Our Lil' Hero: Surgery Day

Monday, January 31, 2011

Surgery Day

Just trying to pass the time! Mason went back to surgery at 7:30am and they told us the surgery would be 5 1/2-6 hours and we wouldn't be able to see him for 7 hours so we are sitting in the waiting room watching time tick VERY slowly. We got our first update a little over an hour ago saying they had just made the incision and they would update us again in an hour so we are not so patiently waiting (although I really do try to be patient). We had to be down here by 9:30 yesterday morning for his pre-op work up. (Labs, Xrays, Physical). So we decided to get a hotel and stay the night because we had to be at the hospital at 6 this morning. It was nice to be out of the house as a family although we were still confined to the hotel room at least it was a change of scenery. I can't wait to get through this stage and have RSV season over so all of our friends and family can get to know Mason and his cute personality! I will try and update after his surgery today but I might not get a chance until tomorrow. Thanks for checking the blog!

8 comments:

Hillman's said...: Thank you for the update! Hang in there, we love you guys. Mason has such a cute personality. He is always smiling and those big eyes. He always seems to be glowing. Please let us know if we can do anything for you guys. If your mom needs any help with Ryder we would love to help out.; January 31, 2011 at 10:12 AM
jes forrey said...: Thanks for the update! Keep us informed!; January 31, 2011 at 10:20 AM
brandib said...: Thanks for the update!!!! My heart is with you today. Can't stop thinking about you guys!!!; January 31, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Katy said...: My heart is racing for you! Hope all goes well!; January 31, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Johnson Family said...: I hope everything goes well! Our thoughts and prayers are with you guys!; January 31, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Julia said...: We are thinking of you all. Love and prayers are with you!; January 31, 2011 at 1:35 PM
brenda said...: HOpe fully they are done now that it's after 3. You guys have been in my thought and prayers all day!; January 31, 2011 at 3:15 PM
Summer said...: My Prayers are with you today especially, having been in your shoes several times in the last 3 years...... I know how comforting prayers can be. Please know that your sweet Mason's surgeon is being guided from our elder Brother and Father from above........knowing that always made it a bit easier as we sent our Mason off to surgery! Your Mason is a true miracle making it 24 days at home undiagnosed!! Our Mason would have passed on at 3 days old at home if I hadn't felt something was wrong with him that day. I guess "Miracle" just goes hand in hand with the name Mason!

Thinking about you this day,

Love,

Miracle Mason's Mommy (HLHS & post transplant)

ps. Hope it's ok...I added your Mason to our heart friend list.; January 31, 2011 at 3:58 PM

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A little about Mason

This is a journey through Hypoplasic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). Mason was born on October 1, 2010 as what we thought was a healthy normal baby boy. At 3 weeks old we found out when he was life flighted to Primary Children's Medical Center that he was born with an Unbalanced AV Canal Defect that caused him to have Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He also was diagnosed with 2 Large ASD's a VSD, a CoArch of the Aorta, and a small leaky Mitral Valve. He had his first open heart surgery, the Norwood, in the end of October 2010. After surgery his chest was left open and they surgically closed it a few days later after the swelling went down. He had his second open heart surgery, the Glenn, in January 2011. He did great with recovery and got discharged 1 week later. We had him home for 1 day then he was rushed back to the hospital where they found he had a sternal infection and had to open him back up and wash out all the infection and he had a picc line placed for 6 weeks for antibiotics. He had a couple of heart caths during that time, and echo every 3-6 months, and eye surgery.
In February 2013 we sent his records to Boston to explore different surgical options for him. We found out he was a candidate for a surgery called the Staged Left Ventricle Recruitment to the BiVent. With this surgery it would grow his left ventricle to normal size and then give him normal circulation to hopefully avoid him having to have a heart transplant. (if we didn't go this route we have been told with his anatomy he would need a transplant in his teens). With the help of friends, family, and strangers we went to Boston where he had the first of hopefully only 2 surgeries. He had his 3rd open heart surgery in June and right now his heart is growing and conditioning to be able to handle the load of the work that a normal heart does. He is due to have his 4th open heart surgery in the first of 2014.