This chapter in our story is titled "Joey and his Rocky Balboa Heart"
Joseph is completely OFF the bypass (ECMO) machine!!! The weaned him gradually friday night and he tolerated well, and yesterday he maintained well on the lowest setting. Yesterday afternoon they ran the normal "clamping test" during which they turned it off completely and took at echocardiogram of his heart, watching blood flow and pressure build-up through his valves. Everything looked good, so they took the cannulas OUT! Joey maintained good vital signs, good blood flow, good everything!!! A result of this was having to ligate (close off) one of the veins in his neck they had used for the ECMO cannula, but his body will form new pathways for bloodflow. (Isn't the body amazing???)
They will not make any definitive decisions about today until later, but they'll discuss removing the paralyzing medicine so he can start to move a very little and open his eyes and try to take breaths. He is still on the ventilator, but in another day they hope to wean that, too! It's a very gradual process, so as not to stress out his body too much. We want to see him slowly take over at a pace he can handle.
Keep those prayers going, including one of thanksgiving today~
Thanks and God Bless,
Kate, Pat, and Joey
Joseph is completely OFF the bypass (ECMO) machine!!! The weaned him gradually friday night and he tolerated well, and yesterday he maintained well on the lowest setting. Yesterday afternoon they ran the normal "clamping test" during which they turned it off completely and took at echocardiogram of his heart, watching blood flow and pressure build-up through his valves. Everything looked good, so they took the cannulas OUT! Joey maintained good vital signs, good blood flow, good everything!!! A result of this was having to ligate (close off) one of the veins in his neck they had used for the ECMO cannula, but his body will form new pathways for bloodflow. (Isn't the body amazing???)
They will not make any definitive decisions about today until later, but they'll discuss removing the paralyzing medicine so he can start to move a very little and open his eyes and try to take breaths. He is still on the ventilator, but in another day they hope to wean that, too! It's a very gradual process, so as not to stress out his body too much. We want to see him slowly take over at a pace he can handle.
Keep those prayers going, including one of thanksgiving today~
Thanks and God Bless,
Kate, Pat, and Joey
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