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
Four years old
Happy holidays!
Home, home, home!
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
I'm sorry I never updated after the last visit! The long and short of it is this: Sammy's just going to turn blue until the fenestration is closed. Of course, his sats were in the 80s in the office (not the high 60s/low 70s we see at home), but his heart function is great and his mitral valve regurgitation is still mild, so his cardiologist wasn't concerned. It could potentially be something they could only see with a cath, but none of those things were worrisome enough that it would prompt a cath any sooner than his fenetration-closing one. He did say that we'd likely do that sooner than later, so I'm anticipating late spring/early summer.
I haven't been sure how to handle the whole Santa thing with Sammy, but now that he's old enough to get excited about things, the idea of Santa inevitably wiggled its way into our house.
This morning, Sammy woke up in a great mood. I snuggled him onto my lap and asked him if he knew what today was. We talked about it being Christmas Eve and how Santa would be flying his reindeer to all the houses of the little boys and girls and leaving them presents under the tree. We talked about the presents he bought for the little boys and girls who might not have presents, and that Santa picked them up at a very special place, wrapped them and will bring them to those little boys and girls. He was very excited about the little boy opening a Little Einsteins laptop that he bought for him.
Then I asked him what present he wanted from Santa, and of course, his answer was, "Drums!"
Jay and I bought him a replacement drum set for the one he demolished, but as we're traveling for Christmas, we weren't going to bring it with us - instead, we were going to give it to him when we got home. I explained that drums were very big and that Santa might not be able to fit them in his sleigh. I asked him what other instruments he may want from Santa (we bought him a little play electric guitar and a "Sammy-sized accordion", as well as a few small instrument ornaments he's become enamored with).
As we sat on the floor, Sammy buried his face in my belly and said in a tiny, sad voice, "But I really want Santa to bring me some drums."
So we went to the window, opened it up and peered into the sky to see if we could see Santa. Sammy wanted to ask him directly for some drums. We looked into the grey morning skies and I explained that Santa was still at the North Pole getting ready for tonight. Sammy decided that we both needed to call Santa's name "fortissimo!" so that he could hear us from so far away. He counted off - "1, 2, 3!" and we both called to Santa. And then, in that same small voice, he said, "Can you please bring me some drums?"
I'm guessing that tonight, Jay will be setting up a small drum set at my folks because as much as this is about Sammy, it's even more about me wanting to see the look on his little face when he wakes up tomorrow and sees the drums waiting for him under the tree.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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