Day 54

Day 54

Tomorrow is an important day for Jack. He is having surgery to have the shunt implanted and also to fix his hernia. We weren’t expecting the surgery to happen tomorrow, so the news was a surprise. Tonight he will get his last feeding before the surgery and very early in the morning he will be taken to the OR. Unfortunately he will have to be intubated again during the surgery but he will probably only need the breathing tube for a day or two.

We are very nervous but the neurosurgeon has performed hundreds of these procedures and the likelihood of complications is small. We are more worried about infections in the coming days and the possibility that the shunt may not work properly. Jack has been a real trooper so far in his life, so we feel optimistic that everything will be ok. We mostly feel sorry for the little guy…that he has to go through this, because despite occasionally experiencing refluxes after eating, he seems very comfortable and relaxed in his little home. Any discomfort for him is hard on our hearts. But, we know that this needs to happen, so we are trying to be strong for him.

Tonight, Jack is continuing to do well. Sometimes his oxygen levels drop a bit, but that is only because he gets so comfortable he forgets to breathe. It only takes a little stimulation to get him to take deep breaths and sometimes the oxygen needs to be increased slightly. We are so grateful for the nurses who keep a watchful eye on him, ready to come to his aid if he needs it.

We will be seeing Jack bright and early at 6am to wish him well. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.