Even though she had worked all day, Raji still waited to make sure Matthew got all set up in his new room. Raji was one of Matthew's primary nurses last summer. She has since been promoted to Nurse Practitioner and works in the 3rd floor wing of the hospital where Matthew is now. Matthew was very excited to see her.

I addition to our loved ones (our friends, family, doctors, and nurses) we get plenty of folks we don't know who happen upon our blog. We happily welcome all of you "with arms wide open" (the song I played in the car the day Matthew came home from the hospital after 5 1/2 months). We invite everyone who visits to please leave comments as often as you like. I promise it is very simple to do...Simply click on comments under each posting.

Also, Terri and I have made our best effort to post pictures of everyone at Stanford who has helped Matthew for two reasons. First, and most obvious, because they deserve our thanks and praise for all their efforts. Secondly, we have been asked to contact families preparing to come to Stanford for their child's surgery. After Terri talks to them on the phone she gives out the address to Matthew's Blog. This way they can very quickly get a sense of the outstanding care that their child is about to receive.

Matthew had his chest bandage removed today and you can see here how nice his scar is healing. He also had a line removed from his groin that he no longer needed. Dr. Kache felt that his chest tubes should stay in another day since they were still draining fluid. Matthew has returned to his old self. He spent the day smiling and kicking his feet like "The Little Lord of the Dance". His toothy grin is infectious. Those teeth are so big they look like chicklettes. I told Auntie Kim that I was planning to tile our bathroom with them when they fall out. Margo and Dr. Kache both said Matthew's chest X-rays were the best he's ever had. If all goes well, Matthew may be moved upstairs to the third floor tomorrow where kids are prepared for discharge. In all likelyhood he will be released towards the end of the week.

This is what Matthew's scar looked like the first time. What a difference! Matthew was able to have his chest closed during surgery this time which made for much less swelling and redness.

Mommy and Grandma Sue kept Matthew entertained all afternoon once Auntie Kim & Grandma Wright left for the airport.

Look at our little bruiser holding his own bottle like a big boy!

This is Sheryl who took care of Matthew all weekend long. Sheryl is a city girl and knows all the best places to eat. She and Christine deserve the credit for Matthew's new found interest in bottle feeding. Before the surgery, Matthew had been a stinker when it came to feeding time. Sheryl and Christine took the extra time to work with his bottle feeding and you can clearly see the difference.

Vicky is one of the head Respiratory Therapists. She spent hours upon hours with Matthew last summer just like Margo. Vicky went to bat for us when we were pleading for Matthew not to have a trachiotomy (the ventilator in the front of the throat like Christopher Reeve had). We wanted to try Vapotherm, a different breathing system, and Vicky got a trial model from the company for us to use. Matthew was the first child ever to use Vapotherm at Stanford and it worked wonders. Thank you Vicky (and Dr. Conrad)for all the extra research and coordinating you did on Matthew's behalf. You facilitated a true miracle.

This is Jing who took great care of Matthew at night last summer.

When I came in this morning Matthew was flirting shamelessly with Margo. He was reaching out and touching her lips as she sang "Under the Boardwalk" to him. Margo is one of the many excellant Respiratory Therapists here at Stanford and she is very special to us.

Sara Kache is a wonderful doctor. Secure and confident in her abilities, she takes a methodical approach instead being cavalier. Doctors rotate out weekly in the units of the various children's hospitals we've been to. Terri and I have noticed that some doctors (at other hospitals) come on duty and make drastic changes to a child's care as if trying to impress the next physician with the progress made under their watch. Matthew has been the victim of this ego driven approach before. However, Dr. Kache always greets us with the same salutation, "Good morning. So, no big changes today..." Then she goes on to explain her conservative plan for the day. You can tell she is pleased when she nods her head and says, "impressive".

Matthew has more lines coming out of him right now than the back of your average entertainment center. Even so, Cheryl our nurse artfully gathered them all up just so I could hold my son for an hour or so this morning.

A byproduct of Matthew's pain medications is a periodic startled response that jars him out of an otherwise peaceful sleep. He spreads his arms out like he is falling and looks around desperately for a familiar face. Therefore, Grandma Wright and I stayed in close proximity almost the entire day.

When was the last time you slept this soundly?

Grandma Wright and Auntie Kim were cheering Matthew on as he sat up on his own like a big boy.

Margo introduced us to her man Hank and we all had lunch in the cafeteria. Hank is a retired Oakland PD Officer and still works as a tactical firearms instructor. We hit it off great and can't wait for them to come through Las Vegas on their next Laughlin River Run.

