Today's Update

The Good:

• Andrew got his chest tube out today, which means he has one more bandage but one less tube running into him.
• They've weaned him entirely off the nitric oxide (NO). This is a HUGE step, almost as important as getting him off the high frequency ventilator. We were warned last week that he may need to go home with nitric oxide, as the difference between 1% and 0% is apparently a large one. They haven't moved the NO infuser away from his bedside yet, so he could still go back on....but he looks OK on a trial separation.
• They moved him back on to his tummy, and though it took a bit of readjustment, it seems like he's recovering a little more quickly from issues.
• At times, he's been breathing pretty well above the vent.
  

The Less Good:

• Because the NO is so important, they had to turn everything else way up to compensate for a while. His oxygen saturation started dropping within a couple of minutes of turning off the nitric oxide, and they hit the button for 100% oxygen to keep him stable. After a few minutes, they brought it back to 45%. Since then (around 2pm today), they brought it down further, to 40%. His breaths per minute are also up to 36.
• His last feeding attempts haven't worked that well, so they're on pause for a while. His last X-ray showed some air in his upper digestive system and the residuals they've gotten have had some bile in them, so I think they'll wait until that settles down. On the positive side of the same issue, he's been going to the bathroom, so they know his lower bowels are working fine.

Again, the numbers don't sound great, but I believe he is healthier right now than he was at this time last night. The chest tube and the nitric oxide are two big, noticeable changes, both for the better.