Don't make me go back yet...

So at our cardio appointment this week, the heart echo showed Jakey's arch, that the stent was put in, is having slower blood flow. So the stent is already starting to close! :( I can't believe it! So my doctor is freaking out, like he always does. But this time, this is a real concern. We may have to be going back to Ohio sooner than later to get another catherization done. But that will only buy us another 4-6 weeks, before surgery needs to take place. So I am getting nervous. I don't feel ready to go back yet.... I am just really starting to enjoy my 3 sons. It is going to be so much harder this time to send Jakey into surgery. I mean, your child is born and you naturally love them like crazy. But the more time we have together, I fall deeper and deeper in love with him. And I need him even more now in my life than I did at first. Because he is mine and I need to protect him and watch him grow into a little man. Somedays I forget that he has so many health problems and everything seems perfect and those are the best days.

But most days I find myself fighting to get him to eat, (especially now that he has a little cold), and tricking him to swallow his meds. Yes, the boy is 2 months now, and is very smart at making you think that he swallowed his meds, but when you turn away... just like that, he spits them out the side of this mouth. He is going to be a handful for the nurses back at the hospital. He still pretends to sleep when he gets nervous and hates more than 1, maybe 2 people around him at the same time. He screams extra loud and still holds his breath when he gets mad.

But anyways, nothing is for sure yet in what is going to be happening the next days or weeks. So no need to panic or anything. I talk to my Ohio people tomorrow, so we will know better than. Lets just hope Dr. Kirkpatrick was overly cautious with his echo reading and that everything is still considered normal.

I really, really want a normal summer with my boys before we have to go back to Columbus.... but I will be ready for anything.

Learning to dance in the rain

So we have been home for 3 weeks today! Its been scary and still is everyday, but I LOVE being with my 3 sons! Jacob has made our family complete. :) So we begin our life long battle with half a heart, but thats ok, we are going to be okay. "Its not waiting for the storm to pass, its learning to dance in the rain."

So far we have been seeing Baby Jakey's cardiologist weekly. He seems like a really nice doctor. You just never want to look at his face when he is performing Jacob's heart echo, because he always looks confused and makes you think something is terribly wrong, when that is just what his face looks like. :) Really though, you know this doctor is very concerned about Jacob. He sees him on a day with no other patients so he can give as much time as needed to Jacob and he has even called me personally just to make sure things are ok.

Jacob is still considered very high risk. The doctor isn't sure if his stents will even make it to 4 months, for the second surgery, but I remain positive. I guess his heart is extra big and therefore is pushing his liver down. Also his breathing is heavier than it should be, so his lungs and body in general is working extra hard.

Eating is still a issue, but he is getting better. It turns out he his milk allergies, so I took dairy out of my diet and we switched formula. We found this out because he was pooping blood. And after being in the ER for a day, the results were milk allergy.

Today I am especially concerned because Isaac and Nico developed a cough over the weekend and Jacob seems to be getting it too. Since we have been home I have been pumping the older boys with herbs, but I guess that did not work too well. So I am off today with more doctor visits to make sure Jacob is ok with his coughing. The bad thing about having so many doctors, is that I am never really sure who I should be calling first.

Life is crazy, but it's all worth it!

Home is in sight!!!

Guess What? We are told that we get to leave the hospital on Monday!!! Let's hope this weekend goes good, so we can get out of here! Baby Jake and I are having lots of last minute tests and instructions... CPR course, (that scared me out of my mind), Dietitian, Lactation Consultant, Car Seat test, Echos, x-rays, vaccines....

Next week should be interesting at home. I'm going to meet Jacob's Milwaukee Cardiologist, his pediatrician, and have my follow up with my OB. Plus, just day to day life. Checking stats and weight. And feeding Jacob and pumping which seriously takes up half the day in its self. But I think I am ready. I have been waiting for this day for what seems like forever.