Home Again- Yippee!

Dorothy was right--there is no place like home!  We've had a great afternoon at home...spending time with neighbors and friends, eating a very yummy dinner (thank you Kleinfelders!), decorating pumpkins and enjoying being a family of 5 under the same roof.  

Thinking about Matthew's issues the last few days, I actually think it all makes logical sense (though I'm not a doctor and don't play one on tv).  Before Thursday, he was in heart failure, with a large heart, pumping a large amount of extra blood through his lungs which had much higher pressure than they should have.  After Thursday, his large heart didnt have to pump as hard to get the blood through his body (explaining the low heart rate).  The blood is no longer flooding his lungs, but going through the rest of his body (explaining the high blood pressure).  And his lung pressure has dropped by 4x (explaining the hard time breathing after the anesthesia).  

This is in alignment with what our heart surgeon told us on Friday, but we lost track of that with all of the doctors panicking about him the last few days.  Today's attending cardiologist admitted they are stumped, they don't really know the cause and they don't know if its temporary or Matthew's new 'normal'.  The good news is they doesn't think Matthew is in any danger and it should not impact either his upcoming surgeries or his quality of life, hence why they sent us home.

What is concerning us is we haven't seen the immediate relief for Matthew that the doctors thought we would see after the procedure.  Matthew still has the same symptoms of heart failure that he had before the procedure.  The fussy, bad eating with the sweating, bad coloring, and swollen feet. Though he does seem to be in better spirits.  Tomorrow's appointment should give us some insight as we'll ask more questions and get a peak at his heart again on the echo.  I'm guessing heart failure doesn't reverse itself in 3 days but I'd like someone much more educated than I to conjecture.

Matthew is celebrating my lack of employment by keeping me amply busy.  We were in the hospital Thursday-Sunday. Monday is cardiology. Tuesday is a consultation w/the hand surgeons.  Wednesday OT. Thursday is cranialfacial/neurosurgery.  Whew....then Friday I'm going to celebrate the first day of no appointments and no work 9 days after my last day of work!  

Thank you again for keeping up with Matthew's journey, and for the love and support.  We feel it all over and it gives us light in dark times. Thank you!