Tuesday, January 25, 2011 (only 11 months till Christmas!) (Bethany Hilton Laloli may be having their baby boy right now!)

They took Charis in for surgery at 9pm last night. She got out about 11 pm.

Instead of opening up her chest they went up through the groin. So there will be no chest scar. If they had to open her it would have taken three hours, but this way it only took two hours. Her heart is in excellent condition. She has a young 18 year old heart that's in really good shape. If it had been an older person, they just would have died.

So they got the stent in place. It's a tube inside the aorta. It's the size of a garden hose. It has mesh around it [and plastic, I think Kath said] and it took care of that hole. YEA!!!

Everyone felt really good and positive about the surgery.

They're really concerned about infection now. If it gets by the aorta, there would be nothing they could do. They have already been pumping her full of antibiotics.

Charis also now has a nasty yeast infection on her back from bed sores. So they are trying to lean the bed back and forth a little, but it's hard because of the type of injuries she has.

Today the docs brought in a suction vacuum thing that goes into her side--in the puncture wound she got in the accident. This wound has been getting infection in it. So this vacuum should help. It is supposed to rejuvenate the tissues and get it to heal faster. It is running all the time--and the wound is looking really good.

Charis' breathing tube is still in. Tomorrow it will be seven days that it's been in. Charis does not like that tube. Her lungs still need it, though. Charis will have to be weaned off of it when her lungs are better. They're getting better slowly, but it will be a long haul. [I think Lauralee had it a week or two.]

Kathy hasn't gotten to read the blog yet. She, Cassie and Chad have been very tired. [I suggested sleeping pills to them; it still may be a good idea. Just tell the docs there.] Chad doesn't sleep well at home. Cassie said that Kath could sleep at home now at night. Before now Cass had been extra worried about what the torn aorta could do. But now that's all taken care of!

Infection could be the problem now.

Charis' family feels that she will come out of it all well.

Thank you all for your help and support.

Love,

Susie