Pictures from Stage 2, the Glenn
Pictures from Stage 3, the Fontan Please note - these pictures, for the most part, are "safe". If you're interested in post-op pictures from the Norwood, please email us at us@babysamson.com for access.
Doctor Visits
Fontan
General Updates
Glenn
Life with Sammy
Norwood
Other HLHS families
Support
Surgery & Recovery
Surprises
Test Results
Worrying
Recovery
Unexpected Open Heart Surgery
Fenestration-closing cath
One year post-Fontan!
NSTAR's Walk for Children's Hospital Boston
3 years old & cardiology visit
Wild Man
Update and Santa
Blue episodes and a cardiology appointment today
Ellie's Fontan
Post-Fontan Cardiology Visit
"You've gotta just let him be."
Sammy's Recovery from the Fontan
Life Post-Fontan
Bump from home
We are home!
Fontanized - Day 6 Update
Day 4 Post-Op 2:30pm Update
Fontanized, Day 4 Post-Op
Bump #2 - Pneumothorax
Little Bump
Fontan Post-Op, Day 2
Extubated!
Fontan Post-Op Update
Fontan Day
Fontan Pre-op Done
Checking in
Update, 2 years old, Fontan date, more
And we're free!
Pre-Fontan cath DONE.
Cath Day
Day 1, Pre-Fontan Cath Prep
Pre-Fontan cath
Twenty-three months: chatterbox, the holidays and the cath
Twenty-two months
Cardiology visit
Eighteen months
Seventeen months
Early Intervention Assessment
Fourteen month update
Miles for Miracles - Together in Heart.
Sedated echo
Look who's one!
One year.
11 1/2 months old!
Almost 10 months old!
Cardiologist Visit
Just about nine months!
Who is this kid, and what did you do with my baby?
Eight months old!
7 months old!
Coming up on 7 months
Six month update
Post-op Checkup & Life post-Glenn
And we're outta here!
Waiting to go home & a few firsts...
Truckin' along
Step-Down!
And the lines are OUT!
Happy updates
Post-Glenn, Day 4
Post-Glenn, Day 3
Post-Glenn, Post-Bronchial Spams, Day 3
Not fun - post-Glenn, night 2
Post-Glenn, Day 2
Post-Glenn, Day 2 - morning
Post-Glenn, Day 1, part 2
Post-Glenn, Day 1
He's out!
In surgery - updates
the wait
The night before the Glenn
Preparing for the Glenn
Update & Surgery
Milk Allergy Fun
Chatty Sammy
Cath Hospitalization
Catheterization
Gasmonster!
Teaching Sammy about the world.
Miles for Miracles
First bath!
Gassy infant prodigy
Rockin' Sammy
Revelations about mamahood
Babymoon, Part 2
Babymoon, Part 1
Home Sweet Home
Discharged!
Rumor has it...
Stepdown, Day 2
We have step down!
Today was pretty mellow
No step-down for you
Time to buy stock in St. Joseph's
One step closer
Extubation!
One step at a time
Done with the closing
Chest Closing
Birth story
Chest Closing & Mama in Triage
Recovery
Out of Surgery
Welcome, Sammy!
Samson Arrives
Labor update
Of due dates and inductions
Baby Grace
Snow baby?
Welcome to the jungle
Getting closer...
37 1/2 week update
Fighting the bad thoughts
Getting bigger - and closer!
31 weeks with Dr. Brown, CHB
31 Week Appt. w/ Dr. Johnson
One big monkey!
Starting to Get Ready
30 Weeks and Full-blown Panic
Silly Pregnant Lady
27 Week Visit
Fears
EFO Shout Out
Weird Pains & an Early Morning Trip to the Hospital
Fetal Echo at Boston Children's Hospital
DiGeorge's - Negative!
Evil Genetics Counselor
Full amnio results
22 weeks and Life Now
Pediatric Cardiologist
Redefining Normal
FISH Results
Embarrassing the poor boy already
The Baby's Name
Post-Amnio
Pre-amnio, Baby痴 name riddle
Reiki energy, and not being alone
Friends and Tarzan
Trying to get through the day
The diagnosis
Trying to stay positive
Pre-Diagnosis
Sammy, training for the 7-mile Miles for Miracles walk
Our son Samson was born with a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. We knew at 20 weeks pregnant that he would need three open heart surgeries, the first when he was a tiny four days old. Little did we realize how blessed we were to live so close to Children's Hospital Boston, one of the best hospitals in the country for children's cardiac care.
Sammy spent a month of his first year of life at CHB - a total of 29 days for surgeries and another 3 for dehydration and an upper respiratory virus. He spent 14 in the CICU after his first surgery, the Norwood procedure, and 5 on the "step down" floor. Then, at five months old, he spent 10 days at CHB after the second surgery, the Glenn procedure. Each person worked as a team that moved seemingly effortlessly to give Sammy the very best care possible. We can't find enough ways to thank them for giving Sammy such a fighting chance. Helping to raise money so that CHB can continue their research, support their doctors, nurses and staff and take care of our children in the best ways possible - that's a cause we could get behind!
It is for Sammy, and for many other reasons, that we are walking Miles for Miracles this June.
Many of you know our close friends Susannah and Reilly. At 20 weeks in-utero, little Jack was diagnosed with an endocardial cushion defect, a heart defect that will require open-heart surgery at CHB. We knew that Jack and Sammy would be lifelong buddies (like their dads!), but we would never have imagined that they would share this as well. Jack is due in July and we know he is in fantastic hands at CHB.
Last year we walked as Team Sammy with some of our amazing family and friends. This year, we're joining with Su, Reilly and little Jack-to-be, as well as our good friends Alicen, Chris and their little girl Ellie and Amy, Lou and their son Jack. We met Alicen & Chris before Ellie was born and spent many a night together as Sammy and Ellie recovered from their Norwood surgeries together. We met Amy, Lou and little Jack when we were in for Sammy's Glenn. Jack was just a newborn, in for his Norwood. It's amazing the bonds you form as heart families!
So, more appropriately this year, our new team name is Together in Heart!
If you're local, please consider joining our team! You have the option of doing the 2-mile walk or the 7-mile walk, both along the beautiful Charles River. If you can't join us, if you've been touched in some way by Sammy's story and life, please consider donating to help us reach our individual goals of $1,000. (Donate to Jason or Erika.) We don't have enough ways to thank CHB - we'd like to make this one really count!
Thanks!
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This Hope for HLHS site belongs to Erika, Jason & Samson
Hi...
I wrote you before, I have a 9 month old with hlhs. I was noticing on your pics that your little guy was napping with a stat probe. Is that required for him, or did you guys just buy one for your own sanity?
Also, what are Samsons oxygen levels? And one more question... What medications are Samson on? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just wondering where Everett is at... it's nice to hear about other kids progress.
Thanks so much, feel free to not post this but if you could email me at expeditionkae@hotmail.com that would be awesome!
~Karley
Posted by: Karley at May 16, 2007 9:54 PM