GREAT RECOVERY / EMOTIONAL WEEK

Max's recovery is going really, really well. Actually one of the doctors said they wished all the cardiac patients did as good as MIGHTY MAX! :)

He has had a few complications, but we believe most have been resolved. There was fear of some clotting yesterday (most likely no longer a concern) and then he maintained a fever for several days (now it is back to normal). They ran some tests and indeed his urine had an infection, so we redid that today and will have results back tomorrow. If positive, we will start yet another antibiotic.

His breathing was doing pretty good until today. They have been weaning him off the ventilator and it doesn't look like Max likes all the new lower settings...which might not be promising news. But he might still just be getting used to the changes or be dealing with narcotic withdrawal. (He was weaned a little today in preparation for extabation, so we are giving him extra meds through the night to see how he does.) He is good when he is sleeping, but as soon as he wakes up, his respiratory rate shoots up. This afternoon I was holding him (first time post surgery...was so great!) and every time he closed his eyes for a quick snooze, his rate would immediately drop down to a normal range, but then sure enough it would spike as soon as he woke up. I reminded him how wonderful it would be to come home without a trach. We'll see if he listens!

As far as me, this week has been difficult emotionally. The anticipation and nervousness around the surgery was extremely intense...and then celebrating Thanksgiving in the hospital and Ronald McDonald House, all while going through a tumultuous divorce....made for a pretty emotional week. Who would have guessed? I look back a year ago at Thanksgiving time and I thought I was happily married...we were finally pregnant after two painful miscarriages, our businesses were doing great, and we were preparing for an incredible Christmas vacation to celebrate the year...I thought all was wonderful! And then a few months later I find out it was all a sham. Hit me like a ton of bricks...completely unexpected. WHAM. And then Max arrives months early with a million and one health complications. WHAM. WHAM.

One particularly surreal moment, which for those moms who have pumped will find quite humorous, was earlier this week. I am in the hospital's "pump room" making my milk for Maxwell, which is typically supposed to be a relaxing time so you can "express" easily. (Sorry men for all the details!) However, there I am pumping, sanitizing the room (I am definitely OCD now when it comes to germs!), and talking with my divorce attorney preparing for the hearing in a few weeks....all at the same time. Such a crazy surreal moment. I came out of the room shaking my head in disbelief...crying and chuckling....thinking "is this really my life???"

So needless to say, it's been an emotional week...a lot of ups and a lot of downs. But most importantly, Max's surgery went well and that was the best news for a LONG time!

For all of you still celebrating the holiday, I hope you have a weekend of relaxation, health, joy and peace. Please be thankful for all that you have! Let us all learn a valuable lesson from sweet lil' Max. My weekend will be absolutely perfect if Max is successfully extabated, but that will be up to him! That will definitely be something to celebrate!!!!

Last but not least (what a super long post this is!!!), I hope everyone enjoyed the new photos...isn't Maxwell just absolutely gorgeous!?! And what a champ! :)