Waiting

A friend shared this picture with me today.  It is a very accurate and powerful picture.

 

We have had a rather uneventful waiting period this morning.  The only real stress was when they said Ethan could eat but only had a half hour window to do so at lunch.  Then no food only liquids.  I ran down to the hospital café and grabbed him a sandwich and a salad, his last meal before his transplant. Good proteins for healing and the veggies offered some nutrients as well.

We have been told that the show will start around 7pm.  The main character, Ethan, will start being prepped for the OR. I will be allowed to walk with him to the OR doors. They haven't figured out where they will park me or all of our things while I wait. 

Due to COVID, Paul is not going to come.  Thanks COVID.  When is COVID going to leave? It has overstayed it's welcome. Please everyone be safe over the holiday. 

Only one of us can be present in the hospital at a time, so it makes no sense for him to drive all the way here to stay at the apartment.  We could swap and he could visit with Ethan while I stay at the apartment.  It doesn't make sense to interrupt the continuity in care to have myself step away and put Paul in a position of not knowing when the next dose of something is due or when the next flush of the pic line is due. It also introduces a new person that could potentially give something to Ethan. We live in an age where this is technology's time to shine. He can be with us, even if it is not physically.

The anesthesiologist came to visit. She told Ethan that they are likely going to put in an A line which is access to his arteries and a central line which goes into a vein in his neck.  He will likely be intubated for at least a day or so afterward. They will induce him with Propofol and midazolam and then maintain him on sevo gas (which I know my medical friends will like to know).  

Once they have placed the new heart, they will insert an ultrasound probe into his esophagus and make sure that all the valves in the new heart are functioning normally as well as all the chambers and connections look good. They will be able to make sure that there is no evidence of stress on the sutured vessels.  The anesthesiologist works in 24 hour shifts.  She said she was going to go take a nap and rest up for his procedure.

One day at a time. One breath at a time. One beat at a time.  And we wait........