These are our friends Dan & Lucy Jiang. They came to visit us today from their home in San Jose. We became close friends when their beautiful daughter Alison had her heart surgery here at Stanford last summer. Ali was in the next bed over from Matthew until she moved upstairs. It was great to see how big she is getting. Terri and I marvel at the similarities between Dan & I and Terri & Lucy. Dan and I were always optimistic and analytical about our children. Terri and Lucy were emotional and constantly worried about what lay ahead.

Even after our lunch Matthew was still sitting up on his own waiting to show off for Mommy. I am amazed at his resilience.

This is Tracy Pablo. Tracy and Dorothy were the nurses that received Matthew immediately after his first surgery last summer. That was a very critical time and she did a great job of caring for the three of us. Tracy is from the island of Kauai where Terri and I traveled on our honeymoon. Can't you just hear Ricky Nelson singing about her in "Traveling Man"?

This is the front of Lucille Packard Children's Hospital. This long narrow walk way can be the most oppresive & lonely trail to the parents of a sick child. Everyday last summer as we would walk towards the entrance, Terri and I would steel ourselves in preparation for the news that usually awaited us behind those doors. This morning I asked myself, "are the storm clouds above a foreshadowing of the day to come? Will Matthew be extubated today?"

Above Matthew's head you can see the cutest little name plate that Rachel made for Matthew. Many of the nurses are also gifted at scrapbooking. There is nothing like a little personalization in an otherwise sterile environment. Sometimes I feel guilty that we are drawing away love that would otherwise be going towards their own families. There should be more songs written about the angelic nature of nurses.

One of the nurses drew the sweetest little heart on Matthew's bandage.

Carolyn, The lead Chaplain, came by every day to help tether our faith to the dock during the roughest seas last summer. This visit has been no different. Carolyn led us in a wonderful prayer at Matthew's bedside today where she asked God's help in a successful extubation.

Sandy, the Nurse Practitioner, Annie and Marsha his nurses, and Lisa the Respiratory Therapist all gathered around Matthew's bed for the big event. Lisa started by carefully removing the tape holding his endotrachial tube in place.

To clear the mucus that collects around the tube, Sandy and Lisa suctioned out his mouth and throat.

After the endotrachial tube came out of his throat, a "blow-by" of oxygen maintained his O2 saturation while they prepared his nasal canula.

Always the optimist, Jerry cheered Matthew on.

Matthew sounded wheezy so Sandy gave him a quick breathing treatment.

Keeping Matthew calm enough to breath is essentail to a successful extubation. Terri is the master soother. Since she was pumping, Annie and Sandy called in the 2nd string.

I bent down to sing to Matthew in the most soothing way I know how.

After ten minutes of controlled & fluid chaos, Matthew was back to sleep and breathing on his own. It is hard to impress upon people how much more serious his lung problems are than his beating little heart. His lungs are what kept him in the hospital long after his heart was repaired.

This is Dr. Frank Hanley the man who saved my son's life. He is a truly humble and gifted man. If not for Dr. Hanley's work, Terri and I would have simply taken Matthew home for a few short months of life. Instead, Matthew has the same chances at life that we all do (he just has to dodge a few more bullets than the rest of us).

Of course this will forever be how we see Dr. Hanley.

Katelyn was one of Matthew's nurses this summer. She gave him the cutest set of blocks that he still plays with to this day.

Matthew's ear plugs helped shield him from the commotion of new arrivals and the dings & pings of medical machinery.

There were no smiles from Matthew today. Just quiet acceptance of the way life can be.

Lupe is Stanford's top Case Manager. He was there for us throughout our prolonged stay here last summer. He helped get Matthew a Medi-flight back to Las Vegas before our insurance ran out. If not for him Terri and I would have spent hours away from Matthew's bedside pleading with our insurance. Pam at Beechstreeet was wonderful too.

Imagine being so little an innocent. There is no way to communicate to Matthew why these things are happening to him. All we can do is try to be standing in front of him when he opens his eyes. A small amount of reassurance is usually all it takes to send him back into a slumber.

Pray your child never gets sick. But if they do, pray they go to Stanford Hospital. The nursing philosophy is one of complete devotion to kids.

After 7pm Matthew was doing well enough to drink some clear Pedialyte from a bottle. They are giving him heavy doses of diuretics to keep fluid off of his heart and lungs. A side effect is dry mouth so this bottle must have tasted extra good.

To soothe him, Terri rubbed Matthew's temple in between drinks from his bottle.

We left Matthew tonight in Christine's capable hands. She is so attentive. At the first sign of discomfort Christine grabs the nearest doctor to write Matthew an additional dose of medicine.

We arrived at the hospital at 6am. Matthew was in typical, great spirits this morning as we waited for surgery.

Anethesiologists Inger and Dr. Kuan gave Matthew a quick exam before surgery.

A final kiss before surgery.

The King trio said a few words of love and prayer together before the Doctors took Matthew to the operating room.