An Exciting Transformation

So... I haven't been posting much here on the blog lately, but it's been for a good reason! I've been spending lots of time over the past month working on a new addition... to our dining room!

Check it out!!

I am SO excited about this transformation! It was a LOT LOT LOT of work, but it was SO worth it!!!

For those who may be interested in the details, here we go!

I found this amazing china cabinet back in January 2014 on a local Facebook buy/sell/trade group for $100 -- what a steal! I immediately contacted the seller and told her I was interested, and luckily, I was the first and it was mine! We made arrangements to pick it up from the seller, who turned out to be the nicest young woman ever, and before I knew it, hubs and I, with the help of our brother-in-law and a $50 U-Haul rental, acquired this beauty and settled it nicely in our garage. We had it smooshed up against the wall so we could still park both of our vehicles in there, and waited for the weather to warm up (oh, and Chase's heart surgery out of the way) so I could get started.

Finally, on June 9th, I decided I was ready to tackle this beast. It would be my very FIRST attempt at transforming/refinishing furniture EVER, so I spent a lot of time researching how to go about it. I had ultimately decided that I would just paint it (rather than strip and stain it) because I wasn't too concerned about keeping the wood grain look and figured it would still match our dining room table just fine with the paint instead of stain.

Here's one last look at the "1982-ish" BEFORE pic:

So here we are ready to get started! I removed the doors and drawers and prepared to tape everything off.

After everything was taped, I decided to start by priming the doors.

This was the spray primer I used on the doors. I was disappointed because it took two light coats over all of the surfaces and seemed like it took forever since I had to dry one side before moving on to the other side, then repeat, etc. I wasn't a fan.

Here's how the doors looked after two coats. Kind of a pain and taking waaaaay more time that I expected.

Once the doors were primed, I wanted to try the spray paint I had selected to see if it would match our dining room table.

This.Spray.Paint.Was.HORRIBLE. I couldn't believe how terrible it went on over the primed doors. And I knew there was NO WAY I would EVER waste this much time to cover the doors, much less the rest of the entire china cabinet! Seriously. I was so surprised how awful this was. I had read SO many blogs with tutorials on spray painting furniture and they made it look so easy! To say I was disappointed was an understatement. :(

So the spray paint idea didn't seem like it was going to pan out for me. So I figured I'd need to buy a gallon of primer and a gallon of paint and roll/brush it on instead. I really wanted the china cabinet to match our dining room table, so I removed the leaf from the table and hauled it to Lowe's to have them color match it for me. Oh, this is the table, btw. The color is called "Almost Black" and actually looks a lot more "brown" here than ours does.

So after hauling the center table leaf and only 1 of my 3 babies with me to Lowe's, it turns out they didn't have a paint that could hold enough "color" to darken it to the necessary shade for my paint. Boo. So off to Home Depot we went, hoping for a better outcome!

Home Depot saves the day! They were able to color match the leaf and provide me with a gallon of tinted paint as well as a gallon of tinted primer (just a dark gray instead of white). Hurray!!

Here's how things looked after the primer was applied:

I was hoping to leave the back panel on because it had like 8,203 nails around the perimeter and across the two shelves, but it was just impossible to attempt to paint the inside of the cabinet. It had to go!

I rolled the primer on the entire china cabinet, drawer fronts and cabinet doors. Then it was time to roll on my paint! That was the point that this project really took a turn in a really wonderful direction!

Isn't it looking lovely?

It was really coming along nicely, but I was really concerned about the original legs (feet?) on the china cabinet. First of all, I didn't like the look. I wanted something that would match the more contemporary look of our dining table. Secondly, it seemed like they would snap in a heartbeat! Even with the little bit we had moved it, I was just really worried with the lack of support the original ones had. See?

So we went ahead and switched them out for these babies, which I love SO much!

Once the painting was complete, I applied 2 (maybe 3?) thin coats of Polycrylic protective finish over the entire china cabinet, doors, and drawer fronts. I let it sit for a day or two to cure.

On July 2, about 3 1/2 weeks after I started this project, we were finally able to move it inside into our dining room to complete the finishing touches! Yay!!

I reused the original hinges (cleaned and painted them to match), so we added those along with the cabinet hardware and then put on the doors and added the drawers!

I am SO SO SO in love with this new addition to our family! It looks so perfect in our dining room and I think it matches our table perfectly! I love the hardware, too! So gorge!

