Good afternoon everyone!

As promised last night, herewith my post-procedure update. To begin I must first thank everyone for their wonderful support and prayers, and the continued SMS’s and emails to my Mom and Dad wishing all three of us well during the morning.

Just after 7 o’clock this morning I was collected again to be wheeled into theatre. I was enthused by the fact that all around me were familiar faces – it’s peculiar to think that I’m just over three months old and I’ve already developed a strong relationship with a team of surgeons and medical specialists. Things went pretty swiftly as I was moved onto mobile battery-operated monitor, and I was taken off the oscillating-ventilator and bagged all the way to theatre. (Bagging is the manual action of ventilation by pumping, by hand, on a plastic bladder which expels air into my lungs.) The trip to theatre was uneventful and shortly after 7:30 I bid my folks farewell at the theatre entrance.

Again I was wheeled into surrounds that had become very familiar to me. After I was placed on the operating shelf, which is in actual fact on rollers so that it can be whizzed in and out of the MRI machine to observe what is going on inside of me, I was attached to the ventilator again. I started counting the ceiling boards, and before I could get to three, the anaesthetic started taking effect again.

I can’t remember too much of what happened in the ensuing four hours that I was in surgery, but I can report back on what I was told. First and foremost, a further four coils were deployed into the fistula in my head. Three of these were the larger Boston Coils, and one was a smaller EB3 coil. An angiogram was also conducted, confirming that the flow in the fistula had definitely subsided, and that my enlarged heart had reduced in size, which was cause for celebration. After three months of increased pressure into my little heart, and after four heart failures, this was indeed good news.

Next the surgeons contemplated what to do with the micro-catheter which was still in my head. It was decided that this should stay, as it assisted in occluding the blood flow through the fistula, and served as a further support to the previously inserted Amplatzer PFO Occulder and the other coils. So the next task was to remove the outer catheter which housed this micro-catheter, and the sheath through which access was gained to the venial system. As the team started gently tugging on the outer catheter, they released that it had adhered to something somewhere en route to my head. They tugged some more to no avail. In fact, each time they tugged on the outer catheter, one could observe the micro-catheter in my head starting to uncoil, which was undesired. More decisions were made on the spot, and it was decided to terminate the micro- and outer-catheter at my groin and close me up around it.

Fortunately, as the catheters were cut, the outer-catheter dislodged from the inner micro-catheter. The team then released that it must have been some clotting at the point of entry that caused the two catheters to adhere to each other. With ease the outer-catheter was slowly extracted (I could have sworn I felt tickling down the length of my body as it slithered out). Next the sheath was expertly withdrawn and I was stitched up.

As the procedure drew to an end, it was put back on my bed to be rolled to my ward. Another crisis then reared its head! The battery of the mobile monitor had died, and was no longer working. The team decided to take the chance and sprint back to the ward with me on the bed. It was really a funny sight to see the medical team gathered around my bed in readiness for a 100m dash. One was holding the drips, another at the helm of the bed to steer, another aft to push, another bagging me to ensure I was respirating, and off we went, with Mom and Dad in tow, breathless. We slalomed down the passages with people scattering in every direction to clear the way. I grinned from ear to ear at the exhilaration of this little adventure, and decided that, once I was big, I definitely wanted to participate in further bed-races, as they are really fun.

The next steps for me are to be extubated and taken off the ventilator to start breathing on my own. Even as I dictate this blog I can feel the anaesthetic wearing off; pretty soon the Esmeron, which was used to paralyse me during surgery, will also wear off. Then at least I can take to typing my own blogs again, as it takes really long dictating these to my Dad as he types so slowly, and occasionally tries to insert his own limited and simple vocabulary.

Some more exciting news is that my move back to Morningside Medi-Clinic has been arranged for tomorrow morning. Although I’ll be sad to leave my really awesome caregivers here at Unitas, I think my Mom and Dad will be relieved at not having to travel so far to visit me anymore. Other awesome news that I’ve heard through the grapevine is that the NNICU at Morningside Medi-Clinic has now been moved into its newly revamped premises. I’m so excited to see what the new NNICU looks like as it’s been the talk of baby-town for the past few weeks.

Last but not least, the two other exciting bits of news to share is that tomorrow I will be scoring my third century! You will recall that on Tuesday, 19th of August, 2008 I scored my first century when my subscriber base reached 100, and my second century was on Saturday, 6th of September, 2008 when Lisle posted the 100th comment on my blog. Tomorrow’s century, is my 100th day birthday! The second bit of news is that you are reading the 50th posting to my blog! I’ve clearly been a busy little cuddlebunny!

Lots of love,

Jarrod

Figure 1 Waiting to go be collected to go to theatre

Figure 2 I’m hoping all these tubes and stickies come off after my procedure

Figure 3 My x-rays of yesterday giving me the all-clear for this morning’s procedure. If you look carefully, you can see the beginnings of my teeth in my jawbone

Figure 4 Going into theatre

Figure 5 Last look-see

Figure 6 Mom looking worried during my procedure, but still managing to crack a smile

Figure 7 Back in the ward after my procedure, still wrapped in cotton-wool, because I’m a special cuddlebunny

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6 Comments on A Further Success

  1. Shane and Petra says:

    Excellent news big boy, enjoy your new digs, lots of cute nurses.

  2. Karina says:

    I am glad you are coming closer to home, Jarred! I pray that you will recover very quickly!

  3. Jenni says:

    Hello Little Man…

    This is good news, you do look very tired though and I think that you’ll be glad to have some very well deserved rest at Morningside. I’m sure the new Neonatal ICU ward is stunning.

    Thinking of you all the time.

    Lots of Love to Mommy and Daddy

    And loads and loads of Love to you Cuddle bunny.

    Love
    Jenni

  4. Gillian Lederer says:

    Dear Sweet Jarrod

    So glad to hear that your latest visit to surgery has been a success. Oh what you will be able to tell your own children and grandchildren one day …. lots and lots of “when I was young and in hospital …..”

    Can’t wait for the day that Mom and Dad take you home (which is where you should have been all along) and you can all start bonding together like a normal family. Unfortunately it will take a while before we can see you in person but one day we will get to meet our little nephew and cousin.

    Love to Lynn and Norwin and of course a hug and a kiss for Jarrod.

    Gillian, Oliver, Ryan and Kirsten

  5. Tanya says:

    Hello darling little Jarrod,
    Sorry I haven’t sent you a message sooner but I was out of town and then my chronic illness inflicted me so I have been disabled for a short time. But during all this time I have kept you in my prayers. I also asked Morgan to pray on my behalf whilst I was not well. And I think that because he is only about four months older than you, he must have prayed really hard so that you could have lots of fun like he does with his daddy!

    We are so happy to read about all your exciting celebrations and successes. Come home soon little buddy your new cribe is going to be awesome and when you go home with mommy and daddy you are going to feel like you are living in a palace.

    Jarrod give your mom and dad a hug and a kiss from me, and a big cuddle I give to you. Take care little angel, hope to see you in person soon.

    Love
    Tanya, Anthony and Morgan

  6. Bronwyn says:

    Yes indeed you are one very very special cuddlebunny, and like i have said before you are going to bring imense joy and love to everyone that you meet!!!! So glad things are going so well! I am sure your poor mommy and daddy are so relieved that all went well, must have been so stressful for them.

    Well you are all constantly in our thoughts and prayers, and we are sending you all our love and best wishes.

    Sleep tight precious little cuddlebunny, sweet dreams!

    Love to you all
    Love
    Bronwyn, Gary, Brannon, Rhianne

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