Surgery

Skyler is so excited for her surgery on Monday. It started off that she was just excited to be spoiled rotten but now she's just looking forward to being able to eat again. All I heard today was how hungry she is, yet the thought of food made her sick. When she did eat she vowed never to eat again because it made her stomach ache so much. I think she managed to get down a banana, 2 clementine slices, a couple teaspoons of rice, 3/4 of a Mcdonald's hamburger (yep, I know) and a small bowl of plain pasta. I have been reminded of her G-tube days and I don't like it. Luckily, once her new pacemaker is in she'll regain her appetite.

Maybe I should start at the beginning?? At least the quick version of the story.

I got a call from Skyler's school nurse that Sky was having chest pain and that her pulse was irregular. I didn't panic, this isn't the first time I have been called to the school for chest pain. In the past she always checked out okay so I didn't think this time would be any different. I was wrong. I took her to the ER at Children's Hospital and after many, many, hours (of course), we learned the lead attached to her left ventricle had stopped working. Sky's chest pains were caused from arrhythmia's. Thank God Sky is so in tune with her body! The Doctors also suspected that Sky was feeling the lead pulse, shocking her (though it is NOT a defibrillator) and causing a tightening feeling in her belly . They had no choice but to turn off the pacemaker.

Which brings me to her surgery. Seems pretty basic, pop out the pacer and plop another in. Unfortunately, that is not the case. A new lead has to be attached. That isn't routine with Pacemaker changes. The same leads always stay in, just the generator is changed out. So how do they get those pesky leads in? I'm glad you asked! They will perform a thoracotomy, inserting tools into her side rather than cutting thru the sternum. The tools will be guided towards her heart, will cut thru and remove scar tissue if possible and will cut thru the sac protecting the heart muscle. A lead will be scoped down and placed on the left ventricle. The top of the lead is a coil and it's just twisted into place. Then they will spend time testing the pacemaker to make sure they have it in the right spot.

The pacer in sky's stomach must come out. They will cut thru the scar she has now (probably a little longer since she's grown) and pull it out. They had trouble with this during the last surgery but it wasn't anything life threatening. The pocket that they make to slide the pacer in kept tearing, so they had to keep moving spots. Hopefully that's not an issue this time.

After the surgery she will go directly to the ICU. She'll have a few IV's, including one in her neck, a chest drainage tube, a urinary catheter, she'll probably still be on a ventilator and she'll have a couple less teeth. Yes, I said teeth. They need to pull two before putting in the breathing tube! This really bothers me, which is hysterical.

Recovery: They don't think she'll be in the ICU long at all. Any tubes and drains she comes out of surgery with should be removed rather quickly. We'll then be moved into our room on the cardiac floor. I really hope I don't have to share a room with a screaming baby. Selfish of me, I know. But unless you have roomed with a screaming baby, that doesn't belong to you, then you have no idea!

So tomorrow we are having a family party. My mom is cooking Sky's favorite foods and I have a feeling the spoiling will start once my mother walks thru the door! And that's good. We'll eat, we'll laugh and we'll love. (Oh, kinda like eat, pray, love but way better... mostly because that movie sucked and my life doesn't)

Thank you for all the well wishes. We truly appreciate it.