Henry Rallies!!

This afternoon, Henry had an ultrasound of his head.  For parents going through this process, it might help to know that there will be lots and lots of monitoring (in addition to the bedside monitors) - echos, ultrasounds, chest xrays, bloodwork upon bloodwork.

 The barrage of tests can make you feel like something is wrong, but it is pretty standard. They take no chances with these little ones. If they are too hot or too cold, they will get bloodwork to check for infection.  Both head and abdominal ultrasounds are routinely completed on preemie babies when they are born and then again when babies reach term.  Each time they have a procedure they will have an xray post-procedure to make sure all their lines remain in place. When they want to re-initiate tube feeds, they will also xray to make sure they are feeding into the stomach.

The big news of today is that Henry was successfully extubated without difficulty or complications!!!

 They also removed his foley catheter and the dressing from his surgical incision.  As I write this, I am uncertain of which pictures and videos to share.. Today's feel extremely personal and I am filled with emotion as I review them.  You know intellectually that your son has had open heart surgery (of course), but it becomes full reality as you see the healing incision for the first time.

Below are the videos of myself and then of Hal holding Henry for the first time since his surgery.  I did not expect the flood of emotion I had.  As our nurse, Sue, was passing Henry to me, I just felt pure happiness to have him back.  As he settled in to my arms, the weight of the past 5 days washed over me.  I remembered the horrible feeling of holding and kissing Henry and then praying that it wouldn't be the last time as I watched a team wheel him away to the OR.

Here is Hal's first daddy / son cuddle with Henry post surgery. He felt that same wave of emotion.

Here is an explanation of some of what is 'helping' Henry get better.