Here's a picture of our new china cabinet all settled into her new spot in the dining room! Sorry about the glare from the light...

Here's another shot... LOVE!

Here's a close-up of the new hardware!

I'm just so happy with this transformation! Oh, please ignore the reflection of the screaming baby in this pic. ;)

I wish I would've maintained a better record of the total cost for this project, but here's my best guess:

China Cabinet - $100
U-Haul Rental - $50
Primer (gallon) - $20
Paint (gallon) - $30
Polycrylic (quart) - $18
Drawer Hardware - $15
Door Hardware - $25
Miscellaneous tools, supplies, etc.: $25 

GRAND TOTAL... Approximately $283!

For comparison purposes, I found a new china cabinet online that I liked for about $1,600, so that's sort of a savings of over $1,300! Totally worth it! Plus, now it has some sentimental value to me since I worked so hard on it for so many hours, and because it gave me something to focus my energy on while dealing with a few of life difficulties during that time.

Now to bust out the BOXES of china that hubs and I each inherited from our parents and put this bad boy to use! I'm just so stinkin' happy with how this turned out. It was a LOT LOT LOT of work -- literally hours in the hot garage while the kids played out front and rode bikes and poor E was stuck in a jumperoo next to me -- but I'm so glad it's done and honestly, it looks better than I ever could have imagined!

YAY!!!

Now to refinish our bedroom furniture and possibly our living room tables... Woot! :))

Five Years Later

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY.

It seems like a lifetime ago, yet I can recall each and every detail so vividly and clearly.

We weren't expecting it. We certainly didn't ask for it. We never dreamed it would become our reality.

And yet, there we were. We found ourselves in a Perinatologist's office and were awaiting the official results of the high-risk ultrasound we just completed on our unborn baby boy -- our first son -- our sweet Chase.

There are no words to express how it feels to hear the child you are carrying inside you has a heart defect that is fatal without a series of invasive treatments beginning immediately following his birth.

There are no words to express how it feels to have the joy and expectation of your child's healthy future so suddenly ripped from your heart.

There are no words to express how it feels to fear leaving the hospital with empty arms and a broken heart rather than with your new bundle of joy.

There are no words to express how it feels to become a "Heart Mom." But that's exactly what I became that day. And now, exactly five years later, I wouldn't trade a moment of it for the world! Of course I wish my son had been born healthy, but God---in His infinite wisdom---knew that we were the perfect parents for Chase, and we have been blessed beyond measure to see Him working right in front of our eyes! Chase is every bit a living, breathing miracle of the love and blessings of God and I could not be more thankful to be on this journey as his mommy.

But I often think of how our world was turned upside-down that fateful Tuesday morning. I can easily recall those unimaginable emotions I had never before felt in my lifetime. I remember what it felt like to be told my unborn son was not healthy and learn how his future was very much in jeopardy.

On Tuesday, June 16th, hubs and I left LO with Mona and met at the specialist's office for our ultrasound appointment. We were taken back and the technician started the ultrasound. She did some of the same measurements they had done the day before, and I patiently waited for her to give us an "all clear."

To my utter shock and horror, I vividly remember her muttering the phrase "I won't pretend that every is okay..." as she was trying to coerce the baby to move into the right positions so she could get a look at exactly what was going on. She left the room and brought the specialist, Dr. G, back in with her, and had him continue with the ultrasound. He was focusing on our son's heart, although all we could see was the black and white image surrounded with red and blue blotches that apparently indicated blood flow.

The doctor then dropped a completely unexpected bomb on us which we were not prepared to handle. He told us that it appeared our son had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). We were in utter disbelief. We had never heard of either of these conditions and immediately wanted to know what the impact would be for our unborn son.

We left the ultrasound room and waited for the perinatologist in a tiny little room where he would come in and explain a bit more about these conditions. It felt like an eternity in that little room, our minds racing and buzzing with all of the "what ifs" and "how did this happen" etc.

The doctor finally came in and explained to us that HLHS is one of the most complex and rare congenital heart conditions in which the left side of the heart is critically underdeveloped. With HLHS, the left side of the heart can't effectively pump blood to the body, so the right side of the heart must pump blood both to the lungs and to the rest of the body. Without treatment, hypoplastic left heart syndrome is FATAL, usually within the first few days of life.

