1 year later...

We can't believe that it's been a year since Tyson, aka Our Million Dollar Baby, had his little broken heart fixed.  We're amazed every day at how much he's endured at such a young age.

The BIG day...Getting ready to head to the hospital

Not that it is ever easy to let your child's life be placed in the care of someone else's, but for me the first surgery was easier.  Everything was such a whirlwind, we had just had twins boys and one who was swept away so fast to be cared for that we really hadn't had much time to truly bond. 

This time around was like giving away a piece of my heart (no pun intended).  We were able to have him home with us and really bonded with one another. They basically had to rip him from my arms.  I could barely let him go, I knew that he was finally going to get his heart fixed, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

Right after surgery

After we sent him back, we waited for what seemed like an eternity then we were finally able to see him.  It was very hard to see, but the nurse we had, Kim, was amazing and made us feel comfortable.  The best part was that Kim had this cd playing in his room.  This cd was one that we had made for him after he was born and we had left it at the hospital back in September.  We were really bummed that we didn't have it anymore, but there it was playing when we were brought in -- One of the best gifts!

His recovery was doing really well and was moving quickly until day 3.  Day 3 is one that I will never forget, I wish I could, but I won't.  They decided it was time to extubate him, Doctors, Nurses and the Respiratory Therapist were all in. I was by myself at this time, Rob was with Lincoln at home getting ready to come in around lunch time.  As soon as they pulled his tube out he stopped breathing.  They had to bag him and within a few seconds he began to breathe again.  He stopped breathing about 5 times within a 30 minute span.  If it wasn't for Maria, his overnight nurse, I would have lost my mind.  He was then put on oxygen and they told me this is common after a child has been on ventilator and heavy doses of narcotics after open heart surgery.  But nothing prepared me for what was to come.

Glimpse of all the machines he was on

About 4-5 hours later, I was in the room with a couple of Nurses, Laurel & Nicolle, while he was being checked on, my world was rocked unlike I have ever felt before.  We were all chit-chatting when all of a sudden they stopped talking with me and the mood went from cheerful to grim.  Tyson had stopped breathing and Laurel was unable to get him to snap out of it. She started bagging him and he still wasn't coming around and said to Nicolle, "I think I need to--" and Nicolle said firmly, "do it.".  She immediately handed the mask and bag over to her to continue working on him and she hit the "code blue" button. 

Sirens went off in our room, bright lights kicked on, the doors swung open, crash cart was rushed in, intubation cart was rushed in, another nurse, Stacey, was at Tyson with her hands underneath him ready to start compressions--people were yelling it's time to start compressions--don't start compressions--I'm not starting--You should start--No, I'm not starting, they were yelling at him saying "Come on Tyson, wake up Tyson, Come on Tyson", still bagging him, they were rubbing his back trying to stimulate him, they were flicking his feet over and over again, people were measuring out medication to give him and then I walked out seeing his sats drop to 11 and continued. When I walked out his ICU Doctor, Dr. Choi, was running into his room and threw his Starbucks Coffee on the desk yelling "what the hell happened?!"

Recovering with a post-op fever after surgery -- chest still open

I sat in the hallway crouched down crying, watching the "organized chaos" of saving my sons life.  Immediately after I walked out, Rob came walking into the unit with Lincoln.  All he could see was bright lights and 30 people in our sons room and me crouched down crying with a nurse, Ricole.  All I could do was look at him, shake my head and cry.  We watched together as they worked on him.  Finally they were able to stabilize him and let us back in the room to see him. 

The doctors and staff had no real explanation as to why he stopped breathing except that he could possibly still have some heavy narcotics sitting dormant in his body that would release making him go into a state of not breathing on his own.  Instead of intubating him again they put him on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) until he was ready to breathe on his own and unfortunately they were not able to give him any heavy narcotics for pain because they were afraid he'd stop breathing again.  That part was horrible cause we knew he was in pain and Tylenol just wasn't cutting it, but we also we couldn't take any more chances. 

Off CPAP, but still on oxygen while recovering 

He had a couple more spells of not breathing, but by being on CPAP his sats would only drop to the 50 range and then he'd start breathing on his own.  Finally that evening things started turned around and his recovery became remarkable! The next day he was able to be taken off CPAP and put on regular oxygen and then eventually no more oxygen was needed and he was sent home the following Tuesday!  We were so shocked that they were ready for him to go home just 4 days after that insane day, but we were ready for him to start his "normal" life with our family! 

No oxygen!

It's so hard to describe what this experience has done to us.  It truly has changed me forever.  I am definitely stronger as a mother, wife and a person overall.  My outlook on life has changed too, I try not to take things for granted and live each day to the fullest.  Life can be cut too short when you least expect.  

Tyson & Mommy

We are so thankful for St Joseph's Hospital, especially Dr. John Nigro (Tyson's Surgeon) & Dr. Pophal ('s Cardiologist), the entire Staff of Doctors & Nurses in the Pediatric Cardio Thoracic Intensive Care Unit & the Staff at the Scott & Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center. 

Tyson & Laura

 Maria & Tyson

Tyson & Kim

 Rob, Dr. Nigro & Tyson

And most of all, we are incredibly thankful for our Family & Friends.  We don't know where we'd be right now without the support of all of you.  Thank you.