Wednesday it is

What a day.

After having posted this early afternoon's post, I am feeling SO MUCH more confident that we did the right thing this morning by bringing Duncan in. When I first entered the Cardiac ICU, where Duncan is right now, I hunted down Dr. Cua. He informed me that after some more discussion with Dr. G, they have decided to move the surgery to THIS WEDNESDAY. He will clearly be staying at the hospital till then. They saw no merit in waiting, given the feeding problems, so Wed it is. We were caught a little off guard by this news! So soon.

Duncan has continued to decline with feeds while at the hospital. Basically, he has held VERY little down today. At about 3:00, it was decided to transfer his bottle feeding (which was not going well - he just wouldn't EAT or else he'd fall asleep) to the tube feeding (which enters through the nose). The process of getting that stinkin tube inserted properly was not a fun one... the same NG tube was used when he was hospitalized right after birth, but Duncan is a little more vocal about discomfort at 4 1/2 months than he was at 12 days. In fact, everything is harder. It's harder to leave him in that hospital room with some [very caring] stranger. It's harder to know that he is more consciously aware of the unfamiliarity of that place. It's harder to think that when we're not there, he may just be laying awake looking at thin air. And - it's hardEST to watch him experience pain or discomfort.

Anyway, the milk was administered through the NG tube and he coughed and gagged through the whole process. Then, he gagged off and on for another half hour, inbetween exhaust-induced attempts to nap. I just knew something was not quite right. And, sure enough, he proceeded to vomit it all up, this time thicker and more mucousy. So now we have moved to continuous feeds, to allow his tummy to digest the milk little at a time. We're not sure if it is a gag reflux that is causing the vomiting or a symptom of over-exhaustion from how hard his heart is having to work.

All I know is that we are glad he is there. We are glad the surgery is sooner than later. And we are glad it will soon be over.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers....as always!