The doctor attempted to provide 4 options to us, the first of which was termination of the pregnancy. I wouldn't even let him get the words out of his mouth before interrupting to tell him that wasn't an option. The next option was called "comfort care" where the baby is born and you do basically nothing but hold and love him until he passes, within the first few days of his life. Again, NOT an option. The third option was a heart transplant, in which case it would be very unlikely to find a new heart for our son within the first few days of his life. The final option was the ONLY option for us. It involves a three-step surgical procedure designed to create normal blood flow in and out of the heart, allowing the body to receive the oxygen-rich blood it needs. It is by no means a permanent "fix" to the problem, but rather a way to surgically reconstruct the heart to make it more likely to perform the functions of a regular heart.

As you might imagine, we were completely devastated at the diagnosis, and for the next 24-48 hours, we were totally numb as we both attempted to digest the information and wrap our minds around what was in store for us. We felt totally deflated, and the joy and anticipation of the pregnancy and of expecting a new baby were completely lost.

We struggled through the first week, telling only immediate family and a few close friends about our situation. It was a very difficult and trying time, most of which I spent researching HLHS on the Internet, finding both uplifting, positive information as well as deflating, disappointing, heart wrenching information.

So finally today arrives, Monday, June 22nd. We had our appointment with a Pediatric Cardiologist, Dr. H. While we weren't expecting the diagnosis to change, we were hopeful that he wouldn't find any additional problems with the baby or his heart. Dr. H did confirm the diagnosis of HLHS and confirmed the baby would need the 3 surgeries in order to live.

While we are still reeling with the information and are devastated to learn that our baby has a serious and rare heart defect, we are trusting in God for His hand of healing and protection on our son. We know He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine, and will continue to trust in Him throughout this journey.

I have never allowed myself to imagine the future and have always taken things one day at a time -- living in the moment as best as I could. I was afraid to believe we would have our boy with us for even 5 days, much less 5 months or 5 years! Or that he would be living and thriving and truly enjoying his life, with just half a heart? It was beyond fathomable.

But as I look back and reflect on the past 5 years, I see that I've learned something incredibly valuable:

 God gives us exactly what we need, right when we need it. 

I never could have made it through the last half of my pregnancy with Chase without God giving me the peace I needed to make it through.

I never could have delivered my son and watch him be whisked away, waiting over two hours to hold him for the first time.

I never could have sat by his bedside for 6 days, patiently waiting for my second opportunity to hold my newborn baby---the night before his first open-heart surgery at 7 days old.

I never could have watched as my tiny baby rolled down the hallway to the OR -- not once, or twice, but a total of SEVEN times so far---three of which were to repair his tiny heart.

I never could have made it through the past five years without God providing me with exactly what I needed, right when I needed it.

His grace. His peace. His love. His mercy. His healing. His faithfulness.

We are so blessed! This boy is absolutely amazing and I praise the Lord for allowing me the privilege of being his mommy!

I LOVE YOU, MY SWEET CHASE!!!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to hubs! We've had a pretty good day celebrating so far -- if I may say so! We enjoyed a great service at church this morning with some pretty amazing guest musicians. Then it was home for lunch! I made cranberry chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and biscuits.

Hubs opened his gifts, which included new porcelain cast iron cooking grid grates for our grill, which he's been talking about replacing for years! And my favorite gift that I was most excited about was up next... a major shoutout to my good friend H for the inspiration behind this incredible gift idea!

I purchased the wooden letters D and A from Hobby Lobby and let LO paint the D while Chase painted the A. E just sat and watched patiently without attempting to get into the messy fun. Notsomuch. The next day, it was off to a local park to take pics of the kids with the letters. They came out great! Here are each of the pics of the kids since there's a bit of a glare in the photo above:

In addition to the larger 4x6 photo collage we made to hang on the wall at home, we also did a smaller one with 2x3 photos for him to take to work. E is over a year old and hubs doesn't have a single pic of him at his office! #momfail

After presents it was time for our family's favorite part of any celebration: DESSERT! I created something pretty new and quite spectacular to honor dad!

NOTE: I am not a food photographer. Clearly this is quite obvious.

What we have here is a brownie layer, topped with hot fudge and crushed Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, topped with Reese's Peanut Butter ice cream, topped with more hot fudge sauce, whipped cream and more crushed Reese's as well as Butterfinger. OMGeez. It was DIVINE!!!

Obviously not low-cal, but we don't do low-cal around here on average days, and certainly not on special celebration days!

Happy Father's Day!

Four Weeks

Four weeks ago today. Still so hard to believe what a miracle this child truly is. We are so blessed.

