I shouldn't really say new valve since he didn't have a pulmonary valve, but it is new to him. He was leaking so bad where it was supposed to be that his right ventricle enlarged so much that it had caused a lower valve to stretch out and begin leaking. The surgeon said once the bovine valve was in the ventricle reduced some and the lower valve stopped leaking.
He didn't sleep real great past night and they told him if he didn't start taking deeper breaths he'll further his risk for pneumonia. His chest tube is still causing quite a bit of pain despite oxycodone, so that's making it harder for him to really breath. Once he stops draining so much blood and fluid they'll remove the chest tube. Probably not for a day or two. He's not a happy camper right now and doesn't want to see anyone. I told them everyone will have to respect that as long as he's in pain and doesn't allow himself to slip into any sort of depression. This reaction is quite common after this painful of surgery from what I've read. We think step down tomorrow, but I'm going off a doped up 17 year olds memory for that. The rest of the family is going home today. I think that will be better for them and they can settle in before school on Monday.
He did get his Cath and 2 lines out this morning, so that's an improvement.
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