Free at Last!!

WE ARE DISMISSED!! WE MADE IT!! WHOOO-HOO!! YIP-EEE!!!

Right now my little family is relaxing in a hotel room. Jake is watching cartoons and is back to his old tricks. I love it.

He was so over the hospital this morning. He didn't sleep last night, would cry at the sight of the blood pressure cuff today and was all around grumpy. (so no good pictures from our departure but here he is anyway)

We got back to the hotel room and he was all fun and smiles.. that little monkey!

I'm full of so many emotions right now that it's crazy. We're estatic, exhausted, relieved, thankful and somewhat sad to leave behind our new Michigan family of nurses, doctors and roommates.

For the past couple of days we shared a room with another 2 year old boy who has been in the hospital for over a month and has weeks to go. I feel bad to be leaving him and his mom. We hit it off and I hope to keep in touch.

Our plans right now are to chill here all day tomorrow and then get ourselves home Wednesday. We just need time to take it down a notch, get some sleep and I really need some retail therapy.

Tennessee, we'll be home soon!!

Sunday Update

Just take a look at my boy today! I mean you can't even tell he had surgery.

We are in a regular room now. It's the smallest space you've ever seen.

We're squeezing about 6 people in a 5 foot space. Showers are very important.

Everyone is telling us to expect to be dismissed tomorrow. Jake will have another chest xray, ekg and echocardiogram Monday before we get the all clear. Pray everything goes well.

So if we get out tomorrow we're planning on just taking a day off before starting our travel home.

This has been a crazy journey. One I'm thankful God allowed me to take.

I'm a little sad because everyone is leaving. The frontlines of Team Jake are going back to their homes. My sister is leaving in just a little bit and I'm dreading it.

Dave has been the absolute best...what a guy...he is the ultimate man and mate. (by the way DAve wrote that while I was on the phone and obviously it's true)

Just so you know I'm still a huge UT fan but I'll be a fan of the Michigan Wolverines (Coyotes as I like to bug David) for the rest of my life.

Saturday Update

I'm sitting in the floor typing this with one hand. Jake got to get down on a mat in the floor and play a little this morning. He is still connected to his central line so he couldn't go very far. He happened to get sleepy while on the mat so here I happily sit (numb bum and all).

My little man had a good night. He slept for about four or five hours and yes, we got that great rumble from down under we were praying for.

Today he is suppose to move out of intensive care and get the I-V out of his neck. Do you know how hard it is to keep a swirmy 23 month old from pulling out his neck I-V? Don't try it if you don't have too.

He's looking and acting more like himself and that makes us all happy.

<

Friday Night Update

Jake is SLEEPING!! Woo-hoo!! Soon I will be SLEEPING!! Yipee!!

My little boy has been quite uncomfortable today. Part of his pain we believe is that he's constipated. So like we did back in the NICU we are once again asking you to pray for poop.

The recovery is now getting to a difficult part. Jake feels a little more like moving around but still has a central line in his neck and other wires to and fro so he's getting tangled.

The really good news is that I got to hold my sweet baby today ..and hold him and hold him and hold him. Really.. I held him for about six hours today because that's how he was most confortable.

He is still requiring some oxygen. His saturation rate tends to fall off and on so we watch that constantly. Just pray for it to steady out soon.

All in all the day turned out to be good. I was so scared for him this morning when he got a fever. Tonight the fever is gone. Lord you are just too good!!

Here's wishing you and me happy dreams.

Friday Morning Update

I'm getting a little delirious so hope this makes sense.

Jake had somewhat of a rough morning. Around 4ish his pulse, blood pressure and temperature went up. His saturation rate went down. That's all bad.

They iced him down, oxygened him up (is that a word?) and gave him more drugs. Bing-bam-boom... he's looking good again.

So bottom line he's right back where he needs to be. Thank you Lord. Got a little nervous for a while.

During rounds the doctor came and talked to us. Said he was not concerned about anything.. that his chest x-ray looked good, his blood gas was nice and said to give him a little time.

Also they took out his chest tube and removed the dressing over his incision so we saw it for the first time. Let's just say it's impressive and ya know... it didn't bother me like I thought it would.

That's it for now... he's sleeping good. I'll check in later. Thanks again for everything.

Thursday Update and Pictures

I'm sure you all are wondering how my Jakey is doing today. One word. Good.

Since this morning his lungs have cleared up. His blood gases are good but he's still on oxygen.

The plan is to slowly wean him off of it over the next 12 hours or so.

The doctors also want to change his pain medication to something that won't keep him so sleepy all the time.

He's been resting well today and woke up a couple times, drank water and milk and watched a little mickey mouse. Also, get this... my little man... just 24 hours after heart surgery is waving goodbye to people as they leave the room. What a monkey!!

Here's a few pictures from the past 24 hours. Enjoy!

Wednesday Morning...

Right out of surgery....

Today...


My family back together again!

Can't Sleep

It's almost one in the morning and I just can't sleep. Jake is doing well but not soaring through recovery as I wished.

He's breathing on his own but not coughing like they'd like so his lungs sound kinda yucky.

Right now he is on breathing treatments and the latest blood gas came back better. Whew!!

Just pray that all that yuckiness goes away.

Dave and I have kinda been through this song and dance when he was in the NICU. There's good and bad along the way. I'm just not resting easy yet.

On a sad note... please pray for Autumn's family. I met them here in the hallway. Autumn is now with Jesus . We had a prayer and a hug. Her grandmother told me she was at peace because Autumn was saved.

It's just so sad. My heart breaks for them so please just lift them up.