Recovery: Day 3 (PM)

So much has happened today, and it's all good! They started out the day removing the CPAP machine and he did so good with that. He liked being free again. They did find out when they did the chest x-ray that the upper part of his right lung was collapsed so they ordered some therapy. We call it the thumper therapy. The respiratory therapist has one of the baby breathing masks with some tongue depressors taped to it. He uses it for pounding lightly on his back to clear anything that might be in his lungs and somehow to help it reinflate. I don't know how it works, but Justin LOVES it! He fell right asleep. We will be hiring him for our personal use when we leave here.

Then the fun started: We have removed one chest tube, the arterial line, the central line, the catheter, and both temperature probes. So that means no more drip medicines and the best part of all....I get to hold him! (When he wakes from his latest thumping.) Justin was so good with all of the lines being taken out. He nearly slept through the entire process. I think once we get the results of the chest x-ray and he wakes up I can feed him too. All he has left is one chest tube and we know we can leave ICU with that still in place. I think it might be to our benefit that we have the storm coming. They are trying to get as many babies as they can out of here because anyone left they have to move down to the 3rd floor.

It has been a whirlwind. I was so focused on making it through surgery that I hadn't given much thought to the recovery. I am so glad that God did and he set everything in motion for us long before. We have met lots of great people here in ICU, including a roommate with DS and another little girl born the day that Justin's surgery was originally scheduled. I haven't had much time to process much, but the overwhelming theme it praise and thanksgiving.

Here's some of the pictures from today:

Taking out the central line

Thumper Therapy

Our boy, free at last!