It was less than a week before we knew we'd be here longer than expected, and just under two weeks before we knew we'd be here indefinitely. It was just under a month before the idea of going home for recovery was completely obliterated from our thoughts, and just over a month before hospital folks were able to be comfortable treating James like a whole person and child instead of an urgent care case (it is the ICU, after all). Finally, it was just over two months, what seemed like the first time in forever, before doctors uttered our favorite four-letter word: home.
Tuesday, September 15th, after noticing James' pleural output (for reasons still unclear) had dwindled to almost nothing, the ICU team finally uttered a mention of sending James home.
Today, Thursday, September 17th, a plan is in place to bring James home within a week.
As always, no promises, but to have a plan to bring James home at all is amazing. Especially since as of last weekend - all the way up to a mere 5 days ago! - the plan was another surgery, a heart surgery which was to have been fairly massive and risky and entail permanent repercussions and would have required transfer to another hospital because even NYP/Cornell didn't feel up to the task...!
Then all of a sudden, James' body decided it was ready to heal. His fluid output has remained low for about 4 days, indicating his chylothorax is drying up, so tomorrow the team has plans to remove one of his two chest tubes. If his output stays low for another day and his chest x-ray looks clear, they'll take the other tube out Saturday. If things still remain clear Sunday, he'll come home Monday or Tuesday.
That's a lot of ifs to send this boy home, but mommy, doctors, nurses, and I are all confident James will be home soon.
Keep your fingers crossed, and send your prayers, happy thoughts, and homeward bound wishes.
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