Day Five-Post Fontan-HELP

Total meltdown day today.

Sam had a terrific morning once again and even went for a big long walk.

At approximately the same time as yesterday as the nurses were trying to draw blood from his cannula, he went back to having intense cramping in his stomach and bowels it truly is excruciating and again it took over 20 minutes for the doctors to be found and for his receive pain medication.  Finally after receiving Fentanyl via IV his pain subsided and he passed into sleep.  His little body was soaked with sweat and exhausted. To watch him cry out like that for so long and so loud is just horrible.  We tried heat packs, and a myriad of other interventions as well.

He is having an x-ray shortly to check that there is not obstructions in his bowel,even though he had been the last two days.

Even after his hour of pain, we then had to sedate him with Medaz to draw blood as his cannula was no longer viable. While he was partially sedated they also removed a particularly nasty stitch where his first drain was removed. The cannula was also removed so at least he now has one hand  free.

I was here alone because Don had finally ventured out to take Jack on an outing. I held it together through he two hours of torment, that even left his nurse traumatised. After that I lost it.

Do you know what? I hate seeing Sam in pain.  At this point I can justify pain in his chest, his tummy where the drains are, aching limbs, sore cannula sites, even bruising from the blood tests.  But the fact that he has the worst pain ever from something totally unrelated like his bowels, even when they are functioning properly, just ticks me off.

Being in close obs meant that not only did I have to endure his pain, but so did the rest of the patients and their families in the ward.

Please just pray, I don't know how I will make it through the afternoon.