Update

I've been trying to update facebook all day, but haven't had the time or energy to sit down and update the blog. I'm still really exhausted so forgive me if this doesn't cover all the details.

Wow, umm well I will write about what Dr Kochilas and Dr. Bass told us after the heart cath in a post sometime soon. My mind just isn't in a place where it can explain it right now.

After the heart cath Landon was taken to the PACU. It was SO hard to see him for the first 10 min. He was gasping and his breath was raspy. We knew this was because they removed his breathing tube. I held his hand and cried. It was really hard for us to see him like that. Eventually he calmed down enough to eat and that relaxed him and soothed his throat enough that he felt comfortable to fall asleep.

He had to lay flat strapped to a board for 4 hours. He did extraordinarily well. He obviously wasn't his normal self and was still feeling the anesthesia to a degree. There were times where his eyes were open but I really wondered if he was actually awake just because he had a blank stare in his eyes.

Every 20 min or so the nurse would check his pulses. She told us that this is to make sure that no blood clots are forming. There were a couple times where she had a harder time finding them, she had to turn up the doppler really loud, but eventually she would find them. Every time we would breath a sigh of relief. Our relief quickly vanished when she checked again in 15 min. we waited and held our breaths while she searched and searched for the faint pulse she had just heard... nothing. She waited and tried again... nothing. Another nurse was called and came to take a look. She also couldn't find anything. They were able to hear his pulse in other areas of his left leg, but not the one area on his foot (I forget what they call it). Our nurse then called Dr. Bass (the man who performed Landon's heart cath) and asked him if he could come take a look. Soon Dr. Bass' nurse came to take a listen. To our dismay... still nothing. This is when I posted on facebook and asked for prayer. Soon after Dr. Kochilas (Landon's cardiologist came to see us) soon after that a nurse came in and told us that Dr. Bass ordered to admit Landon. Soon after that Dr. Bass came in and told us that he wants to put Landon on Heparin and watch him overnight. Heparin is a blood thinner and he said that it will stop the clot from getting bigger and that way Landon's body should get rid of the blood clot on it's own.

After another hour and 1/2 we moved up to the PICU. Landon had to get labs done which meant they needed to draw blood. There is no way I can describe how Landon reacts to getting his blood drawn. It is horrendous for Ryan and I to watch him. He screams until he's gasping for air and choking. He turns pale greyish blue and nothing we say or do seems to help. Today was extra bad because the lady could not find the right vein. Landon began screaming when she grabbed his arm and didn't stop until she finally succeeded on her second try. Ryan and I were just talking about how it seems like Landon is traumatized from his experiences today. It's really hard to see him terrified like that. As of now, they will be getting labs again in a half hour so PLEASE pray for Landon and us. We're going to give him some tylenol right before so hopefully that helps him. Right now him and Ryan and sound asleep... I'm dreading 10 o clock :(

So we're pretty confused about what is going on with Landon's left leg. We were amazed because earlier today one of the nurses was able to pick up his missing pulse, but our new night nurse just tried and couldn't find it again... uhhhh. You truly forget how stressful life is in the hospital until you're back here and every hour seems to bring change and a different perspective.

So right now... all we can do is pray. It was looking like God answered our prayer and removed the clot, but I'm still very worried that it seems to be hit and miss on finding his pulse. So far only one person has been able to find it all day. It really doesn't seem to make any sense. I am comforted in knowing that we are in good hands here in the PICU.

On a bright note, we have seen a couple children rolling around in their wagons or hospital beds holding their pillow pets :) We even made a new PICU family friend! One of the little boys who received a pillow pet saw Ryan in the lobby and had a gift for Landon. They heard that he was here and they were so thoughtful to get him a little giraffe.

Well got to go, nurses are back to try to find that stinkin pulse again.

The only thing that encouraged me all day was reading that so many of you were lifting our family up in your prayers.