We are slowly coming down on ventilation settings and seeing Kiran initiate a few more breaths every minute. His ventilator respiration rate is down to 16 breaths per minute now – a change they just made – and he seems to be tolerating it just fine. 

He is being weaned off the nitric oxide today pretty rapidly. This helps the arteries in his lungs stay open so blood flow isn’t constricted.  He has never been on the medication that also does this, but it is protocol coming out of the OR. His pressures haven’t changed since they started weaning it, so they think he will be off it by the end of the day. 

He has been weaned off epinephrine, which he was on to help his heart work. If the nitric wean goes well, they also think they will be able to start weaning the dopamine which does a similar thing as the epi. 

So – movement in the right direction. They think they may be able to extubate tomorrow!