We wanted to send Happy Valentine Wishes to everyone...
and we're sending
BIG HEART (((hugs))) your way.
Mike, Terri, Matthew, Quixa, Petie Cat, Sunnie Bird and Aimie Bird
oh, and Happy CHD Awareness Day, too.
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2 weeks before he was born ~ we did not know of his defect until he was 4 days old
4lbs 1oz ~ born at 32 weeks
"Unifocalization" ~ 9 hours by Dr. Frank Hanley
Chest was open for 4 days ~ hence the gauze on top
Still on a ventilator (remained on vent for another few weeks)
Mask would assist him to breathe in and out
Waiting for the surgery team to take him off
And still he smiles...
Happy day ~ Look no oxygen!
So much to be thankful for!
One boy's long road to recovery. Matthew was born two months premature with a rare fourfold heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia and MAPCA's, and Ventricular Septal Defect. He's had two open heart surgeries and will need additional heart surgeries in the future. To appreciate the absolute miracle of this "3 plus million dollar boy", you'd need to look into the "Archives" beginning after his first 9 hr open heart surgery at Stanford, August 2005.
First picture
2 weeks before he was born ~ we did not know of his defect until he was 4 days old
Day of birth ~ May 10th, 2005
4lbs 1oz ~ born at 32 weeks
Day of first surgery ~ July "05
"Unifocalization" ~ 9 hours by Dr. Frank Hanley
After first surgery
Chest was open for 4 days ~ hence the gauze on top
Chest was just closed
Still on a ventilator (remained on vent for another few weeks)
BiPap mask
Mask would assist him to breathe in and out
Getting ready for second surgery
Waiting for the surgery team to take him off
After second surgery
And still he smiles...
Leaving Stanford after second surgery
Happy day ~ Look no oxygen!
Happy Days
So much to be thankful for!
To view more pictures of Matthew while at Stanford, you can expand the year of 2005 by first clicking on the arrow, then the month. He was at Stanford from July thru September of 2005. Matthew was transferred back to Sunrise hospital where he stayed until the end of October 2005.
His second open heart surgery at Stanford was March 16th of 2006.
We've been told he'll need a conduit change, on average, every three years. We are hoping technology will be on our side.
He's our amazing little soldier boy. Our miracle.
His second open heart surgery at Stanford was March 16th of 2006.
We've been told he'll need a conduit change, on average, every three years. We are hoping technology will be on our side.
He's our amazing little soldier boy. Our miracle.
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February
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- Standard Baby Faces
- The Face
- If it's not one child...
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- Early morning pre-op
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- Have you ever been this tired?
- Endoscopy update
- Endoscopy today
- Quick Baby Surgery Update
- Matthew's test results
- Mason Manning in surgery NOW
- Lincoln Carter getting a heart transplant tonight!
- Endoscopy scheduled
- Happy Valentines Day
- Matthew's Gastric Emptying Study
- Another test tomorrow
- The Las Vegas Coffee Party!
- He's in the Jail House now...
- Inseparable...
- Pious or Ghostly?
- A Head Above the Rest
- A special week to recognize people born with heart...
- Matthew's portrait
- Baby Mason Manning is born on Feb. 7th
- Just in case you Wondered...
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5 comments:
A touching CHD Awareness Week Poem
Somewhere...someplace... today...
A family is waiting to hear...
Is something wrong with their baby?
The answers aren't quite clear...
This family has entered an unwanted world...
And they just don't know what to expect...
Somewhere...someplace... today
They first heard the words: heart defect.
And how they hoped this was not true...
And thought... this cannot be...
I too... know just how this feels...
For one day...this was me.
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A man and a woman embrace...
Their baby is in surgery...
They long to see her face...
They haven't got to hold her yet...
Without...a cord or line...
They pace the room awaiting news...
And hope she'll be just fine.
Prayers fill this busy waiting room...
And mom and dad are scared...
Somewhere...someplace..today...
The tiniest hearts are repaired.
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A child's growing fast...
Smiling,laughing,thriving...
His mom thinks...can this last?
It's almost easy...to forget...
That anything is wrong...
Somewhere...someplace..today...
Her child seems so strong.
Somewhere...someplace... today...
A little boy fights...just to live
A father holds his tiny hand...
His love...all he can give...
The doctor's are all baffled...
They fear that he might die...
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A family says goodbye...
Somewhere...someplace...each year..
More than 40,000 families will see...
What it means...when something's wrong...
They'll face a CHD.
Today...for just a moment...
Stop...remember...reflect...
Make time to tell someone you know...
"I've been changed by a heart defect".
Author - Stephanie Husted
That's a very touching poem. Do you think it would be ok for me to post it on my blog? (I would include the author's name of course) It touches my heart because I have been through each of those situations. I will never forget the day Jess was diagnosed with her CHDs and she almost didn't make it through the night because she was in congestive heart failure. We have sent her into heart surgery 5 times, each time wondering if we would ever see her alive again. We were told that Jess only had hours to live 4 days following her 2nd heart surgery. She has suffered a stroke, was hemorrhaging and had a blood infection. They told us to tell her our good-byes. Heart wrenching. Fortunately God smiled upon her and she slowly recovered. She was blind and paralyzed from the stroke but with lots of prayers, love, time and hours upon hours of therapy she was able to regain what was lost.
Why of course Nancy.. I took it off of Evan's, Our Little Bravehearts blog.
xo. Happy Valentines Day!
Happy Valentine's Day to all of you also.
Love to you all. Grandma Sue
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