Home Girl: Day 4.

The morning started out pretty early, with Piper up around 6 am, needing a sip of juice and later a drink of milk. I decided to just wake up and get dressed too, considering that rounds would most likely get done at some point, and I hate being in my jammies for those... I got some Tylenol for Piper, too, as she seemed ready for it.

We had a really slow morning, as it was Saturday and things moved a little slower. But soon enough the flurry of medical people poured into our room, all looking at Piper and confirming our thoughts that they would be sending us home today. Her chest x-ray looked good from yesterday. Still a little bit wet, but that is why she will be kept on a drug called Lasix to continue to draw the fluid away from her body, and for her to pee it out.

Soon enough after that, the paper work had started to get us out of there. I really didn't think it was going to move that fast! We got a little bit of teaching from our nurse on how to change Piper's dressing and how to clean her incision. All went well. We got a bag loaded up with bandages of all kinds and a few papers for this and that. We will have to check in with my GP this coming week and then we'll go back to the hospital next Tuesday for another chest x-ray and an ECG. Maybe no echo? Not sure. That might come in another few weeks.

Piper seemed to be in pretty good spirits, with absolutely no stickers of any kind on her anymore (we could finally remove her little probes for measuring her sats and HR etc). And with a new dressing from her parents, she was ready for some clothes and to wander around her room as we gathered all of our stuff. We were actually out of there pretty quick. Rounds were around 8:30 and we were heading out the door around 9:30am. I really expected to be home after lunch. Hooray! This way, we were all home before 11 and we able to have an early lunch.

Really, it was a pretty anti-climatic day. For now, we just need to keep on top of her Tylenol and once a day Lasix. And now onto recovery!

So far, being home, Piper has fallen into some of her old routines, but moving a little slower. It seems a little tough for her to get up off the floor. She can do it, but she tends to stay down once she is on the floor and keeps herself entertained down there as long as she can. She is still loving to watch shows on the iPad, which we can hardly say no to, as she starts to cry and get all worked up and I don't think that is a good thing right now. Whipped parents. We are both hoping that with more and more mobility and comfort, she'll give up on watching so many shows. For now, it's fine, as she stays calm and happy.

We all had a really good nap this afternoon, which was so refreshing. There was no beeping and no random people poking their head in your room to check on things. It was just sleep time :)

Piper's voice seems to be a little different and some of her words are definitely a little more slurred, but I am hoping that will just come back with practice. She is playing some of her old games, and finally ate a bowl of cereal! Her first chunk of carbs since Tuesday. She's only had a bit of yogourt and lots of milk and juice since then. I think tomorrow she will want more food more often. We'll just follow her cues and roll with it. I have never heard of a two-year-old starving themselves.

For now, we just need to keep an eye on her incision and on some of her behaviours to make sure everything is healing up nicely. I am expecting everyday to move a little more forward all the time. We (and others) need to be careful to not pick her up by the armpits for about 6 weeks, and to keep her activity level low-ish, or at least reasonable: no more swimming or gymnastics for a little while. I think the best thing for her right now is routine and maybe seeing some of her friends.

Tonight we were able to give her a bath to finally get some of the sticky and slimy stuff off of her from the hospital. Her hair got so gross the last few days, and it's hard to wash her without getting her incision too wet. We can get it wet, but not submerged. Anyways, we are doing the best we can.

Matt and I are just relieved to finally be home and be in our own space again. We had some fantastic friends come over and drop off food and clean our house, which is the best gift ever! Wow. I nearly cried. And Matt's mom was a big help with laundry and keeping an eye on the cat. We've felt so well taken care of through this whole process. We are ready now to start to feel a little more normal, too. I know these next few days and weeks will be a little tough, as Piper will be a little more high maintenance, but we'll take it one step at a time and see what she needs most. I know picking up 25 pounds off the ground is a little tough right now with my pregnant belly not getting any smaller. This time around, there will be some changes... yikes. But Piper is that much older, too, and doesn't need to be picked up quite as often. I think I just need a good rest and I'll be feeling a little more up to the challenge.

But for now, I am just wallowing in the fact that we are home as a family 4 days after Piper had open heart surgery. Wow. I am just constantly in awe.

ps. I added photos to the rest of the days we were at the hospital: Day three, Day Two and Day One.