Well, after several hours of surgery, the doctor came back and let us know that he had finished everything. He said that the surgery went absolutely perfectly, and that there were no complications! The doctor was very pleased with the valve he selected to use, and said that it fit great with Daniel's heart. When they started pumping blood into his heart again, the heart started right up, it didn't have to be shocked or anything! Daniel watched the movie John Q. the other night, and in the end of the movie, it shows the little boy getting a heat transplant. Once the heart is in place, the doctor thumps it, and it starts beating again. Daniel asked his doctor yesterday if they would thump his heart like that to get it started again - the doctor said "well...not exactly.." But today he jokingly said that we could tell Daniel that they thumped his heart. He actually said that Daniel's new valve is working so well, it looks like the Lord put it there himself. (He's a very humble man - so he wasn't bragging, he just meant it was working very naturally.)
The anesthesiologist came in and spoke with us after the surgery as well and said he had nothing to even tell us about the surgery because it went so smoothly - there wasn't even a blip in the entire operation.
Daniel is back up in the ICU now and he is NOT happy. They got his breathing tube out even before they let us go back there, so he looks better than he did the last time he entered the ICU, but he's pretty beat up. He's awake too. He's groggy, but he wishes he could just stay asleep for the next couple of weeks. He keeps asking them to put him back under. He is in so much pain. they keep wanting him to breathe and cough, but I can't imagine anything more painful right now. They gave him a giant red heart pillow to hug, and if he holds that to his chest when he coughs it is supposed to help. He doesn't believe them though and refuses to cough. My mom got to see him for a few minutes after surgery, but she's headed back to Texas for a while.
Daniel will have to stay in ICU for several day and then they will move him to rehab again to work on recovery. They said the next few days will be the most miserable. We're so glad that everything went so smoothly and that he's awake. Thank you (and Daniel thanks you) for all of your prayers!
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Daniel, glad to hear the operation was such a success. Sorry to hear about all the pain. Hopefully it will subside soon. My dad used to always tell me, "It will feel better as soon as it quits hurting." Yep, I used to hate it when he said that too. Take care of yourself. Sounds like taking it easy for the next several weeks sure beats the alternative. Damaging that bailing wire they have you tied up with can't be a pleasant experience. We will keep you in our prayers and I'm sure the Lord will continue to bless you.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear his surgery went well. Continued prayers.
ReplyDeleteHey Daniel-
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear that things went so perfectly. I think that's exactly what a lot of us were praying for- for the doctor's hands to be guided. Hang in there for the next few days- you can do it! I hope the pain subsides soon. Thanks for being my friend. :)