I just got back from the hospital and Sean is still ok. I talked with Dr. Lane and he explained the reason for the low oxygen level this way:
Right now, due to the way Sean's body developed, he has microscopic blood vessels that have formed in his heart and around his lungs...they are meaningless to the function of his body other than blood flows to them which could be used elsewhere. Normally, when the blood flows through the liver it picks up a chemical that keeps those vessels from forming. The wrong kind of blood (Oxygenated blood vs. un-oxygenated blood) flows through Sean's liver so it never picks up that chemical. Now that Sean has had his operation, the right kind of blood will flow through his liver picking up that chemical. However, this is a process that takes months/years to re-correct itself, so, Sean's O2 levels will take awhile to get back up. Today I saw him at a high of 77-he has been in the low 70s and 60s. Last night during a crying spell he dipped into the 30's. Ask any nurse and they'll tell you that's not good.
Dr. Lane said it's normal after a Fontan operation that the childs oxygen levels begin to go up immediately, and that was reason for some concern amongst the surgeons and himself. He said again Sean is a pretty complicated case.
As an aside, these doctors must never sleep. The surgeon that was there at the hospital by 8:00 am yesterday was there at 11:30 pm that night. These people are super heroes.
Right now, due to the way Sean's body developed, he has microscopic blood vessels that have formed in his heart and around his lungs...they are meaningless to the function of his body other than blood flows to them which could be used elsewhere. Normally, when the blood flows through the liver it picks up a chemical that keeps those vessels from forming. The wrong kind of blood (Oxygenated blood vs. un-oxygenated blood) flows through Sean's liver so it never picks up that chemical. Now that Sean has had his operation, the right kind of blood will flow through his liver picking up that chemical. However, this is a process that takes months/years to re-correct itself, so, Sean's O2 levels will take awhile to get back up. Today I saw him at a high of 77-he has been in the low 70s and 60s. Last night during a crying spell he dipped into the 30's. Ask any nurse and they'll tell you that's not good.
Dr. Lane said it's normal after a Fontan operation that the childs oxygen levels begin to go up immediately, and that was reason for some concern amongst the surgeons and himself. He said again Sean is a pretty complicated case.
As an aside, these doctors must never sleep. The surgeon that was there at the hospital by 8:00 am yesterday was there at 11:30 pm that night. These people are super heroes.
2 comments:
Praying for you all...I agree; the docs are amazing and you wonder if they are superheros! The pictures were great and I thought that Sean looks great. Praying for rest and I know that it is difficult to come by at ACH. Love you all and hugs and kisses from Luke.
Michael,Judy, Kayli, Caleb and Luke
Thanks Judy!
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