Yesterday we transferred out of the cardiac ICU onto the floor where we originally started. Today, we will go back up to the cardiac ICU. Hank is still doing fabulous, but the IV drug he is on cannot be slowed on the regular floor. This is because as they give Hank less of the vitamin M, there is a risk that he may go back into acute heart failure and it is not something they can address on the step-down unit.
Hank has been following the plan perfectly. He has increased his diet. I haven't seen him eat so much in months. Geez, I wish I would have known his heart was failing and all this time he wasn't feeling good. Sure makes me feel terrible.
The final consensus on Hank's failure is that is was caused by his pacemaker. It's called pacemaker induced Cardiomyopathy, and is really not that common (go figure - Hank needs to buy a lottery ticket). This has been going on probably since he got his last pacemaker change in November.
Good news, we have our little guy back. His personality we have been missing has come back, even with doctors and nurses constantly harrassing him. I'm scared to go off the milrinone because I worry that he will not be himself again. It's helped him so much. We have started on an oral drug to help improve his heart function called enalapril. He is also getting an oral diuretic (lasix) twice a day, in addition, Lovenox twice a day. Steve even gave Hank his first shot today!
Plan: Move back up to the ICU today. Tomorrow, more sedation for an ECHO and central line placement. Stay in the ICU until we are completely weaned off the milrinone and then a new surgery to place another lead on his heart. We will have the same pacemaker, just more wires. We will have follow up with heart failure clinic, it seems we will have to come every 2 weeks. Oh well...
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Hank has been following the plan perfectly. He has increased his diet. I haven't seen him eat so much in months. Geez, I wish I would have known his heart was failing and all this time he wasn't feeling good. Sure makes me feel terrible.
The final consensus on Hank's failure is that is was caused by his pacemaker. It's called pacemaker induced Cardiomyopathy, and is really not that common (go figure - Hank needs to buy a lottery ticket). This has been going on probably since he got his last pacemaker change in November.
Good news, we have our little guy back. His personality we have been missing has come back, even with doctors and nurses constantly harrassing him. I'm scared to go off the milrinone because I worry that he will not be himself again. It's helped him so much. We have started on an oral drug to help improve his heart function called enalapril. He is also getting an oral diuretic (lasix) twice a day, in addition, Lovenox twice a day. Steve even gave Hank his first shot today!
Plan: Move back up to the ICU today. Tomorrow, more sedation for an ECHO and central line placement. Stay in the ICU until we are completely weaned off the milrinone and then a new surgery to place another lead on his heart. We will have the same pacemaker, just more wires. We will have follow up with heart failure clinic, it seems we will have to come every 2 weeks. Oh well...
Hank starting to come back
Hank with his spoils of hospitalization
Enjoying many of his favorite meals
Helping a sweet tech with the thermometer
Fresh and clean after a bath
Our baby
Hank loves to help the nurses and doctors listen to his heart and lungs.
Happily playing cars with dad
The sweet child life specialist made this for Hank.
Standing today with physical therapy. He didn't like walking quite yet.
2 comments:
Hank is a little hero! Thanks for posting, I'm following his story and wishing you both the very best!
Love the updates :-) Thanks!
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