The Berlin Heart

Thursday was an up and down day. The doctor made an attempt at weening Baby Todd off the heart and lung machine. They found that he wasn't quite ready and had to make some adjustments to the tubes connecting him to the machine. Before the adjustments, the kidneys were beginning to show signs of stress, afterwards they started to return to a more normal function. Thursday ended up being a day full of waiting and rest, again.

We found out Wednesday night that Baby Todd has been approved to receive the Berlin Heart. It is to be arriving some time Thursday night. He has been tentatively scheduled to have the Berlin Heart procedure around 8:30am on Friday morning. The use of the Berlin Heart is to allow Baby Todd's heart to continue to rest, without as high a risk of infection, bleeding or other organ damage.

Current Post-op options...

We were able to speak with the Surgeon again this afternoon. At this point, Baby Todd is not ready to be taken off the heart and lung machine. He has had some bleeding around his heart, which had to be stopped and cleaned. The nurses and doctor all say that this is normal and to be somewhat expected.

The 'road blocks' in the surgery yesterday left his heart very stressed and with a less than oringially expected recovery percentage. Knowing this we have taken all precautionary measures, which includes Baby Todd being added to the Heart Transplant list. Because he is still on the heart and lung machine, Baby Todd has level 1-A Priority. We have also applied for the use of a "Berlin Heart". Which will be a more long term "fix" while we wait for recovery and/or transplant.

At this point we are still in the waiting process and are still praying for healing and recovery of the heart he has been given.

Links have been added to the right side of the blog with information regarding Heart Transplantation and the Berlin Heart.

Surgery Update

Today is 'waiting day'. Currently we are waiting for Baby's doctor to run a few more tests and re-evaluate his condition. He is still on the Heart and Lung machine to allow his heart to rest as much as possible. Yesterdays' surgery took much longer than the doctor originally expected due to a few 'road blocks'.
The doctor plans to slowly allow Baby's heart to work on its own, with out the machine. If all goes according to plan we will be starting the weening process today.

I was asked by the doctor and nurses to carry Baby Todd back to the OR. The doctor with us is one of the Baby's anesthesiologists.

Surgery Day

Surgery is scheduled for 8:30am Tuesday morning. The procedure takes about 3 hours, give or take. The doctor and nurses expect that we should be able to see him (after surgery) by lunch time.

Thank you in advance for all your prayers...we will update with any results as soon as we can!

Transport

This is a bit of backing up, but I wanted to take a minute to fill everyone in on the transport to Wilmington.

Baby Todd was born at 2:12pm on Friday afternoon, and taken immediately to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Around 5:30pm we got the call that the DuPont Transport team has arrived and were preparing him for transport. At this point we got to go be with Baby Todd in the NICU before he left. I was able to hold him for a minute...only long enough for Dustin to take this picture.

Dustin was not able to ride in the ambulance with the Baby, but followed in our vehicle. They left Harrisburg around 6:30pm and it took them about 2 hours to get to Wilmington.

Dustin got settled into our room for the night, and I met up with him on Saturday. I was discharged from the Harrisburg Hospital around 8:15am and left the hospital around 11am and headed straight to DuPont.

Thanks to everyone who was with us on Friday and Saturday and helped us through this transition!!

Video Update

Baby Todd is currently in the CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) awaiting his surgery. He has several IV's and monitors attached to him. The Doctor and nurses are currently monitoring his head and body's oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure, pulse and chest movements. He has IV's in his left hand and in his umbilical cord.

The clear, plastic box 'thing' is his air hood. It is used to manipulate and regulate the air that Baby Todd is breathing.

We got to go sit with Baby Todd this morning for about an hour. As of right now, that was the only time we got to be with him today. There has been a lot of activity in the CICU today, so we were not permitted in to visit this afternoon or evening.

During our visit this morning Baby Todd was a bit restless. So I got to hold his hand, underneath his breathing hood. The nurses have been giving him his pacifier dipped in sugar water, to help soothe him.

He's HERE!!

Todd Heston

Born: Friday December 5, 2008 at 2:12pm

at

Harrisburg Hospital

Weight: 7 lbs 2.6 zs

Length: 20.5 inches