May 24, 1997Time is flying...
Abigail is done with soccer. Her team won their last game (their only win!) and Abigail scored two goals! Isaac has started t-ball. His team is "Lightning" and we are pretty confident that someone is going to get hurt. They can all throw the ball pretty hard, but they don't catch very well! Ethan is doing his best to keep up with his sister and brother. He is saying a new word about every other day or so.
Post-Op Appointment
Ethan's post-op appt went very well. The chest x-ray is never fun, but the good news is that it came back good. I am not sure what all they are looking for from the chest x-ray, but I do know they check to see if there is any fluid around his heart and there wasn't.
He amazed both Brice and I at how well he cooperated for the nurse. He sat so still while she checked his oxygen, took his blood pressure (which was pretty good) and snipped the stitch from his drainage tube. It was like watching a completely different boy interact with the nurse today. She gave him three big stickers for being such a good boy!
We can stop giving him Ibuprofen three times a day and just give it as needed for pain. We still have to be careful with how we pick him up (support his bottom) for a few more weeks. As far as his vocal cord issue, we feel like his voice/cry is getting a little bit louder, but he still sounds hoarse. She was going to let Ethan's surgeon know about that and then get back to us as to whether the surgeon wants Ethan to see an ENT to evaluate it further.
We continue to be amazed by his recovery. I have told several people that I don't feel like I am taking care of a recovering heart patient. Ethan is living proof that God still gives us miracles!
He amazed both Brice and I at how well he cooperated for the nurse. He sat so still while she checked his oxygen, took his blood pressure (which was pretty good) and snipped the stitch from his drainage tube. It was like watching a completely different boy interact with the nurse today. She gave him three big stickers for being such a good boy!
We can stop giving him Ibuprofen three times a day and just give it as needed for pain. We still have to be careful with how we pick him up (support his bottom) for a few more weeks. As far as his vocal cord issue, we feel like his voice/cry is getting a little bit louder, but he still sounds hoarse. She was going to let Ethan's surgeon know about that and then get back to us as to whether the surgeon wants Ethan to see an ENT to evaluate it further.
We continue to be amazed by his recovery. I have told several people that I don't feel like I am taking care of a recovering heart patient. Ethan is living proof that God still gives us miracles!
Settling back in
It is good to be home. Ethan continues to amaze us by how well he is doing. We give him Ibuprofen three times a day for the pain and that seems to keep him very comfortable. (We have Oxycodone if we need it.) Other than that, he has no other meds right now. With his heart defect, we know that blood pressure could be an issue, so his cardiologist will continue to monitor it. He will see the cardiologist the beginning of June. At that time, he will have an echo and that will give us an idea as to how is heart is adjusting to the repair that the surgeon made.
Back to how well Ethan is doing... The nurse told us that he would limit himself in what he can/can't do. He really doesn't seem to be doing that. He has had so much fun just being back home, playing outside and trying to keep up with Abigail and Isaac. I keep reminding him that he did just have heart surgery.
We have so much to be grateful for. Last week definitely had its highs and some very low lows, but I never dreamed that the past week could have gone as well as it did (both at the hospital and here at home for Abigail and Isaac). It is easy to praise God when things go better than you could have hoped. In His grace, He answered our prayers the way that we wanted Him too. We are fully aware that He didn't have to do that.
I will post an update after his post-op appointment this Thursday.
Again, we want to thank our family and friends for everything you have done to help us. You were used by God to bless our family and in turn, He is going to bless you. We love you!
Back to how well Ethan is doing... The nurse told us that he would limit himself in what he can/can't do. He really doesn't seem to be doing that. He has had so much fun just being back home, playing outside and trying to keep up with Abigail and Isaac. I keep reminding him that he did just have heart surgery.
We have so much to be grateful for. Last week definitely had its highs and some very low lows, but I never dreamed that the past week could have gone as well as it did (both at the hospital and here at home for Abigail and Isaac). It is easy to praise God when things go better than you could have hoped. In His grace, He answered our prayers the way that we wanted Him too. We are fully aware that He didn't have to do that.
I will post an update after his post-op appointment this Thursday.
Again, we want to thank our family and friends for everything you have done to help us. You were used by God to bless our family and in turn, He is going to bless you. We love you!
HOME!
We arrived home around 1:15 this afternoon. It is amazing to us that we were only at CMH for 4 1/2 days. But, God is amazing and we can see His hand in everything.
Please continue to pray that Ethan's recovery will be smooth. I don't think that anyone would be able to guess what he has been through by the way he is acting and moving around. We would also appreciate prayers that Ethan's vocal cord issues will be resolved on their own. His post-op appointment is next Thursday and they will evaluate this then.
We can't thank you enough for your prayers and support through all of this! God bless!
Please continue to pray that Ethan's recovery will be smooth. I don't think that anyone would be able to guess what he has been through by the way he is acting and moving around. We would also appreciate prayers that Ethan's vocal cord issues will be resolved on their own. His post-op appointment is next Thursday and they will evaluate this then.
We can't thank you enough for your prayers and support through all of this! God bless!
Quick Update
We have had a good day. Ethan has gotten a lot of play time and has had fun roaming the halls, pushing a lawn mower and chasing balls. He actually made friends with his nurse late this afternoon and even let her check his vitals without throwing a fit.
We are still on schedule to leave tomorrow, just not sure what time yet. Hopefully we don't have to wait around all day.
My next post will be from home sweet home!
We are still on schedule to leave tomorrow, just not sure what time yet. Hopefully we don't have to wait around all day.
My next post will be from home sweet home!
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