Cookie Posted March 22, 2012 Posted March 22, 2012 10 days ago we were jumping for joy at the birth of our fourth grandbaby. Tues this week she went in for her check up, Dr. said all was good. Listened to heart and lungs and weighed her. Daughter in law decided to nurse her before the trip back home. They live in Lincoln Nb. and Dr. in Omaha. Lizzy started to cry then started breathing fast and the Dr. got back in there took one look and called for an ambulance. Within a few minutes she was at Children's Hospital and in less than an hour she was on a ventilator and in the NICU with a diagnosis. Coarctation of the Aorta. There is a tube actually a bypass while baby is in the womb that takes oxygenated blood from the mother to the baby's heart, its a bypass because the baby is not breathing and getting oxygen from it's lungs. After baby is born this tube closes off because now we get oxgenated blood from the baby's own lungs. Sometimes this closing of the tube causes a narrowing of the aorta, and this is what happened to Lizzy. Just in the time that the Dr. saw her and when symptoms presented themselves is like snap, ok one minute and going down the tubes the next. They gave a drug intended to keep that tube open for a few days so her heart could settle down and rest. Tuesday a.m. the cardioligst determined that was not happening, so this baby girl underwent open heart surgery yesterday, to snip out the narrowing of the aorta and resectioned it, and they also found a tiny hole in the right atrium and fixed that. We were told this is very common in newborns. It is among the top five heart problems in newborn babies. The surgeon who operated on Lizzy had done about thirty five of these type of operations a year. She showed signs of trying to breathe on her own, but they decided to keep her sedated for the night and then toeqy see how she is doing and take her off the ventilator. The Dr. was pleased on how well she did and was very positive in her future. I don't need another week like this.
Just Plain Ruff Posted March 22, 2012 Posted March 22, 2012 My nephew had this problem. He had the surgery, had all the tubes and drains and all that. He did Just fine. He's now 10 years old. He's the best baseball and basketball player. Sure your week was hell. Your grandson's week was worse. Look into the future and see a 10 year old grandson and think to yourself, he's gonna be fine. You know it all works out in the end. I will say a little prayer for you, your family and especially your little grandbaby for a quick healing. Hang in there, in 6 weeks you will look back and say, wow, did this really happen???
Kaisu Posted March 22, 2012 Posted March 22, 2012 It is a very difficult thing to go through. You are doing very well. Take care of yourself. It is important because I know your family needs you. I will be praying for you.
Cookie Posted March 22, 2012 Author Posted March 22, 2012 Update. The Dr's have backed off the meds and waiting for her to wake up. They will take her off the ventilator when she is pretty much fully awake and crying. The Dr.'s have been in there quite a bit and are pleased with being able to rouse her and get her to open her eyes and look around. When they get her off the ventilator they will transfer her to a crib and momma will be able to hold her and nurse her and we cannot wait for that to happen.
Just Plain Ruff Posted March 22, 2012 Posted March 22, 2012 Look at it this way, she won't remember any of this and be glad that she won't because she wont' be able to hold this over her parents head. There will be plenty of other stuff to hold over their heads but not this.
Cookie Posted March 24, 2012 Author Posted March 24, 2012 Things are moving rapidly. Chest tube is out, all iv's are removed, oxygen removed, pacemaker probes gone. The only thing they are monitoring are the respirations and heartrate. They are on their way to a transistion floor out of the PICU. It's a good thing she won't remember all this. I know for a fact her father thinks she ought to be locked up till she is 21, but he will relent and be the father cleaning his weapons when her first date comes to the door!
mikemedic999 Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 Hahahaha...so damn true.i remember that.my eldests first valentine turned up at the door at 5:30 and was confronted by a rather irate dad who had done a 4pm-4am........didnt know whether ti deficate himself(see my big word there or run.....but he had the balls n stood there,credit to the boy, n asked if my daughter was in....theyre still good friends 3yrs later
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