Decision Made / Heart Surgery Scheduled.... May 7

We have a date. Jacob's cardiologist and the surgeon met with the cardiology team. Jacob's case was discussed. As a result, they are recommending that we move forward with the heart repair and that this is probably the best time to do it. Open heart surgery here we come. May 7th, it is.

Deep breath.

Some details that may or may not be helpful. We are told there is a scale that they use to convey the complexity of a heart surgery, one (1) thru six (6). Six being the most complex surgery they do, one being the simplest. Jacob's surgery is a 1. I think that's supposed to make us feel better.

The surgery itself will last about 3 hours. Jacob will be in the hospital about a week. By most estimates and projected experience, when he comes home a week after surgery he will be largely back to being his baby self.

That's what we know.

In other news, Jacob is a busy little boy. Some small window on how busy.

Since his heart Cath 2 weeks ago, he has...

• been to see his GI specialists (he had a minor infection at his g-tube site which we got some meds for and it is A-OK now)
• had an appointment with the swallow specialist (she says he's doing great with his eating by mouth practice bites and we are to keep doing the same, she doesn't think we should push him until we get through the heart surgery)
• had a VCUG test (this was to test for renal reflux which he does not have : yay!)
• had a renal ultrasound (this was to check his kidney stones which he does still have two teeny tiny ones : follow up with urology and nephrology in the next 2 weeks)
• traveled to Florida and back....(worthy of its own blog post for sure which I am working on!).

While in Florida, he...

• wished his great grandma a happy 90th birthday
• met many of his wonderful extended family, including little cousin Chloe (a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e)
• got to see amazing friends and neighbors of his aunt and uncle again who all embrace and spoil him as their own
• got in the pool for the first time (fun!)
• learned to blow raspberries
• got better (sort of) at keeping his glasses on

[Also in that 2 weeks Jacob's mom traveled to Lincoln,NE and back for work while Jacob's dad held down the fort alone balancing work and Jacob appts single handedly for 3 days. Something akin to leaping tall buildings in a single bound. And with no cape!]