Post Transplant Day 5 – May 3, 2024 PM: Why Did You Let Them Do This To Me?

Today’s surgery was a little step back, but will just be a blip in her recovery. Over 1.5 liters of fluid were removed from her right lung and a new smaller drain was installed in her side. Two of the larger drains were removed (she has one large drain left). The pumps were left in place, so she is draining to the floor storage device where output can be measured. Air was accidently introduced into her lung during the surgery. Hopefully, this pneumothorax will be sucked out with the chest drain.

This is not Zayne’s device, but it shows where the chest tubes are going. She is down to two from three.

The new drain on her right side is extremely painful. Zayne told me it is more painful than the heart transplant. She looked at me and asked “Why did you let them do this to me?”

Since the Foley is out, she has gotten out of bed numerous times through the day. It takes at least two people to get her out of bed without ripping out something important (like the IV that was ripped out last night). There are sternum restrictions, so Zayne cannot use her arms to push or pull herself. Also, she cannot be moved with pushing or pulling her arms, or lifting her under her arms. It was much easier when she was 4 because I could easily lift her by myself. I find myself doing more and more nursing duties, so I am pretty busy with her most of the day. I advocate for her and attend all “rounds”. Today, I got her additional pain medication, anti-itch meds, and stopped a 9 pm dose of Lasix (she is asleep and I don’t want her to have to get out of bed), switched a liquid med to a pill, etc.

Zayne was able to eat a little today without getting sick. I told the surgeon that she made the stomach pain go away with the new chest tube pain. Zayne is doing so well that we got bumped out of the critical care room to a slower part of the Cardiac ICU. The new room could not fit 15 medical staff, but I hope those days are behind us.

In addition to eating yogurt, Zayne tasted some chocolate ice cream. There is a skin tear below her left eye where an adhesive was removed. I place Aquaphor on the tear.

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