1 Jan about 7 AM– Happy new year! We can’t think of a better way for Zack to begin 2023 but with his new heart! We are so thankful and humbled by Zack’s gift!God’s protection and answer to prayers! And the outpouring of love and encouragement we feel! Zack has done very well this far. We have been able to wean down his ventilator and he is now off insulin and one of the blood pressure medicines. The next few days will be painful as he starts to get up and move. He may also experience significant emotional swings with the realization of his new heart and the large amounts of steroids. Zack is definitely a heart warrior!!!

1 Jan about 11 AM– We plan to extubate in next hour. Drips have been stopped for him to start waking up. Pray he flies well!!!’ And pain controlled without fentanyl drip 

1 Jan about 3 PM– Extubation went well! He is so brave!!! He is breathing well. Will stay on iNO (protocol) through high flow nasal cannula. He is hurting so starting morphine. But we are making progress! 

1 Jan about 5:30 PM– Zack has had some “outburst” as he is waking up more and more. There is some concern with cerebral perfusion…. Please pray Zack wakes well, can urinate and is his amazing normal self with no negative effects!!!!

2 Jan about 5:30 AM– What a great smile Zack woke up this evening -is talking and more himself! This is his first smile with his new heart!!!!!

2  Jan morning update– Zack woke up and was himself- delirium has resolved. Since then he has struggled with pain, hypertension and urinary retention. We have straight cath x3. Plan to get him up today. Some concern of his pain spirally. He has made amazing progress in short period of time. We are all tired. Please pray he will start urinating on his own.

2 Jan about 11:50 AM update– Zack continues to do amazing!!! He has had a bit of set back. With the medications he is having urinary retention and we needed to place a cath. He continues to have a good amount of pain. His neuro is back to normal. Our Sweet little guy!! Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement. We truly feel loved and am so blessed Zack is loved so much!

Zack is up in a chair!!!!

We are chasing our pain and dealing with intense itching (likely the oxycodone). He is still having urinary retention and not able to pee. He is getting discouraged quickly. Bumps in the journey….. he is strong but hurting terribly.

3 Jan about 11:45 AM– Zack continues to make nice progress. The chest drains have been removed, iNO removed. We will work on decreasing heart medication over next few days. Echo of heart yesterday was good will repeat tomorrow. We need prayers for pain control. We are chasing his pain. He is also having itching which we are working on finding source.

He has been unable to urinate so a cathletes was placed. Please pray he can have a bowel movement and urinate on his own

 

 

Zack is struggling today. Now having emesis with pain medicine. Switching back to iv however not having luck finding one that is effective.

 

4 Jan AM– Zack had a better night of pain control. Today our goals are to start moving more. He needs to be able to get up, in chair and dangle. He also needs to have a bowel movement and begin to urinate. Those are huge steps that we need to complete today. He will have repeat echo and if echo looks good then start to decrease milrinone. Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement!

 

4 Jan PM– Zack is amazing! God has so blessed us!!!! He is up sitting in chair. Playing on ipad. Still no urine yet- he needs to go or we have to cath again!!!!!! Echo is wnl. Anti rejection is working well. Wbc 2.2 tell cells 0 today.

 

5 Jan AM– Thank you Lord- Zack had a bowel movement and urinated a few times last night. Praying it continues. Pain is much more controlled. We will continue to peel off cardiac meds and see how things go. He doesn’t have much appetite but hopefully will come. He is moving more and more each day. Thank you again for all the prayers and encouragement. Zack is so loved!!!

 

5 Jan Afternoon– Zack is making amazing progress. He is on high doses of steroids in addition to the anti rejection meds. He is starting to feel very emotional. Lots of tears.

To be expected but still praying for minimal side effects. Also has decreased his appetite back to not much

 

6 Jan AM– Zack continues to do well. He is off all cardiac drips- all meds are now oral including anti rejection meds. We removed heart pacer wires today. And should get the wound vac off his incision. Echo was repeated this am. Hopefully he will get out of icu in next few days. Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement. We are so blessed with his new start on life and can’t wait to see what God has for him! All of his team is wearing red for him today also! Gilbert CSD. And even one of them is wearing a Gilbert letter jacket!

 

6 Jan PM– Zack had an amazing day! The central line, heart pacer wires and wound vac removed. We placed a power wand for blood draws. He had music therapy, Lydea the choc lab came over and he received a signed chiefs hat.

 

7 Jan early day– Zack continues to amaze everyone. God is truly healing him! Went on first walk today and should move to the regular floor later today. Thanks again for all your encouragement kind words prayers and love!

 

7 Jan PM– We moved to a new room on the regular floor. Thank you again to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and encouragement. Zack does have some decreases perfusion in lower extremities that team will keep eye on that began today. Repeat echo on Monday and first cath Wednesday to check pressures and rejection.

 

8 Jan– A much needed day of rest for the Langford family!

 

9 Jan AM– Zack continues to do well. Repeat echo today and planning on cath later this week (hopefully Wednesday). Thank you again for your thoughts, prayers, encouragement and love. And thankful for the family who shared with us!!!