APPROACHING HOME...............

Our morning started bright and early with chest X-ray at 5 a.m. Cooper was pretty wobbly on his feet so we took him in the wagon. We got back to the room and he slept while I got a shower. They I gave him a sponge bath, spiked his hair, brushed his teeth and put some shorts on him. He was pretty tired and didn't look like he was up for much. The nurse came in and gave him some meds by IV and I gave 4 by mouth. Within minutes he returned all the oral meds. This is nothing we aren't used to with Coop but in the throw up was blood. I was very concerned. I hollered for the nurses and they came in and helped me clean up and then called the blue team (the team of doctors looking over Cooper). Coop instantly seemed to feel much better and be more alert. After a little while one of our favorite cardiac nurses came in to look at Coop. She assured me there was nothing to worry about regarding the blood. Apparently during surgery their esophagus is very irritated and often there is blood down there. The blood was old blood and not very much in their opinion so it was of no concern. I was very relieved. She let me know that there was still some drainage in the tubes but they would get them out tomorrow hopefully and then we could go home late tomorrow or Monday. I could hardly believe it!!! Let's see.....complicated 12 hour open heart surgery on Tuesday and home the following Monday......less than 1 week!!! They say pictures say a thousand words....

Cooper Tuesday June 8th
Cooper Saturday June 12th
If that doesn't make you believe there is a God, nothing will!

So after the doctors rounded the plan was for my Mom to come over while Karli took her ACT's and she would sit with Cooper while I went home and packed Raelynn for a week at Grandma's house. Considering we may be out of the hospital Monday the need for Raelynn to go back with Mom was not really necessary. However, Raelynn had her heart set on spending a week with Grandma and as much as I didn't want her to go, I couldn't take that away from her either. So I went home and packed her up. Mom and Cooper played all morning and by the time we got back Coop was ready to head to the play room again. After some time there Mom, Karli, Chandler and Raelynn headed back. I cannot tell my Mom and Karli thank you enough. They made this past week so much easier. I often wonder what we would do without them. Another reason we are the luckiest family in the world. Saying goodbye to Raelynn was as hard as it always is. I miss her before she even walks out the door! I won't see her again until next Friday and I am already counting down the days. After they left Cooper became a mad man. He was running all over the room and being silly as ever. I couldn't believe how much energy he had. Then he turned to run across the room and tripped on Tery's foot. He went sliding chest first across the floor. You can only imagine how horrified we were. He got up, glasses sitting cricked on his face, whined a little about that, and smiled and took off again! We finally got him settled down and thought he might rest a minute, but then we had company. Our friends Tim and Amy came to visit. Coop loves Tim and they played cars and put puzzles together that they had brought him. He had a great time and Terry and I enjoyed the company. They left about 6 pm and we took Coop down to the cafeteria to eat with us. He enjoyed the wagon ride and hasn't stopped since then. When I finish this post I am hoping to figure out how to calm him down for bed :)

Well cross your fingers and maybe will be home in a day or two. I realize we will still have some down time at home before he is ready to return to daycare but a couple weeks is a whole lot better than a month! Our little man is one big fighter!!!