Gentle progress

Harrison has been off the NIPPY for most of the day - just on nasal cannulae. He is tired and fed up now, and is understandably a little emotional now - but this is also a sign of recovery. He doesn't like me not being able to stay next to him overnight. He's also hardly eaten anything today. We have just seen his cardiologist who is hoping that we will be able to go home in four or five days. Some of his medications can have side effects which may be unsettling his stomach, but luckily two of these will be withdrawn in the next day. These may be in turn affecting his appetite, so we're hoping this will then recover. Harrison had another scan of his diaphragm this morning. Still the same; not much movement. He also had an echocardiological scan this afternoon. His heart is generally working well. The outside wall of the left ventricle is contracting well but internally where he had the VSD patched 9 years ago isn't moving as well. This is not unexpected. The pressure across the new homograft measures 11, compared with 85 pre-op! They usually consider changing the homograft when the pressure reaches 65, so it really was time.... There is only slight regurgitation.

 

The dressing covering Harrison's chest wound has also been removed, so his new "zip" can be seen in its full glory! The ventricular pacing wires were taken out whilst I was searching the shops in South Kensington for a new Star Trek magazine which was supposed to come out today. Bernard tried The Kings Road this morning. No luck so far. We shall continue the quest over the next couple of days as it gives us a reason to go out.