Tuesday, July 28, 2009

air hockey!


J.J.'s blog is averaging about 50 hits a day.... it's so touching that so many people are checking in on us! Thank you!! We made it to the playroom, J.J. played some air hockey from a wheelchair then sat on a chair and played with cars on a table for a while. He's been awake all day today, eating and drinking a fair bit and lying around getting better.

We're weaning the oxygen that he's on, he's at 1/4L now. He's on Tylenol for pain and seems pretty comfortable with that. He's sore if he gets up or tries to pull himself up in a chair etc. He's still on a bit of medication but there was a bit of a gong show over his magnesium. He's had low magnesium and low calcium off and on for several years. We were supplementing him for a while but the Endocrine doctor decided he didn't need that last December. So this has been one of those hospital situations where there's 10 cooks in the kitchen, playing phone tag, changing plans, miscommunicating... It's important that he has ample magnesium and calcium for his heart function but also normally has low levels, so it's a balance. Anyways, when he gets lots of magnesium he gets the runs pretty bad. I tried to warn them but by the time we had advocated and researched enough to stall the doses he stomach was pretty rough. They've stopped it for now thankfully and we'll talk about it again tomorrow after he's had his bloodwork.


He's making more conversation, which means he's feeling stronger. He's asking what tomorrow is, and planning to go to eat ice cream at Playland with our friend Scurvy. He said "I don't wanna hurt tomorrow." awww

He still has his chest drainage tube. That was another kaffufle (I have no idea how to spell that). They've taken a sample because there is more fluid drainage than usual (since it was put in to drain air) and they want to make sure it isn't lymphatic fluid leaking from the thoracic duct, which can sometimes get damaged in heart surgery. They've clamped off the tube and will xray tomorrow morning to see how the lung is looking. If it looks decent they can take the tube out.

J.J.'s sitting up, watching Cars, playing with his Cars character cars and just finished 2 ice creams.

He's developed a pretty cute coping mechanism with all of these medical people that keep coming by to talk or check him out: he pretends he's sleeping. As soon as they come to poke and prod or just talk with us too long he closes his eyes and periodically peeks out. As soon as they're gone he wakes up from his "nap"! He must have done that at least 10 times today! Better than a temper tantrum, anyways!

3 comments:

  1. The fact that he pretends to sleep when the doctors come in is AMAZING! hahaha, JJ is so rad! Nice photos by the way, good news.

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  2. Oh, he melts my heart! Did you guys get the movies and C's card?
    Glad he's starting to feel better :)
    s and c

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  3. thanks, yes! We've been watching them lots and the card is up on the wall!

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