Wake up call from the hospital

We were awakened this morning by a call from the neonatologist, Dr. Redfield. Truman began destabilizing overnight. He's had to go back on blood pressure medication and up on his ventilator. Although xrays show that his bowel distention, or "loopiness," is a little better today, they have called in the surgeon for a consult on his bowel obstruction. Dr. Redfield said there is not anything else that can be done treatment-wise, short of surgery. They were willing to give him a little more time until he showed signs that he couldn't wait. He appears to have done that overnight.

We don't know if the surgeon will be by today or tomorrow for the consult, but we expect a procedure in the next few days. That procedure could involve either inserting some of dilation tool through the anus to widen the intestines to allow the blockage to pass or an incision in the abdomen and surgical removal of the blockage. Clearly we're hoping for the dilation procedure.

The scariest part about this complication is that it was not expected. It is not nearly so routine as the heart surgery or having blood pressure troubles, and the risk of infection setting in after an abdominal surgery (should he need one) is probably greater than anything he's faced previously.

--Ben & Kara