Another Big Announcement...

It seems big, crazy things just keep happening here in our world and lately, we've certainly seen no shortage of excitement! First, there was Chase's announcement (YAY!). And now, here's another big announcement, which may come as quite a shock for some:

After months of prayer, thoughtful consideration and seemingly unending research,

I have decided to homeschool LO and Chase this fall.

{{{{{insert gasps of shock & awe here}}}}}

IKR? Do you think I'm insane? Have I truly lost my mind??

I don't think so.

I've literally wrestled with this decision for months -- easily almost a year now -- and it's such a relief to finally admit to myself and to the world that I've made this decision! God put this on my heart and I honestly feel like I've spent the past few months arguing and battling Him on it. But I've finally thrown up my hands and said, in almost the exact words of a fellow (now seasoned and successful) homeschooling mom at the beginning of her journey, "Okay, God, I'll do this homeschooling thing. But if it fails, it's YOUR FAULT!"  ((wink))

This is literally a one-year-at-a-time decision for me. I've promised God and myself that I will commit to this for ONE YEAR, with the hope and prayer, of course, that it is successful. What happens next year, or 5 years from now or 10 years from now, is anyone's guess. God has already figured that out but hasn't chosen to share it with me just yet.

There are several reasons I first started considering homeschooling LO in particular, and I'm sure I'll share some (or all) of those in the weeks and months ahead as I make my preparations. Choosing to homeschool Chase was a no-brainer. He had been attending a K3 program at the same Christian private school where LO completed K3 and K4, but sadly, it just didn't feel like "home" to us over this past year during Chase's 2 day/week enrollment. And saving the several hundred dollars each month on tuition was an added bonus. Add in the fact that he'd be out of a school environment (i.e. illness, germs, etc.) and it's a win-win. I haven't decided which curriculum I will use for him, but I know there are several incredible options out there and eventually God will lead me to the right one. For now, I'm just trusting Him (in a BIG way!).

As for LO, the decision to homeschool her was a bit more involved and much more complicated. She's a VERY bright child. Her 1st Grade assessments put her at a 5th Grade reading level, with her comprehension a close match. She picks up on new concepts, particularly in math, at lightning speed and can easily retain and recall new information, well beyond her rising 2nd Grader status.

And unfortunately, I was less than pleased with her Kindergarten and 1st Grade years at our local public school. The school is nice enough, but when it came to something that would keep her engaged and challenged, it just didn't fit the bill. I inquired about advanced learning opportunities and just kept hitting a wall. I guess they didn't seem to think a super-smart Kindergartener needed any opportunities to enhance her skills beyond that of her fellow peers. Just the basic ABCs and 123s. And I get that, to a degree. But this past year especially she was getting very bored, which would surface as behavioral issues (unable to sit still, constantly talking, etc.) because she already understood a concept that was being repeatedly taught until the rest of, or majority of, her class picked it up. This just didn't seem fair to her.

Add in my frustration with the staff -- not necessarily just at the school, but also at the district level -- and I was just tired of putting up with the "inside the box, one size fits all" approach. They can't possibly provide individualized learning to each student, and I wouldn't expect them to. But I would expect them to try harder. To do right by my child. It's my job as her parent to be sure she's getting the very best when it comes to her education, and they were falling short.

Not to mention, one of the BIGGEST pieces to the education puzzle that we miss with public schooling is, of course, the ability to incorporate Christian teaching and Bible study into our school day. I want my kids to be smart and learn a lot, naturally, but I also want them to have a strong faith with a heart and passion for God. This cannot be taught in the classroom, but it can be taught in the home.

I've made a decision about the curriculum I'll be using with LO, but I'll go into detail on that in a later post. For now, just know that we will be a schooling-at-home family beginning in August, and we would certainly appreciate your prayers for success!

A Big Announcement...

I didn't want to say anything before it was official, but I received the letter yesterday, so it's official!

Chase has been granted a wish from

!!!!!!!!!!

I must say, this is a weird, bittersweet, strange feeling. Wishes are granted through MAW for children with life-threatening medical conditions. No one wants to be in that boat, but when you find yourself there, you want to do everything you can to give your child the very best life possible!

And I'll be honest -- we are very encouraged by Chase's amazing strength (and stubbornness) as he's battled his Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) through 3 successful heart surgeries to essentially reroute his body's normal circulation to create an entirely new physiology with only half a heart. Our expectation, hope and prayer is that with God's continued hand of protection on our boy, he will have a very bright, normal, LONG life ahead of him. And for that, we are truly grateful and blessed beyond measure.

