was intubated without incident, and she’s doing well. Waiting is the hard part, and we’re in it for the…
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The Fontan is now
Saying goodbye never gets easier. Just about a half hour ago, we left Namine in the doctors’ care, screaming for us. Screaming for us not to leave her, to please, please come back with her. My heart breaks every time. My goddamn heart. But it’s not for my heart – it’s for hers. Today is…
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Heart surgery next month
We were supposed to have an appointment with cardiology on Friday, but it was cancelled – not by us, though. The nurse called Jessica and said that the doctor had already discussed everything with us that needed to be discussed. There was no point in another appointment, and they would let us know when they…
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Results of the cath
All things told, Namine’s heart catheterization went well. The doctors were able to see what they wanted to see, and we were able to go home by evening. But now we have complications to deal with.