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Pictures from Stage 1, the Norwood
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.

Coping
Doctor Visits
Fontan
General Updates
Glenn
Life with Sammy
Norwood
Other HLHS families
Support
Surgery & Recovery
Surprises
Test Results
Worrying

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

posted by Mom on March 3, 2009

Sammy turned 3 on February 24th, and celebrated a few days earlier with a party with all his friends at Imajine That, a local indoor "imaginarium" playground. He had a blast running around and being a typical three-year-old boy. And it was a blast watching him! On his actual birthday, we had a quiet celebration - just the three of us. Well, quiet until the ice cream cake we gave him at 7pm kicked in! Note to selves: cake should be given no later than 11am. Ever.

It's hard to believe we're at three already. He's so bright and energetic and loving and polite and sweet and curious and SO FREAKING CUTE. We got lucky with this one, I tell ya - and not just when it comes to his heart! ;-) He truly is such a kind, wonderful little boy.

Sammy had a check-up with Dr. Brown today, and it was perhaps the best check-up he's ever had! He was so brave. He understood everything that was going to happen and would tell us when he was ready for each part. When it came to the pulse ox, we first tried it on Daddy, then his Little Einsteins dolls and then he was ready. I loved watching how he psyched himself up for things! We told him that the blood pressure cuff would pump his arm to make it super strong so he could REALLY rock out on the guitar. After it was done, he said he needed it on his other arm so that one could rock out too. Too cute.

He came in at 28lbs (which is sooooo not accurate, since he was fully dressed, but it was still nice to see!), his sats were around 80, his heart rhythms were great (no sign of arrhythmia) and his mitral valve regurgitation was so mild that Dr. Brown could barely hear it! Because his sats are staying low, however, it's a pretty sure thing that the fenestration won't close on its own. We're looking at at cath to close it either next fall or next spring - he's pretty much leaving it up to us and our schedule.

Dr. Brown also said he'd put Sammy in the 99th percentile of all his patients when it comes to how well he's doing with his heart - he's doing that well.

All in all, a great visit!

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PLEASE contact us if you want to talk. Having others who have been through this there for us (even when we just needed to freak out!) has been so, so instrumental in coming to terms with what's we're up against.

Thank you! We've been amazed at the influx of wishes and prayers and positive energy sent our way, and we can't begin to express how much that strength and support means to us. Please take a moment and sign the guestbook.

Please check out the resources. We were overwhelmed with what's availabe on the Internet; hopefully this will narrow it down a little for you. Be sure to read up on all the babies who are doing well - there IS hope!

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