Better

[Update From Denise]

7:30pm At the 5:00pm visit things were still good. They took the tape and electrodes off his scalp that were there during the surgery to monitor brain-wave function. For some reason they didn't take them off in the OR. They are kind of painful to remove because of the cement they use and the nurse couldn't figure why they didn't do that there when he was still under. Too many things going on then she guessed. Anyways, we were told they'd have to shave Rob's head in order to get them off. But luckily when the nurse worked on the tape she only had to remove a tiny bit of hair around the electrodes. But the three on his forehead pulled off skin. He did well the nurse said however.

Rob had another echocardiogram this afternoon and although all the nurse could say was it was better than the first one (she said the dr. has to be the one to relate all the info) they were able to remove several machines and tubes. His blood pressure and heart rate are good and his temp still in the normal range. Tomorrow they will try to take him off the heart balloon pump and see how his heart beats on its own. It was doing okay after surgery but the drs. seemed to think it needed to rest after all the trauma and put him on the balloon pump to help out. If the pump is removed tomorrow then they will see about removing the ventilator Sunday or Monday. He'll certainly be happy to get that out. He can somehow mouth a few words and we can read his lips even though he has a couple tubes in his mouth. He is certainly a trooper!!

We will go to the 8:15 visit soon--we just got back from supper and thought we should put in an update in case you were wondering. Denise