A New Year

It has been a few days, but so much has been going on and I have been so flustered that I am just now getting around to update you all.

First of all, Happy New Year! Even though I had to spent this holiday in the hospital, I was able to spend it with in the loving company of my sweet child.

Christian is doing better... They ended up needing to place a drain tube in the right side of his chest... there was SO much fluid in there. It had literally collapsed his lung. It is still draining pretty good, so it will remain in for today at least.

He is starting to act normal again... laughing and playing with toys... but still unable to get out of bed. His O2 sats keep dipping pretty low, but we are (the doctors and I) thinking that it is due to his pain medication making him relaxed. He is on oxygen to help with that.

We do not know yet when we will be able to go home, so please keep your fingers crossed and prayers coming!

Love and A Happy New year!
 Nicole and Christian  

Back Again

Well, we were sent back to Doernbecher via Air Life last night. I had a weird feeling yesterday morning that I just needed to come home from work to be with Christian. When I got home, he was very lethargic and just not himself, so I called his cardiologists in Portland. We were told to go ahead and get checked out by his pediatrician at home in Bend. When we got there, it was determined quite quickly that something was very wrong... a few hours later, heart failure was confirmed and we were on our was to the airport. Christian had his first flight in a fixed wing plane last night... and it was horrible! The weather was windy and rainy and the turbulence was insane! We (me and Christian) caught air several times... and banged around A LOT! But we landed safely and then took a ground ambulance to OHSU/Doernbecher. They were very quick to put him on a diuretic in an attempt to rid his body of the large amount of fluid in his chest. He had collected so much that that his heart couldn't take the pressure and his lungs were collapsing.

He is doing better this morning, but it is looking like we will be here through the weekend. The doctors are trying their best to just use drugs to get rid of the fluid  as opposed putting drain tubes in his chest again. Please pray that he will pull through with the IV meds! Chest tubes mean a much longer stay... again.

I will try to keep you all posted and up to date.

Thanks so much for all of the prayers.

We... Are... HOME!!!!

After a long and tiring morning of procedures, medications, pharmacy visits, doctor visits, x-rays and packing, WE ARE HOME! He still has along recovery ahead of him. He had to be sedated this morning to place a picc line which is just a bigger and better and longer lasting IV. He will be on IV medications for ten more days.

the drive was very long and tiring, but we made it in one piece, got settled in. He got his first REAL bath in two weeks... The poor guy had been cleaned with bed baths. He feels and smells better. He is walking around a tiny bit on his own, but still needs help up from a laying or sitting position.

Thank you ALL again, so very much for everything! I will continue to update on his continued recovery.

Also, if you'd like a Christmas card, please send me your address. I will also upload pictures tomorrow!

A Little Midnight News

I spent a portion of today out of the hospital trying to regain my sanity. I figured a trip to the Japanese gardens would be just what I needed to lift my spirits. It was beautiful and very calming. I had found out early this morning that my favorite author would be doing a book signing just 8 miles away from the hospital! What a great day! But little did I know, things were about to get better! 

We might get to go home tomorrow!!!!!

Yes! As long as Christian's chest x-rays are clear tomorrow, they are going to let us go home! He is still in the hated junctional rhythm, but that can be monitored at home and if need be, we will come back to Portland for the pacemaker... but we are holding out hope that his heart will kick back in gear full time here soon! So really, thank you to everyone who has been thinking of us and praying so hard. We are being handed miracles every day! I will update as soon as I know anything more about ditching this place!

I got to hold my Bug! This was our first cuddle session in weeks! 

(Yes, he is crying, but the nurse had just made him take medicine) 

Surprise!

Picture first!

Chest Tubes Are Out!

Just a little bit of information so far today. His chest tubes were not draining any fluid, so they removed them both! Yay! Just wanted to share that with everyone! Keep up the prayers... they are working! 

Limbo

So, we thought that we were heading somewhat the right direction... but it turns out that Christian's heart is just not ready to work all of the way. A cardiologist came in this morning and told us that he is still mostly pumping a junctional rhythm pattern... which looks like this:

After every QRS wave is only the T wave. The QRS wave is the high, pointed spike, the T wave is the little hump that follows. Before every QRS is supposed to be a P wave, similar to the T wave. Normal rhythms look like this:

Small P wave, the QRS spike, then the T wave and start over... Unless you're Christian.

So, they are keeping a very close eye on him and have started discussing more, the option of a pacemaker being implanted permanently. Please send HUGE prayers his way as this would mean yet another open-heart surgery and Christmas and possibly New Years in the hospital away from home.

Other than that news, the chest tubes are still in, but producing less and less fluid every day. Christian's attitude and outlook are getting brighter as each day passes. He smiles more, makes jokes and is actually playing his IPOD again! To anyone who truly knows him, you know he is glued to that thing!

So, we are still here and trying so hard to get him well enough to go home. It is proving quite the difficult task. He has also started to actually feel homesick and will start crying saying he wants to go home. My heart brakes knowing how badly he misses feeling normal. I am going to venture out tomorrow and find a yoga studio so that I can get a little stress relief and work on making myself feel as close to normal as possible. Please keep us in your thoughts, but mostly pray for Christian's peace of mind and quick recovery.

 Playing with the Air Life Helicopter 

Another smile!

The Weekend Already?

Not only have I lost track of days here at Doernbecher, but I have lost my mind. I actually had to ask how old I was... yes, really... Apparently I am actually 24, not 23. I think I need sleep. Today was yet another slow day. The only thing removed from my little man was one IV. Chest tubes are still leaking enough fluid to keep them from coming out. Baby steps and I need to be patient.

Christian did have a fun day though. He started it out by going for a walk and was met by 5 guide dogs. he didn't want to pet them all, but as part of his physical therapy, he made the circle and pet all of them. Then, when we made it back to the room, he was visited by real race car drivers who brought him a remote control race car and a photo of them driving their car! He was SO excited!

A great person has decided to put on a comedy show in Christian's honor to help with bills and other expenses that have accumulated over his hospital stay. We would love for all of our friends and family to join us for a night of much needed laughter and fun December 23rd in Bend... Here is a link to the rough draft poster...  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150600478032846&set=p.10150600478032846&type=1&theater


I hope to see all of you there, and we will update again tomorrow! Also, I have started writing a Christmas letter, so please send me your address so that I can put one in the mail for you! nruwaldt@yahoo.com

Nicole and Christian

 Not too sure about the puppy...

 He liked the more calm full grown dog Leif