Sternal dehiscence

Yep, it's as bad as that sounds.


They took you to surgery about 11:30 and estimated that it would take about an hour and a half till you were back in your room.


Aunt T came and kept me company and kept me from going crazy. At about 12:40 then sent a text to say that you were open and surgery was starting.




and then we heard nothing.

for over an hour and a half

n.o.t.h.i.n.g

I was going out of my mind. I've sent off many patients to get a debridement and it's usually an in and out procedure so I knew something was going on for it too take so long.

I went to the front desk and asked them to call for and update (thanks for the idea Auntie T) and the report was they were just closing you up.


So we hung out for a bit then I just couldn't wait anymore so I went upstairs to find your nurse Rea. She had heard that you should be coming up soon and that you had needed some blood and an albumin transfusion.

So Aunt T and I stood in the hall waiting till they wheeled you by and we both thought you looked good. Pinker then before surgery and already off the breathing machine.

Very soon after Dr. Bailey came to talk to us and explain what they found.

The wires holding your sternum together had come loose on the one side and your chest plate was floating free and the sides were bumping up against each other. (gee wonder why coughing hurt you so much?).

This constant irritation causes inflammation and infection and that is why you were not healing very well.

The opened you up and cleaned out all the infection and debrie they found. Dr Bailey told me that the infection didn't go to the bone but some cartilage was involved. So after a good cleaning they flooded your chest with betadine and use a special closing technique to close the sternum (even though I asked about this twice I can't remember what the special closure is called but Aunt T remembers so I will have to ask her) and then further re-inforced it with sutures on the outside of your chest.

I asked Dr. Bailey a couple more questions about how this will affect you long term (it wont), will you have a void where you lost tissue/cartilage (you wont). And then we chatted about a few different things.

I then remembered to ask him about the blood transfusions and Dr Bailey, as easy as you please, told us that they had nicked your right atrium (upper right part of the heart) and they had needed to replace some blood that you had lost.

I was a little startled to hear this but know that it sometimes happens so at first it didn't faze me all that much.

Then Dr. Bailey, again as easy as you please, said and I quote...

Yes the anaesthesiologist had to put his finger in the hole till the blood transfusion came. It was a bit scary there for a minuet but it turned out OK.

At this I gasped grabbed my heart and a hold of the banister and told Dr Baily while as a nurse I find that fascinating, as a mother it makes me want to pass out.


We all got a good giggle over that one.

So now your back in your room. You were miserable with pain but Rea got you Morphine every hour and your now settling in more comfortable.

The plan now is to re-start the oxygen treatments twice a day and if everything goes well and there are no complications we could get discharged in a week and continue your treatments as an outpatient.

So you hear that Mason .....NO complications.

No complications and we can take you home.

On a personal note George and I are overwhelmed and more touched that we have the words to say at the out pouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from all over the world. I have no idea why our journey has touched so many but I want you all know how much it means to have you travel with us as we build our road with hope.

I feel like you all lifted our son and held him up in the love and the light.

What an amazing gift you have given us.

What an amazing gift you have given our son.

I can't wait till he is old enough to understand what wonderful people you all are.