Day 7 Recap

Yesterday, (Monday) was day 7 after surgery. He is still in the PICU but he has made great progress. They took out his pacing wires and his ART line (the main IV in his hand). Boy is he glad to have that IV out.Here is the picture of that ART line before they took it out. They have kept one IV in his foot just in case they need to put medications through it. The pacing wires are wires that are connected to the sac around the heart. They needed to hook up these wires to the pace maker only once while we have been here. He was put on a sedative that he had never been on and it made his heart rate sky rocket. So, they tried to capture the HR and bring it down using the pace maker. It was amazing to watch that happen. I maybe have written about this before, but anyways, they had to use it only once with him. But these wires are sown into his stomach right below his sternum. (Most of the major IVs and chest tubes are sown in so they won't get pulled out as easily.) So, while they were cutting out the stitch Burke was such a trooper. I can only imagine the pain he was going through. There were about four of us holding him down while I was trying to help comfort him. He did great. But right after the nurse practitioner was done he automatically put up his foot with the IV still in it like he was ready and waiting for them to take that one out next! It was hilarious. This kid is so smart. Here are a couple of pictures of his foot with the last IV. He pretty much has it up all the time. This is while he was talking to Emma on the phone. He loved talking with her. He was jabbering a ton and didn't want to get off the phone with her. They are such good buds and I know that it has been hard on both of them to be away from each other. Notice the elevated foot!

He loves helping the nurses out by moving the oxygen prob to a different finger. He usually doesn't even have to be asked to help out, he just does it on his own! What a big helper! Notice the foot up in the air. He was loving being held by daddy!Grandma and Grandpa Bates have been here visiting and helping with Burke since Saturday. This was last night when they were leaving, he melted all of our hearts when he was giving them a big good bye wave!! Thank you so much for all your help while you were here mom and dad. Burke loved seeing you and loved how you made him smile and laugh. We love you both so much and are grateful for your love and support!