Day 1post-op

Max is struggling today and it's painful to watch. He is very bloated and swollen. His body is retaining acids in his tissues, he is basically inflamed all over because of the stress of the surgery on his body. It is taking a toll on him, his heart is smooshed by all the swelling and that is keeping his blood pressure really low, so his circulation is poor and his body is being deprived of enough oxygen. His kidneys work just fine, but his body is not getting the waste washed out so it's building up???

That's what I understand from what the doctors are telling me today, but they don't seem too alarmed. They say this is normal after such a major surgery for anyone, especially for a baby this small. I came back last night just before midnight when his blood gasses started to show signs of a problem and his blood pressures dropped. I was here until about 2 when things stabilized a bit. The neo-natologist was in the hospital with Max as well.

This morning the surgeon saw Max, checked out the incision, his stoma site and says from a surgical standpoint, everything looks good and he's pleased. Now it's just the post-op recovery that a problem.

The doctors and nurses are doing their best to treat the symptoms that Max is showing from the stress of the surgery. They told us the first 24-48 hours can be very rough and they hope things will level out within the next week. We cannot hold him. He looks like an over-ripe tomato that's ready to pop! He holds my finger if it put it in his palm and grabs tight, but his heart rate also rises, so it seems to be painful for him to move even the tiniest little bit. He is on morphine, for the pain, a drip and shots of morphine every 2 hours. He is getting dopamine to help bring his blood pressure up and he's getting two other medications to help with the acid build up. He's also on 2 antibiotics. LOTS of drugs, but so far, still a critically ill little man. They have put in a catheter to help him so he doesn't have to worry about the stress of emptying his bladder. (who knew even peeing yourself was stressful for a preemie?!)

I am with him all day today and tonight if needed. We hope to have the kids back home with us tonight, because this is stressful on them as well and we all need some time as a family, as long as Max is stable. Keep the prayers coming, Max is hanging in there!!!