Owen es muy fuerte

Today has been a big day. The morning- like most these days- started very early. I arrived to the hospital about 0600 after battling with the security to get my car out of the locked kaiser garage. When I made it to the hospital, little Owen was sleeping on Chelsea's chest. He had a good night from what Chelsea said, waking every 3 hours to breastfeed for 10mins each time and going right back to sleep. We both played with him when he awoke and snuggled him to the last minute. We were able to go down with him this time to the Pre op area for some more time with him. This was short lived and it was time for Owen to go. Owen was not a fan of riding in his bed so he received some VIP treatment by the anastheiseologist and was carried. I was weird to see him getting carried down the hall by a team of doctors but it was cute at the same time. Chelsea and I decided to go back to Ronald's so she could shower then we ended up falling asleep/resting for the next 3 hrs which was nice. I think we were both exhausted and felt like the deepest sleep we had both had in a long time. I forgot to add in when we left the hospital in the parking garage it was still early and I was a little stressed. There was only 1 exit this time normally and you can exit through anyone of them. Not this time, apparently I went down the one that only card access can go down since I don't have a card and must pay cash this would not open for me. Also by ths time it was about 0745 and all the employees were leaving. I had about 7 cars behind me that we had to organize to back up so I could get out. That was awesome. (by the way before you make fun of me this was the same exit that I went out last night and paid cash at) We made it back to the hospital around 12 and waited...and waited...Owen made it back to his room about 2 pm. We were unable to go in and see him when he was dropped of in his room because the surgeon went directly from Owen's room to another babie's room to close their chest. From last year we knew that when this happens, no visitors can go into the unit or out of the unit. So we got a small update from the social worker and waited some more. The clerk brought us out a gift that Paxton's family had sent to the hospital. It was an edible arrangement of fruits which could not have come at a better time. We ate chocolate covered fruit and relished in it's yumminess, which helped quell our impatience. Thank you so much for thinking of us, you guys ROCK! Around 245 we noticed the hold had been lifted off of the unit, and we gave them a few minutes. Then Chelsea went in to the unit and only saw the clerk and the RN in the room. Comparing this experience to last time, there were so many MD's, RNs, and surgeons in Owen's room. So this was a good thing for her to see. The RN recommended coming back in another few minutes, so Chels went out and chatted with me and we got excited to see O. Going back into the room, he looked swollen but not like last time. We have been told it worsens over the next few days. They were already talking extubation the minute we walked into the room, which was also crazy to us, because he was on the vent for a week before surgery, and a a week and a half afterwards. So this sounded too good to be true. But it was true! He tolerated extubation very well and we came back into the room. For the next few hours (and still..) his pain is in need of managing better. He has a high tolerance to meds and his blood pressure has been high due to pain, agitation, etc. He kept getting more meds, more meds, and still whining, crying, and sucking his paci like crazy. Good thing he was finding relief in the paci. This was also weird because he has really given up taking the paci for the last few months. We aren't sure if it is a regression, or if it really is the only comfort he has right now, but we don't really care. We are glad he can find some relief in that. He is still restless and uncomfortable, and the second the paci falls out he screams with a desire to have it back. Chelsea will be the paci-putter-inner tonight, as she is pulling the night shift. Owen's sats are in the upper 70's right now, which is great. The surgeon is hopeful that they will come up even more over time (and yes, also over a longer time, they will start to come down, but that is far away we sure hope!) Owen was fighting a temp, and the RN is checking it right now. Hopefully it is lower or gone and that will be one less thing to worry about. A little one, only about 99 which isn't worrysome. YAY! We LOVE OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND SUPPORT SYSTEM. These days are so full that it is hard to have visitors, and a challenge to blog even. This was written in a few shifts. We are amazed at how fast this process has gone so far, and hope that his recovery continues to follow the same path. The Glenn procedure has it's own challenges, with increased blood flow to the head and neck, so Owen likely has a headache, and will for a while. We look forward to seeing family and friends, and love love love the support via texts, email, facebook, and on the blog. THANK YOU! We CAN feel the love. Stay tuned for the overly friendly cashier update, as well as Owen's pre-op yoga moves. Signing off for tonight, Chels, Chris, and Paci-loving, tubeless Owen By the way, the title of this is spanish and means Owen is strong. We say this to him at home and he laughs out loud when ever we do it.