One. Incredible. Year.

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It has been 365 days since I held Marshall and Michael & I walked as far as we could with him to the OR.

Then with a lump in my throat and lead in my chest, we handed him off for his Bilateral Bidirectional Glenn. 

Then I cried. 

And some warm lady in a lab coat distracted me with tales of her travels to Jamaica (?) I think.

I could barely breath all of that day.  I missed the boys first day of school.  And home.  And the comfort of family.  And friends.  

Living our lives.

So many people filled my day with all of those good thoughts and prayers and kindnesses but it was still a horribly terrifying day.

And then it was 10 hours later – around 11:30 pm – when we could finally see him.

I couldn’t recognize my own baby.
They’d had him on bypass for 206 minutes.  Then spent 30 minutes reinflating his lungs.   He was a mess of wires and skin and heart and hair and tubes and machines.

But he was there.  And he was fighting back.  They had to sedate him more by 2 am because he was trying to breathe on his own.

And then 12 days later the ICU doc who’d patted my back and answered my millions of questions stepped over to the floor.

“Marshall, you ROCKED!” He said beaming at our ginger miracle as we were leaving for home.

And here he is still rocking. 

And playing. 

And climbing. 

And running. 

And teething. 

And exploring. 

And eating. 

And growing. 

And laughing. 

And adventuring. 

Seems everything is an adventure with these four wild boys.

I am so, so, so thankful.  It has been ONE.  INCREDIBLE. YEAR.

Please please send STRONG thoughts and prayers

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After all of the good thoughts and prayers you have sent for Marshall, I know I don’t really have the right to ask for more.

But I can’t not.

I learned early this morning that dear family friends are in the midst of the unexpected: a member of their family is in a very severe, and perhaps from what I have gathered, a life threatening health crisis.

I would give anything to help them but there’s not much of anything I can do.  And feel so powerless. Rather than do nothing, I am turning to you. 

Please, please, please send as many big thoughts and prayers (depending on your beliefs) as you can.

Thank you sooo much ❤

Meeting of the hearts

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Marshall and I finally had the opportunity to meet Noah’s mom, Amber, his big sister, Morgan, and his set-to-arrive-within-9-weeks little sister, Harper. 

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We all had a wonderful dining experience complete with Marshall showing off his impeccable toddler skills in a crowded restaurant ;-).

And Marshall and I finally had the chance to give our thanks to this amazingly strong family who offered us such hope when we needed it most. 

And best of all, we heard Noah’s remarkable story first hand.  His place will always be among the most gallent heterotaxy inspirations ever…tucked tightly in all of our hearts.

Soooo many, many thanks

We DON’T HAVE TO SEE CARDIOLOGY TEAM FOR THREE MONTHS!!!!

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I have to start off by saying: THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKS

ALL OF THOSE GOOD THOUGHTS AND BIG PRAYERS ARE WORKING!!

Today’s cardiologist appointment was full of good news.   Marshall gained 1.5 lbs and grew 1.5 inches in the past two months.  The echo went well.  The gradient measurement is the same.  His heart function has improved a little more than last time. 

And we do not have to take Marshall back for THREE. ENTIRE. MONTHS. 

It took everything I had to not cry in a supreme form of both gratitude and (slight) relief. 

Sending hugs, love, & SOOOOOO many thanks for the good thoughts and prayers ❤

Cardiologist today

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We are off to take Marshall to see Dr S and the hometown team.  Please send some good thoughts for Marshall if you can.  This is his first appointment in months and to be honest, I am a little worried. … but that’s just a regular part of parenting 4 boys.

From the outside, Marshall is progressing splendidly with his “normal” little boy stuff.  He now practically RUNS everywhere he wants to go and talks well.  Just in the past couple of days he started saying “Hungry!!!”  And he is teething again so that means rotten sleep for him (and me and anyone who hears him in the night).

But it’s what is on the inside that counts.  And the part I can’t see is what keeps me up at night..

So please send some good thoughts or prayers if you have any to spare.

Soo many thanks ❤