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 can't begin to express our gratitude for the love and support of so very many people the past few days. I think I'm only getting glimpses of just how far-reaching Sammy's story really is, and we're touched at how many people have taken time from their lives to pray for our little man and our little family.
The past few days have definitely been trying! I haven't had the energy to sit down and write full posts, but it's been a rollercoaster - a few steps forward, a few steps back. But right now, we're out of the CICU and settled on the floor. We're starting to see pieces of Sammy's personality again, which is so comforting for us. I think the hardest part of the post-op period was seeing Sammy so very depressed. Even with as much as we try to prep him, none of us were prepared for this. And for a 3 1/2 year old, even one who has been through surgeries before, this is a very difficult thing to wrap your head around - especially when you were planning on being home days ago.
Right now, we need the pleural effusion to dissipate; he's on oral diuretics to help with that, and they'll be doing regular x-rays to make sure they're working. He needs to get up and walk; there's a playroom down the hall that he really wants to play in, and the plan is to get him there tomorrow. He needs to eat and drink, and there's little we can do to help him with that. He did have a few bites of fries and a couple of Reese's Pieces, but he's just not ready to eat. Maybe once his spirits are up...
I've been compiling pictures of love and support from people all day. If you'd like to add yours to the page (I'll get it up soon enough), please email it to me at erikarenee@gmail.com. Sammy loves seeing everyone waving or holding signs wishing him good things. You can see what I've gotten up already at Get Well Sammy!
Some other places for more immediate updates: twitter, flickr, and if I know you, I'd be happy to connect on facebook as well.
Thank you again - we couldn't do this without the amazing support network we have. We are so very blessed.
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Hi. My name is Cindy Mulstay and my husband and I are going to have a baby any day now with HLHS. We found this web site through my sister in law who works with a friend of yours. It is very helpful and gives us hope that our newest little one will have just as much success as sammy through the surgureys. Thank you for giving us such personal information and hope.
Posted by: Cindy at September 29, 2009 10:27 AM(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
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This Hope for HLHS site belongs to Erika, Jason & Samson
You know, of course, that those blessing flow both ways, right? I, for one, am blessed and grateful to have known you.. I would have never been able to enjoy Seth (as much as we did) without knowing of Sammy's successes!
Thank you for keeping us filled in.
(bwahahaha. Chuckle for the day. My word verification? "Polka Palace")
Posted by: Kathryn @ Expectant Hearts at September 28, 2009 10:31 PM