Okay, this post has nothing to do with fish and everything to do with chips of the sobriety type. I just thought the title would get your attention.
Ryan has been on narcotics for most of his life. It’s the nature of having so many surgeries and being on a ventilator for so long. I think this last round started around August 27 with his Glenn procedure, but could’ve possibly started at his heart catheterization on Aug. 5. To be honest, I’m unsure because he was in-house at the time and I don’t always know when he starts on certain medications.
Narcotics change the chemistry of the brain blocking pain awareness and producing a dream-like or sleepy state. We recognized this in Ryan. As he started coming off the high doses of drugs he became more responsive to social stimulants and started smiling up a storm.
They started weaning his latest round of methadone and larazapam in late December while he was still in the HKU. To avoid withdrawal there is a set wean schedule decreasing the dose by 10% every few days. When weaning more than one drug, you don’t want to wean both drugs on the same day so the schedule gets complicated.
Tuesday was Ryan’s last dose of methadone. He weaned off larazapam on the 13th. So, drum roll please, Ryan is now 24-hours sober (okay, a little more than that). I cannot tell you how excited I am for him to be drug free. I watched him go through withdrawal back in June and it was one of the hardest things I went through this year. He was so agitated and physically looked like he was trying to climb the walls of the crib. It was heartbreaking. I think this made me extra-sensitive to having him wean here at home and anxious to avoid withdrawal again.
So, whoo-hoo – cheers to Ryan (can you toast someone who is supposed to be sober?). Here’s to hoping he will not need narcotics again any time soon.
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss
Comments (7)
Oh Leighann! This post made me cry! I’m so happy for little Ryan that he’s doing so well. And I’m happy for you that you made it through a year of your baby boy being on narcotics. What a blessing for you to have your little boy back!! God bless you 🙂
Hugs from Houston!
Sarah
Yay Ryan. You are a tough little guy.
Yay, Ryan!! What a brave little fella! And a very brave mama to help him through all this! Keep those beautiful smiles coming, Ryan! I’m sure they make everyone’s day!
Love u all…Richelle
Toasting with some formula with Mr. Ryan. Good job on the weaning, its not easy feat to acomplish and you did it!!!
PRAISE GOD!!!! HE IS FAITHFUL ALWAYS! 🙂 YAY! and yes you can cheer with a shirley temple or something 🙂
Congrats! So many people don’t understand what heart babies go through. I was telling another mom at my son’s kindergarten class about my daughter coming home from the hospital on a methadone and ativan weaning schedule. She had a drug that needed to be given every 3 hours around the clock. This other mom was like, “You must be mistaken. It couldn’t of been methadone. They give that to herion addicts!” Um. Yeah. I know what I was giving my daughter. Anyway, it’s a huge milestone for Ryan to be off narcotics. I have a feeling the new Ryan is going to be a hoot!
Congrats to Baby Ryan!!!!, I am so happy for you that he is doing so well. My heart just breaks to think what his little body had to go through. He is a tough little man, with a gorgerous smile.