Surgery update

There's so much to update, so I'll just start at the beginning. Tuesday night, the night before surgery, Hudson's surgeon called and asked us if Hudson enjoys eating money! He gags at just the sight of food, I couldn't imagine him actually swallowing a coin. Nevertheless, Hudson's pre-op xray showed a coin stuck in his esophagus, right where his fundo is. So the surgeon instructed us to come in early and they would do a scope procedure to get it out. It wouldn't be Hudson if there wasn't a little something unexpected thrown in.

Wednesday morning we watched our baby roll away to the OR, clutching his blue blankie, and I felt so sad for him. I think the hardest part for me was knowing that when he woke up he would feel horrible, and that when he went in he felt good. I know without a doubt that he needed this heart surgery, and that in the end it would be worth it, but that moment in time was very hard.

They removed the quarter first, which I was given as a little souvenir, and then they started on the heart repairs. Specifically, the surgeon closed his atrial septal defect and repaired his mitral valve. The doctor said that the ASD was huge, much worse than what the echo showed us, and that his heart was also very enlarged. It further confirmed to Jake and I that this surgery really was needed.

After surgery we went up to the PICU to see Hudson. Dr. K and her team met us at the door to the PICU and prepared us for what he was going to look like. I know I've said it a million times, but Dr. K is absolutely the best doctor we could have been led to for directing Hudson's care. She is so compassionate yet honest. Hudson looked so fragile, pale and small, surrounded by so many machines and monitors, with tubes and lines coming out from all over his little body. Thank you to my dear friend M who hugged me while I cried, and then called me later to say that he didn't look all that bad to her. I don't know how you manage to step back into this place, but you do it with strength and grace, and I'm thankful you were there.

Hudson's recovery is going well. He took much longer to get off the ventilator than the floor doctors would have liked, he was able to come off this morning, but it hasn't really surprised me. He takes an extremely long time to come out of sedation, I think this is pretty typical for mito kids. Today he has been in and out of sleep. His pain is being managed well, and they removed his catheter earlier today, so he's much happier about that I'm sure! He's been mildly feverish, nothing concerning though and typical of recovery. His blood counts are showing us he could use a transfusion, but the doctor just informed me that they're going to wait until tomorrow to check his labs for signs that his body is trying to produce more blood cells. If it's not, they will transfuse tomorrow.

He is still in the PICU, but I think he'll be transferred to the step down IMU tomorrow if everything goes well. I am ready to leave the PICU, and I'm sure Hudson is too. The patient next to us passed away today, and I can't erase the sound of that poor mother's grieving or the looks on the faces of the doctors from my mind. I didn't know them, but as a mother my heart hurts for that mother who had to say goodbye to her child today. When I passed by the room later in the day, it was empty and sterile, ready for the next patient. It broke my heart. I think of my friends who have lost their babies, and I can only offer my love and say that your courage, faith, and grace is amazing.

Thank you everyone for all the prayers. I know they are helping in Hudson's recovery. Thank you to our very special friends the Wehrings and Hudson's best buddy Trace for a welcome distraction today and a GIANT Mickey Mouse balloon that had Hudson smiling the biggest smile I've seen yet. Thank you for loving our brave boy.