We're Home

I'm a little slow with this update, but I just haven't had a chance to sit down and write. Believe it or not, Jake got to come home from hospital on Friday after spending just three nights there! He spent two nights in ICU and just one night in a regular room.

Thursday night Ty stayed with him, and my parents and I stayed with Grace in a nearby hotel so I could nurse her. Friday morning we got back up to the hospital early for Jake's post surgery echo. He did so well holding still for about 45 minutes for the test...I was just so proud of him. After the echo, he had another chest x-ray which was very uncomfortable for him, but he was a trooper. He was pretty tired after the tests so just watched Mickey Mouse in his bed for awhile. The PA, Mary, for Dr. Heinle came in around lunch time and said since all of Jake's test results came back great and he had no complications, there was no reason that he couldn't go home. We were floored. We had no idea they would send him home so quickly. Mary said she could tell Jake looked sad, and she really felt he would heal quicker and feel better at home away from the hospital environment. So after his nap and the paperwork, we left around 5:00 to come home.

He had been pretty sad at the hospital, but the minute we walked in the house, he perked up, went straight to his train table to play, and acted like everything was normal. This weekend he's had his ups and downs, but really he's had way more ups than downs! He's still very busy but isn't running around everywhere which makes me breathe a little easier. He'll play for a few hours and then stop and rest, and we can tell he's sore. We're just trying to watch him very carefully so he doesn't climb on anything. He's even playing with his doctor's kit already which we thought he would never like again :) Friday night he was using his stethoscope to check everyone's heart and he even let Ty listen to his! I'm thinking he'll be a doctor for Halloween this year :)

The only thing that's hard right now is getting him to take his medicine. He's on Lasix and Enalapril for his blood pressure (which is still high--the heart doesn't quite realize its fixed yet--it will hopefully drop soon) and has to take it twice a day. He definitely associates taking it with the hospital and isn't a fan of medicine time. My dad bribed him this weekend with gummy life savers which kind of worked! We'll go back to TCH on Wednesday to get a few stitches out (most of them are internal) and see the surgeon and the PA for a check-up. They'll check his blood pressure and decide how long he'll be on the meds. We need to keep him inside 3-4 more weeks as he heals. His immune system was compromised from the heart lung machine and we definitely don't want him to get sick. Also, the PA said to keep him away from other toddlers because they tend to play rough without realizing it and could really hurt Jake. So we're just gearing up for a few more weeks at home as he rests and recovers.

We are just so amazed at how God has not only healed Jake but made the process smooth and quick! I know we shouldn't be amazed since we know how powerful God is...but I still am. We have just been sustained by all of the many, many prayers on Jake's behalf and the prayers for Ty and me as well. We had a peace this week that only could come from the Lord.

Jake riding the car down the hall...we called him "Super Jake"--he wouldn't wear the hospital gown except as a cape. This picture is just 48 hours after surgery.

Riding in the wheelchair after his echo Friday morning

Hanging out with Pops and Nonnie Friday morning

Figuring out how to raise and lower his bed

Taking a walk with Poppy around the floor

Jake and Gigi

Jake and his bear from the window in his room. Destin gave this bear to Ty during his heart surgery and then the bear accompanied Jake during his first surgery as well so the bear has been through three surgeries now!

Daddy, Jake, and the bear

Jake, his bear, and his many balloons riding down to the car. Look how much happier he is here now that he knows he can go home...we have a smile again!

A few hours after we get home, Jake has his doctor's kit out and is examining Grace's doll's heart. I think we all cried...what a resilient kid!

And, I had to add a picture of Grace. She was a trooper this week too! Here she is after taking a nap on the couch in Jake's room. I can't thank all of our parents enough for taking such great care of her this week! She's going to miss those walks with her Poppy! We couldn't have done this week without our parents taking care of Grace and taking late night shifts with Jake. We are truly blessed with wonderful parents!