Bad News, Good News

Let’s start with the bad news.  We knew coming into this that it didn’t look good for Tarson, the baby with the heart defect.  Doctor’s met after doing tests and informed us that he has hypoplastic left heart.  It would require a surgery that would reroute blood to the lungs and bypass that side of the heart.  It requires that he have a strong right side of the heart.  Unfortunately that was not the case as the right ventricle also has problems.  The doctors did not feel it would be in his best interest to attempt surgery.  Before we really had a chance to make any sort of decisions, Tarson decided for us and took a turn for the worse.  His body was not getting the levels of oxygen it needed.  We made the most difficult decision of our lives and made him comfortable by removing all of his tubes.  We held him for several hours until he passed away around 5pm EST on January 7^th, 2012.  We are having him cremated and will hold a memorial service when we are able to return to Kansas.

Baby C took a turn for the worse last night as we received a phone call late at night.  By the time we arrived in the NICU, Baby C was doing much better.  They are still quite concerned, however.  We still have not received word as to the gender of Baby C, but if Baby C is a boy, the name will be Braxton Jace.

Caden is doing very well and had his umbilical feeding tube removed and a pick line inserted into his foot.  Michelle went to his room to pump last night when we went to see Baby C when we learned that we could hold him!  We were able to hold him for an hour last night for the first time.  We were so excited!  They think that he will be able to go to another type of breathing tube that is even better than the one he is on, so another positive sign!  Michelle even pumped enough milk for Caden to have two feedings over night!

Michelle was released from the hospital yesterday and was able to walk outside for the first time since November 14, 2011!  She is recovering very well from the c-section.  We went out to supper last night with Dan’s parents, who joined us yesterday.  We are now staying in the Ronald McDonald house within short walking distance of the hospital. 

Speaking of the hospital…we cannot be more pleased with this hospital.  Every staff member we have come across, from janitor to doctor, have been some of the nicest people we have ever met.