Surgery Done & Successful!

Samuel's heart surgery is complete! Dr. Bradley repaired the arch and patched (literally) the two holes. Samuel is back in the PCICU, is stable and coming off the sedative from the operation. They have already begun to wean him from the ventilator. We are really looking forward to getting that tube out - as is Samuel! We were so thankful to be able to get in and see him around 10pm tonight after a long day of waiting.

Thank you for your prayers today! With your prayers, our parents, an old college friend watching AC & Colin, and dear friends here with us, this day was not nearly as nerve-racking and stressful as it could have been (or as we'd worried it might be). God has sustained us through this day, I am convinced, in no small part due to your faithfulness in praying for us.

Over the coming days, we will hopefully be getting off most of the lines that Samuel has coming out of his body - a chest tube to drain fluid from around his heart, an arterial line that measures blood pressure from inside an artery, numerous IVs for the various meds he needs, a G-tube that is unfortunately empty at present, a PICC line that ends in his superior vena cava, a cranial O2 saturation monitor on his forehead, little wires that have one end exposed and the other end internal next to his heart to pace his heart 'if need be', leads stuck on his chest to monitor his heart rate and breathing, a internal temperature probe, a urinary catheter ... I think that's it. It really is amazing and overwhelming to see it all. But he is stable and it was good to kiss his little head and stroke his little feet - those were about the only places that weren't covered in tubes, wires, dressings, etc.

We are glad this day is over. Thank you for walking with us down this road.
grant

PS - we enjoyed a little time with our older two this morning before heading up to the hospital for the day. Nothing like a little sugar to get them prepped for the grandparents!