Going Home

Asher’s cardiologist came in the morning and said they would do an echo to see if he would be able to go home that day.  His pleural cath output had continued to drop, and we both felt that I could manage the pleural cath aspiration at home.  When he got up, I had him write some cards to some of the nurses that he connected with the most and who helped him for several days.  He was so cute coloring pictures for them and telling me what to write. 

 

They came in to do the echo, and it was probably the longest echo he has had.  He patiently watched a show on the TV while the sonographer and the cardiologist looked in detail at several areas of his heart.  They then left to review those with the surgeon while Asher and I waited to hear if we could go or not.

While we waited around, Stacey brought up Madeleine and her girls.  Madeleine was staying with her for the day, and I was glad she could hang out and have fun with them.  She was happy to see me but find when she left with Stacey.  Asher was excited to see all of them, and although they only stayed a few minutes, it was great company.

A little bit later, the surgeon, Dr. Iguidabashian came in to the room.  He had been gone on vacation since a few days after Asher’s surgery, so I was glad to see him back and hear his opinion.  They had a surgeon there consulting while he was gone, but Dr. Iguidabashian just knows Asher and his case better.  He said he looked over the echo, and in looking at that and at Asher’s declining output totals he felt that Asher would do well and he wasn’t too concerned about this spot of additional flow.  While we know there are still possibilities of another surgery, it was comforting to hear his opinion.

I made a few trips down to the car with the wagon full of our stuff.  We sure had built up quite the stuff there over the last two weeks!  Once Asher realized we were really going home, he was so excited.  He kept asking when we could leave, and he tried to wait patiently for all the discharge paperwork and procedures.  The nurse had me change the dressing on his pleural cath, which he hates, but I will have to do it every four days at home, so now I have done it and feel like I can do it on my own.

By the time we finally left, it was almost 3:00.  We just missed bingo by 30 minutes.  The week before, I had thought there was no way we would be there for bingo day the next week, and yet now I felt like we were lucky to be leaving when we did. 

 

Asher’s victory dance as we left the hospital.

We picked up Madeleine from Stacey’s house and stopped to get some lowfat chicken nuggets at Whole Foods for him to eat.  We then headed home.  Davis and James were at Marnie’s house, and they were excited to be all reunited when we picked them up.  We are just missing Landon, who is at outdoor school for two more days.  It was great to be home and to sleep in our beds again.  Asher was so happy, walking around and smiling and laughing with his brothers.