Wed, 1:56pm

Thanks everyone for your great comments! We are still really feeling your support.

The strip on John's forehead in the previous picture was a blood oxygen sensor for his brain. At that point, it wasn't actually hooked up to anything (I think) but John wasn't ready to take it off, so we didn't. It's gone now.

Tony is in the PCICU, John is sleeping, and Mimi and Pa are getting lunch and recharging.

It's still going really well. Today, Mimi and I helped the nurse remove his aterial IV and the IJ (intra-jugular, rather than intravenuous). He is down to a blood oxygen monitor (tape with a light) on his toe, a blood pressure cuff on his right arm, his left-hand IV for medicine and drawing blood, a chest tube, and his "pacers" (the lines used to pace his heartbeat... not used much, but they come out at the same time as his chest tube). The chest tube and his pacers will come out next, but he can go up to 7C, the telemetry ward, with those still in place. He is all packed up and ready to go, they just have to find a bed for him. He is evidently competing with 2 kids in the catheterization lab who also need space. The bed management department is on it.

John seems free of the anaesthesia from yesterday, is not being sedated, and is just receiving pain management meds, a low continuous dose and other boost doses as needed. (If I have that info correct). He's getting Lasik to help with fluid reduction, and antibiotics, not sure what else... Everyone is very happy and impressed with his progress and his spirit. His night nurse last night and his day nurse today have commented on how cooperative he is. He has been able to ask for what he needs, express his opinions, hear the explanations, and choose to cooperate. Even when he doesn't want it to happen, he has been working really hard to do what he needs to do.

Barring anything unforseen, the chest tube and pacers coming out will be the last difficult, possibly pain-causing part. Now he just needs to rest and eat and drink. I'm sure he is very sore all over.
He has had apple juice and a whole chocolate chip cookie, both of which he has been able to keep down so far.
He's been so great. He really wants to be done with the whole process, but he hasn't been whining or asking for things he can't have. We have all been challenged to rise to his level of bravery.

Thankfully the harder parts have come first, with smaller steps down each time. That is the way I like it, and it seems to work for John and Tony as well, so I think we are really doing a great job functioning as Team Penna.

Thanks for sticking with us, I can't say enough how much difference your support has made!