But he was dealt a rough hand. He had a very rough start. Open-heart surgery at 7 days old. A second at 4 months. A third at 4 years of age. Not to mention 3 heart catheterizations, countless procedures, echos, EKGs and a daily medication regimen that he will continue for his entire life. Not to mention the very real possibility of a heart transplant at some point during his lifetime.

Those reasons, to me (as well as his cardiologist and the amazing staff at MAW), are more than enough to qualify him for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I couldn't be more thrilled for him.

Stay tuned for more as we move forward with #MAW4Chase!

But first, here are a few pics of my little goofball learning about his Make-A-Wish opportunity. Naturally, big sis was pretty excited about it, too!

Big Announcements

Just a heads-up... I've got a few big announcements I'll be sharing on the blog this week. I'm SUPER thrilled about them and what they mean for our family. God is at work and we are truly blessed!

And before you even think it, NO, I'm not pregnant. ;)

Cardiology Appointment Results

Chase had a great appointment this morning! He cooperated wonderfully for the four BPs, O2, weight and height. He was not, however, in the mood for the EKG. I couldn't blame him though -- 12 stickers all over his chest less than 3 weeks after heart surgery? No fun for my poor guy!

He did quite well for his echo, and then it was time to wait on Dr. H to review everything and examine Chase. He was very pleased with everything!!! He decreased his Lasix from 3x/day to 2x/day, so Chase will be glad about that! Hopefully we'll wean off or down to 1x/day when we go back in 2 weeks.

Dr. H also decided to put Chase back on an ACE inhibitor. He had been on Enalapril since his Glenn in March 2010, but MUSC discharged him after his Fontan without putting him back on it. Dr. H says that he wants him on this med due to his tricuspid valve regurgitation, so he prescribed Lisinopril, which is only 1x/day (whereas Enalapril had been 2x/day). We expect he'll be on the Lisinopril along with his aspirin for life.

So it was a great appointment today and we're very pleased with how things look! It's wonderful to be post-Fontan and we're hopeful that soon we'll get down to cardiology checkups only once per year going forward!

Way to Rock the Fontan, Chase!!!

Cardiology Appointment

Chase has a cardiology appointment with his regular cardiologist this morning. It should be a full work up with echo, chest x-ray, EKG, etc. Please pray that be cooperates and that the results are great! I'll share an update after we're done!

Thanks, friends and prayer warriors!

Post-Fontan Home Update

We've been home for 3 days now and it sure is wonderful... well, mostly! We arrived Sunday evening and managed to unload both cars, unpack most of the suitcases, eat dinner, and get the kids bathed. That was a pretty big success for us!

Monday involved 12 loads of laundry and a bit more unpacking. But mostly it was just this weird feeling of not knowing what to do with myself! We had an expectation that we'd be in Charleston for a month, so to be back home after less than 2 weeks? It's been an adjustment, at least mentally for sure. Hubs hasn't returned to work, LO hasn't (and won't be) returning to school and it's just been a bit weird all being at home together. My guess is hubs will return to work after the holiday weekend on Tuesday, and hopefully I can start to work more diligently on LO's homeschooling (at least adding Bible to her existing math and reading work). I'm also hopeful to have a "Water Play Day" in the backyard as a way to celebrate the end of the school year and to celebrate Chase's rocking of the Fontan.

Tuesday was just like Monday, except we knocked out an early morning park run for the kids to play, followed by the dreaded Walmart and grocery store runs. At least now we're stocked up on the essentials and can actually eat meals at home again! Score! Oh, and I should mention that Tuesday morning started with Chase coming into our room and showing us his chest... he had peeled off all but 2 of the steri-strips that were covering his chest incision. I about fell out of bed! Those were supposed to stay on and fall off on their own, usually at around 14 days post-op. Apparently they had been itching him so he peeled them off. I'm really hopeful he didn't do any permanent damage! Haha!

