Hopkins - Post-Op Day Eleven

I have officially jinxed us. Max has a fever (which he has had on and off since surgery) and the floor doctors don't feel comfortable about not aggressively looking for a source. Because of his high heart rate, low blood pressure, and impressively high white blood cell count they are culturing both blood and urine and while I appreciate their thoroughness and understand its importance, especially in light of the fact that Max just had an artificial part put in his heart, it is difficult to not be frustrated. All we want to do is go home and this won't help our case.

It's been a rough day all around for us but not as much as it has been for Max. Once he left the PICU his central line (sort of a "super IV") had to be removed which means all his many labs have to be drawn each time. That's a lot of needle sticks and if you throw in the twice a day shots he now needs it has become just too much for this little boy. He is tired and cranky and wants nothing more to do with this whole situation. Who can really blame him? As hard as this whole thing has been for us it is nothing compared to what Max has had to endure and it is heart breaking to watch him sit silently in his bed and cry quiet tears as someone sticks, pokes or prods him.

So tonight please pray for Max. Pray that all of his tests will come back negative for any type of infection, that the fevers will subside, and that his heart rate and blood pressure numbers will even out.

And now a few pics from Max's day:

Walking the Halls

Ready for Bed