Quick Update

UPDATE: After the procedure,(which involved only being moved around including being put on his head), Payson got very upset causing him to drop his saturation and heart rate levels. He remained in the 50's for both heart and saturation (this is very low) for a long period of time. The more upset he gets, the more secretions he makes, thus causing him to have trouble breathing which makes him more upset. This cycle continues until an oxygen mask is put over his face to help him breath or he is deep suctioned. Deep suctioning is where they put another tube down his throat/nose to get additional secretions thus causing him to get more upset. If he gets too upset he will clamp down and the nurses are unable to get the tube down his throat, (don't blame him here I'd do the same thing). So, as you can imagine these episodes wipe our little peanut out. Sometimes I feel it isn't that we have helped him, but he is just too tired to fight any more! (Insert heart break sound). On top of his episodes his breathing has been very labored and his temperature dropped to 95 degrees causing them to put him under lamps, put him on a warming mattress and wrap him up in warmed blankets, (Can someone do that for me tonight before I go to sleep?) Apparently, this has gone on all day and tonight when I called he was still having episodes, but he was recovering from them quicker than he had been. Needless to say it has been a very hard day for him! Dad is there now and little man is fast asleep in his arms! Please pray he gets some good peaceful rest tonight!

The study was completed around 9:30 am and we talked to the surgeon at length afterwards. Here is a quick recap of our conversation:

It isn't the miracle I was praying for, but it is progress! The distance between the two ends is about 3 vertebrae, (last time is was roughly 4) and this is without stretching the two end. The doctor was encouraged by this growth and so are we! Looks like Payson listened to his grandma b/c he stretched and grew! For Payson to have the surgery they would like to see the two ends off by only two vertebrae, so we are almost there! We have scheduled another study for six weeks (yup, six weeks) on November 11th where the surgeon feels confident that the ends will be within the two vertebrae range thus allowing for surgery. We are tentatively scheduling his surgery for the Monday after the study!!!! A-MEN!!!!! So, over that weekend Payson will be transferred back to DuPont where he will have the surgery. After the operation they will feed him through IV for a week allowing for the incision to heal. A week after surgery they will test his esophagus to make sure it doesn't leak. If it leaks they will continue to feed him through IV for another week then test it again. If there is no leakage they will begin to feed him and once he is tolerating his full feeds they will send him home!!!!!Yes, I did say home! As in our houses, 141, with two bothers, a sister and two parents!!!!!!Even better news is the surgeon says he'll be home for Christmas!!! Now he might have to return to DuPont soon after, but he will be in our home for Christmas! We can now visibly see the light at the end of the tunnel!

When asked about the long term repercussions of this surgery the doctor told us that he only thinks acid reflux will be an issue. The severity of it can only be determined later, but it will be handled with medication. If the meds don't work they will go in and stretch him to see if that helps. THIS STRETCHING DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A LIFELONG PROCEDURE!!! The surgeon feels that if he needs to have a stretching it will only be a one time thing! Wohoo!!!!!

I am a little hesitant to believe all this good news! Wondering if the doctor gave us the best case senerio or if he was realistic. Parts of me want to believe both are intertwined! Only time will tell!

Praise you Jesus, for helping my boy grow his esophagus and giving us the strength to get through this!!! Thank you LORD!