Day 2 Post-op Update

Haven't had much time today to update everyone, but wanted to try and write a quick message.  Ian and I were able to get some sleep last night and were back up to the hospital by 9 this morning.  We called a few times overnight to check on Maddie and the nurse assured us she was relaxed and sleeping.  When we got in to see her this morning, she definitely looks a little more swollen than yesterday.  I was happy to see they changed the gauze around the distraction pins and it appears that the bleeding has pretty much stopped.  She was actually opening her eyes quite a bit this morning to see us and was holding and squeezing our hands, and at one point she wouldn't even let go.  This breaks my heart even more and makes it that much harder to leave her if only for small break.  At one point she tried to poke her finger in her mouth and when I asked her if it hurt, she nodded yes.  My poor baby, there is nothing worse than seeing her and knowing she is in pain, but I am thankful that she is at an age where she can cue us as to where and when she is pain so we can help her.

 

We have not been at the bedside to see the ENT or Plastics make the rounds, but we were there this morning when the PICU doctors did rounds.  The plan for this afternoon/evening is to get Maddie off the vent and onto just the regular trach mask/humidifier.  This really shouldn't be a problem b/c she has been breathing just fine so far.  The other goal is to get her off of the morphine and versed drip and try to control her pain via oral oxycodone.  I am very nervous about this and just feel it is a little too soon.  I just have a feeling that once she isn't as sedated she is going to get very agitate and handsy and try to pull at the tubes, wires, trach, bars, etc.  The doctors said they have to try (which I get), but if she is not responding and is too agitated then they will put her back on the morphine and/or versed.  Only time will tell, but we will be sticking close to her bedside the remainder of the day.