Day 2: ICU and Moving

Sarah and I both had a long and fairly sleepless night (Judi got to get some sleep for the team in the hotel, no reason for all of us to be haggard) - lots of IVs being pulled, chest x-rays, etc.  Couple that with all the alarms and beeps that go off periodically on her ICU command central.  Just when you are drifting off... BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP... Good lord!  I can't complain, a couple sleepless nights are nothing compared to her journey.

We sort of officially got up at 530ish and the nurses got her sitting up and walking to the bathroom.  These were two big steps needed to get out of ICU.  Then she had a few bouts of nausea, which is normal, so they are working to get that under control, which looks like they have.  Waiting to hear on room availability on the Floor so we can get out of here.  More to come soon...

Sounds like we will stay the rest of today and tonight in the ICU.  Not because she is progressing a little slower, which she had slowed a bit, but because there are not beds open on the floor.  Some people should be leaving today.  Not so bad, ICU rooms are big and private with its own bathroom.

Sarah wanted to educate you all on the terrible chest tubes.  This is not to scare anyone facing this surgery, but they are the least fun part.  During the surgey they insert 1 or 2 drainage tubes to evacuate resibual blood around the heart lung area.  They stay in for the first 2-3 days until the drainage ceases.  They are not small tubes either and require a stitch or two to close the holes when they get pulled out.  The 'pull out' procedure is the part that is not fun (see previous blog posts).  In the past she has only had one tube, which was bad enough.  When she was in her loopy, high state late last night she started probing around her body to inventory tubes, IVs, catheters to make sure the nurses we on the ball.  "Hey... (reaching between her legs), no catheter, that is pretty good!  Hey.. WHAT??  dad... why are there 2 chest tubes, awww SHIT man..."  Think of her saying all that in a classic stoner voice.  It was hilarious (other than the 2 chest tubes).  She needed 2 basically because she is a bigger body.  ANYWAY, she wanted to share on the blog a pic of not only the 2 chest tubes but the pacing wires that are also implanted within her and will be fished out later too.  Enjoy (see below)!

Chest tubes and pacing wires.