Cath update - Cardiology

Dr Rychik came in to talk to us and said he was really pleased with Caelen and his cath results. He wants to meet with his team, including the surgeon, Dr Spray, and schedule his Fontan. He is thinking 2-4 weeks. The reason that he wants to do the surgery now is because Caelen has been optimized in the cath lab with the plugging and coiling of collaterals, and in theory, this will help minimize the risk of pleural effusions (fluid in the chest cavity) and chest drainage. Caelen had a major problem with effusions after the last surgery, so this is as good a time as ever to do the Fontan.

I have mixed feelings about the Fontan now because, well hell, who wants to go through another hospitalization? But doing it now gets it over with and stops it hanging over our shoulders.

So we'll wait for a date and in the meantime, go back to isolation mode. Stinks that Caelen can't start school now until after the surgery, but that's a small price to pay for his health.

Here's a pic of Caelen in recovery playing with gabba on his iPad and watching cars on the tv above his head. He's doing really well and can get up in an hour and a half. After the cath he has to lay flat for 6 hours, but he's drinking a lot of water which is good. We're still waiting on the formula lab to bring up his food, seems like no matter the hospital, some things never change. Lol.