This morning we had a post-surgery follow up with the cardiologist. I expected a chest x-ray to check for fluid and possibly an echo, but they didn't do either. He sounded fine and they didn't see any reason for the additional tests today. But really I think it was because Chase's usual cardiologist was traveling so we had to see a different one, and they didn't want do make any changes -- they'd rather let his cardiologist do it. Hopefully we can decrease his Lasix from 3x/day to 2x/day when we go back next Tuesday to see his regular cardiologist as he really doesn't like that med. In fact, he's been continuing to fight us on every liquid oral med. It's terrible giving him pain meds (Tylenol or Oxycodone) because be fights like a madman! The doctor did remove he stitch that closed Chase's mediastinal chest tube site today, so at least that was done!

So for now it's just a matter of figuring out our new post-Fontan normal and doing what we can to help Chase settle down with his new physiology. He's been showing what I'd almost classify as signs of PTSD, for good reason! Literally everything is a huge battle with him, from eating to bathing to walking 10 steps to the bathroom. Like, everything. Seriously. It's insane. Please pray for lots of patience and understanding for this tired, worn out mama -- and for daddy who has to take on the extra workload when mama runs away for a mental health break!!!

I also want to mention again how very grateful we are to the many, many, many of you who sent cards, letters, gifts and other well-wishes to Chase, LO and E during the past few weeks. We've had a tremendous amount of support and are so very grateful to each of you! Thank you so much!!!

Now for a few pics!

FINALLY leaving the hospital...

In the car and headed home with Ginormous Mario.

Dinner at home for the first time post-Fontan!

E gets so excited playing with balloons!

Some fun at the park on Tuesday!

Sweet boy getting some sun with mommy this afternoon.

Sleepy boy wasn't too excited about a Walmart run on Tuesday...

More fun at the park!

This boy amazes me every day. He's our living, breathing miracle!

DISCHARGED!!!

More details to come soon, but I just wanted to let everyone know we were discharged this morning and we are currently on our way HOME!!!

Thank you to everyone who lifted us up in prayer and supported us through this journey. We appreciate all of the calls, texts, Facebook messages, cards, video messages and gifts from each of you! ❤️



- Posted from my beloved iPhone

Big, Fat No-Go for Discharge Today :(

We broke the cardinal rule of heart patients following a heart surgery: We jinxed it. Like all over the place jinxed it. And now we won't be going home today.

Even after half a dozen qualified medical professionals reviewed Chase's x-ray from today and cleared us for discharge, the surgeon on call found the tiniest (very insignificant per our Resident and Fellow) pneumothorax and will not allow us to be discharged. We will need to stay inpatient and repeat the chest x-ray in the morning.

Disappointed doesn't begin to describe this feeling.

It's all our fault! The bags were packed. The car was loaded. The leads and lines were all off. Chase was dressed in "real" clothes. We told him we would be going home to see LO and E today. We literally had one hand on the door handle, awaiting the official discharge documents to get us on our way.

We were told a pneumothorax this insignificant, located near the top of his right lung, is not unusual following the removal of a chest tube. And in basically every other case, it hasn't prevented discharge.

Until today, apparently.

Guess I'd better have hubs unload the car and find some quality entertainment for our boy once we break his heart and tell him he's stuck here for another night.

Sorry for the terrible tone of my post. I'm frustrated, disappointed and sad. It's all good. Everything will be fine. This really isn't that big of a deal.

Except it kind of is. To me, at least.

Post-Fontan Day 8

Well, apparently they don't count the surgery day around here as an actual post-Fontan day, so looks like today (Friday) was technically Day 7. I won't be updating the past week of blog entries to reflect that, but suffice it to say we are heading into Day 8 tomorrow (Saturday) and as it looks right now, we will be DISCHARGED!!!

So they removed his left and right pleural chest tubes this afternoon as well as his central line. The order is already in for Dr. K to remove his medialstinal chest tube and pacing wires tomorrow morning, followed by an x-ray and echo before DISCHARGE!!!

Can you tell I'm a bit excited!?? I still can hardly believe how amazing he's done. Literally, he had just come out of heart surgery and was still intubated in the ICU at this time last week. And here we are talking about getting him out of here TOMORROW.

God has been so faithful and has heard our many prayers! We have been so blessed to have such a supportive family, amazing friends and a loving church family to help us on our journey with Chase. I cannot say enough to thank each of you who called, sent a card or gift and encouraged me with text messages throughout the last 2 weeks. Truly you were all used by God to help me through this difficult time and I will always be grateful!

Miracles happen here. Trust me.


A trip to the Atrium this morning!






Somebody was really quite happy with his Versed/Oxyxodone cocktail before his tubes were removed.





A post-removal chest x-ray. So cool!


My tired baby boy!