Incision site infection and other info . . .

Went in to CMH yesterday for a chest xray (which looked good) and also to have his staples removed. The night before, I noticed the skin on and around his bottom five staples turn from a light pink to a bright red. So close to coming in to have them removed, it wasn't worth calling in there at 9pm... Anyways, Tyler and I get there and CV Surgery nurse, Lisa Laddish, asked how things were going and I told her everything is great but his bottom five staples. I told her I did the betadine wipes 2x day and that it just suddenly appeared. After she pulled those staples a little bit of a white-yellowish creamy ooze came out. So she applied light pressure and just a little bit more came out. I asked her if we could swab it and send it to the lab (me being worried it could be staph or the like) Lab will take 72 hours for the culture to grow and be identified, which would put us at early Monday morning to find out the seriousness of this. Lisa thinks it could just be Tyler's skin fighting irriation from the internal sutures. Because of that, she didn't want to apply any steri-strips to the bottom inch of his incision, just 'in case' the infection wants to surface causing his incision to open up. If that happens I have to call immediately and take him in. She put him on an antibiotic and also a prescription topical cream. I hope the antibiotic works its magic fast!

Other than this ordeal, Tyler is doing great!

After his appointments, I went upstairs to 4 Sutherland (the Heart Floor) to visit Suzie and little Garrett Jones. Garrett was born a week before Tyler with the exact same heart defect. They live in Olathe. We met eachother during the boys' Norwoods and became an instant support system for eachother, and from that our friendship bloomed. She has two older daughters, 7 & 5. Garrett is doing so good! Flying thru this surgery in fact. His Glenn was on Monday and he'll possibly be coming home this afternoon... so 4 days post-op!

On a sadder note, it is with great love that I express deepest sympathy to Amy & Nate Boeckman and big brother Kaden. On May 7th, their 3 1/2 month old daughter, Ava, passed away at CMH. Ava was also diagnosed with HLHS and was status post Norwood, but was yet to come home due to some trouble of getting off the ventilator. Earlier this week however, she was successfully extubated, and things were finally looking up for her! But on Wednesday, things took a turn for the worst. I met Amy and Nate thru her sister-in-law, who somehow came across Tyler's blog. Once again, there was an instant connection because there we were, both parents of a child diagnosed with HLHS. There is nothing better than being able to talk to another 'heart parent'... especially of the same CHD. Last week when we were in PICU for Tyler's Glenn, I was blessed to be able to meet Ava in person while talking to and learning more about Amy. Come to find out, she and I have more in common than just HLHS kiddos. Let me just put it this way... it's a small world. Kaden and Ava couldn't ask for a better mother! She is such a wonderful person. I wish you and your family peace as you make it thru this difficult time. (((HUGE HUGS, MY FRIEND, HUGE HUGS)))