Repair surgery

Well today is going well so far.  We had to be at the hospital at 6 am.  They took Easton back at 8.  Surgery started at 9.  They have been giving us updates periodcally throughout the day.  They are now starting to take him off the heart lung machine which bypasses his heart and lungs during the surgery and gets blood and oxygen to the rest of the body.  They are doing what is called warming  and bringing his body temperature up so they can start taking him off heart lung.  This is one of the first steps to this.   I will update later when I know more.  Prayers have been and are being answered.  Keep sending them as we have a few days to get through to make sure everything is working properly.

Where to begin...  Easton had a cath lab on August 16th.  This is where they go in through the groin and up that artery into the heart.  While in there, they put some dye in to take some pictures of the heart.  they have decided that in 2 to 4 weeks they will schedule his surgery.  His Cardiologist is recommending they do the repair, but they will discuss his case on Monday as a team.  I am relieved to know that my Kiddo will soon be repaired for a few years.  Dr. Shah thinks that they will put in a new valve and a new left artery becasue the arteries are small.  The right one is slightly bigger so I am not sure if they are going to do anything with that at this point.  He is getting so big!  Love it! 

Easton had his Cardiologist apointment on the 3rd of June.  I know, I am a little behind.  Dr. Shah is very happy with his progress.  He even took him off one of his medications.  He is very pleased with how he is doing.  We still are not sure when his next surgery will be.  His levels are starting to slowly decrease the bigger he gets so the shunt is working as it should and this is what the plan was so I guess we are going according to plan:) 

He is getting to be such a big boy!  Almost 13 pounds now!  He has been sleeping through the night so mommy and daddy are getting more sleep!  He still has crazy hair!  I just can't bring myself to have his hair cut yet!  He is a very happy baby and we couldn't ask for more!  Big Brother and Sister really think it is great that he will smile at them now, so of course they want to be more involved now!    I told Ely the other day that one day he is going to want to go everywhere he does . Not sure if he really believed me:)  Can't wait to see his reaction when that day arrives! I can't believe that he is already 3 and a half months old!  Where has the time gone. 

 All else is well at the Horner House,  we are busy with tumbling and T-ball right now and love every minute.  Along with going to the Doctor, but that all seems second nature now.   We feel very blessed, God is good !  Until next time! 

Easton had his cardiologist appointment last Monday.  They are very happy with his progress.  We are still not sure at this point when he will have his surgery.  We did find out that if they think that he will need his next surgery this winter that they will do it this fall because they do not like to do it when there are so many more germs.  He is a big growing boy!  He weighs over 10lbs now!  I can't believe he is already 2 and a half months old!  One of the nurses that we had up on the PICU was in with Cardiology so that she can become a nurse practitioner so it was nice to see her and catch up with her.  She couldn't believe how big Easton had gotten and how big his hair was:)  He also had his 2 month check up and started his shots:(  We had to check with the cardiologist to make sure that it was ok for him to get them because sometimes they don't want you to due to the stress that it can put on the child, but Dr. Shah said that Easton was doing so well that he should have them.  Hate to see them cry but am glad he is doing well enough to have them. 

We have been busy at home.  Easton went to church for the first time on Mothers day, it was pretty special :)   I started back to work today and the other two have been such a big help!  I think this will help to make a more structured schedule for us with house duties (that is my goal anyway:) So thankful for the support we have including our family!  Grandma Krehbiel is watching them three days this week and Grandma Horner will have them on Wednesday.  We feel very blessed for all of the prayers we have received and have seen what the power of prayer can do!!!!!  Blessings to all of you!

Easton is growing like a weed!  Newborn clothes no longer fit!  He has really started smiling and you have to love all of the involuntary reflex movements.  He sometimes scares himself.  I thought he might wear 0-3 months for a while, but he is so long now that he is close to start wearing some of the smaller 3-6 month clothes!  Monday is going to be a busy day for us as he has 3 doctor appointments that day.  He does very well sleeping at night.  I know we will get him sleeping through the night and then it will be time for his next surgery:)  Hopefully it won't take too long to get him back on track after that.  We still don't have a set time when the next surgery will be. It will all depend on him and how he grows.  I hope that it will be this fall if not later rather than sooner so he has more time to grow, but we will see!  He has (knock on wood) been a very good baby this far.  He doesn't cry much unless he is hungry and then he wanted it yesterday:)  I will update again after our cartiologist appointments on Monday along with his  pediatrician appointment where he will begin his shots.  Can't wait for that:)  God is good!

Easton had his second cardiologist appointment today.  His doctor was very happy with how he looked and sounded.  He weighs about 8 1/2 lbs and is now 22 inches long!  Ty thinks he is going to be nine feet tall at the rate he is going:)  The shunt is working great, and the PDA arteries have not closed yet, which may actually work to our advantage.  It may allow him to grow a little more before the next surgery.  Still not sure when that will be.  Will just depend when he outgrows the shunt.  Sure can't believe that he is already 6 weeks old already!  The kids are sure glad to have him home.  They both are very helpful (sometimes too much:))  They sure love their little brother!  I go back to work in a few weeks so trying to findsome one to come baby sit a few days a week.  He is such a good baby.  Only gets up once to eat in the middle of the night so really can't complain!  Since it has been so nice out we have been able to go outside for walks.  I keep a bottle of hand sanitzer in the stroller!  I don't think I ever thought I would be a germaphobe!  God is good and continues to bless our family.  With God all things are possible Matt 19:26

Whew!  Made it through our first week at home!  I think we now have some sort of a schedule down!!!  We have 3 doctors appointments next week so that is going to be interesting trying to get to those on time!  He is doing very good.  His heart rate and oxygen levels have all been where they were at the hospital.  He is now over 7lbs!  Big Boy!  He is getting long.  He is still very skinny though!  I am going to have to get the three month clothing out and washed up since he is about too long for the newborn clothes.  Still wearing newborn diapers though.  Hopeing that the remaining weeks go as smoothly as this one did!  Ely is enjoying calling him "Mini Me" since he looks so much like he did when he was a baby!  He thinks that is pretty cool!  Ella just wants to mother him!  But that is pretty much what I expected. His hais is hilarious!  Not sure if it will ever lay down, but I guess time will tell!  We are a very blessed family!  God is good!