I carefully lifted the sheet. Her chest is open. A sheet of clear adhesive plastic, like Saran Wrap, covers her chest and seals it. A plastic tube, as thick and as large as a finger, holds the sides of the sternum apart. Inside her chest, her new heart is beating strongly.
More tubes lead away from the chest with suction to remove blood.
Her toes are a good pink color, which means that the heart is moving blood well through the lungs and her body is getting a good supply of oxygen. Her kidneys are working strongly. Susan is extremely critical. She has only barely made it off of the surgical table. They will keep her chest open all day Monday and most of Tuesday.