Dallas consult recap and a surgery date!

Brad and I had a great consultation with Caleb's surgeon at Children's Medical Center in Dallas yesterday. He was much more personable than I expected, and we felt very comfortable with him. He explained Caleb's condition, the surgery, and what to expect afterward. He also took plenty of time to answer our questions. One of his nurse practitioners gave us a tour of the cardiac ICU, where Caleb will stay for 2-5 days. We also toured the hospital floor where Caleb will be for an additional 3-5 days. At the hospital, parents are encouraged to "room in". The rooms we saw had a sofa bed, and some also had a reclining chair. Showers and laundry facilities are convenient and available for us to use. I think we'll be pretty comfortable during our stay there.

Caleb's surgery is scheduled for Friday, February 1st. We will go to Dallas on January 30th, and Caleb will have a full day of pre-op activities on January 31st. We were told to expect a 7-10 day hospital stay. We will need to stay in the Dallas area for an additional 2-4 days after Caleb is released. This time will be to simulate the "out of hospital" experience while still being nearby.  We'd hate for a complication to occur on our way home to OKC or after we're home. During this time, we will either stay at a hotel or the Ronald McDonald House.

Caleb has been in a bit of a "feeding slump" for the last week or so. This is because his lung pressures are changing, which we know is to be expected and is somewhat of a good thing. The medication he started last week is helping, but we want to do everything we can to make sure Caleb is as strong as possible before surgery. We've decided to admit him to Children's Hospital in OKC on Thursday morning. He will stay in the hospital for 2-4 days, while he is given extra calories through a NG tube. We'll continue feeding him with bottles, but we'll give him additional milk/formula through the tube. Brad and I will learn how to change the tube, so that we can continue using it at home until Caleb's surgery. I'm not so excited about having to change the tube and have been making a mental list of all the PAs and nurses I know who I could possibly recruit for that task! The cardiology PA said she is confident that Brad and I can do it, though.

I feel like yesterday was a huge success. We are beyond impressed with the surgeon, and we are thrilled to have the surgery scheduled. It will be hard to change the NG tube, and it will be hard to send Caleb into surgery. But these things are necessary for Caleb to get strong and healthy. I look forward to getting past these next several weeks.