A "Heart"felt Thanks

Hello everyone. It has been quite a week and my updates have been easier to post to facebook off and on than to get on here and try to post a big update. I have a chance now to sit and try to go through the week. Monday went without a hitch. The c section went as planned and it was an amazing experience to actually hear him cry and scream as they took out. Ava's cord was wrapped around her so we didn't hear her cry at first and it was just an amazing experience to hear. Nick was able to carry him over to me and let me see him and touch him. The only time Noah didn't scream in the OR was when his daddy was holding him. He is such a sweet baby. I was just overwhelmed with love and joy and just seeing my hubby with his boy was an exceptional experience. :) My recovery has been up and down. Sometimes I over do it and then pay for it because I end up hurting real bad. My spinal was a normal ordeal, but my back pain since then has been a little worse than with Ava. I also have just wanted to be up and about to see Noah and be there, so I've walked a bit too much at times and have paid for it later. My pain meds work well and I have been able to keep up with those. We have gotten settled into the Ronald McDonald house and will be staying there the duration of Noah's stay. We are blessed to be there and be cared for there. They are all so nice and it is a comfortable place.

Noah's surgery day was a long long day but we could not be in a better place than Cook Children's for this type of surgery and recovery. The team was solid and informative, the surgeon as I've described him before is a genius and so intimidating with his intelligence, yet personal and nice. :) hehe We want it that way. :) The updated up every hour on the progress and then we were able to give him kisses right out of surgery and on his way to the PICU. He is in the PICU and has one on one care all day and night. He has a lot of drips, (iv nutrition, antibiotics, blood pressure meds, etc)he is on a pacemaker, he is still not sewn up, so he has a patch over his chest where they did the surgery. It is quite the experience to see that. Hopefully his swelling will go down and he will be able to be sewn back up in the next day or so. Please pray his swelling will begin to reside. He should start peeing a lot real soon and it will help. He is such a trooper. So many tubes and monitors on him, but he is just amazing.
thank you to those who have prayed for us, sent us messages, those who have been in town and have come to see us. WOW! We have been OVERWHELMED and we will never actually know just how many people have been praying and keeping up with Noah. We are just humbled as ever.

Praises:
Noah came into the world!!!
my surgery went well
recovery has been good
Noah made it through open heart surgery!!
My milk came in the 3rd day after him being born and it is staying, even increasing. thank you Lord!
We have a "home base" at the Ronald McDonald house
My mom is able to stay longer than we hoped at first. :) so thankful!
my best friend is here right now!!! so needed!
my sissy comes in for a week in October!!!
Nick's job is allowing him to be gone for 2 weeks. praise God. Having him by my side has been essential. marriage is a beautiful thing, especially in times like these. thankful.
we are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love, prayers, support, and encouragement. thank you!

requests:
for Noah's swelling to go down
for Noah to be sewn back up and for that procedure to go smoothly.
for him to take his time with the healing but for him to be able to be weened off the pacemaker at his own pace
for him to continue to thrive and for all his other bodily functions to continue to work normally as they have this whole time.
continued milk supply
safety for dad traveling back and forth as he goes home tomorrow and comes back next weekend
for Ava to continue to thrive and do well with all the change (just a note: she has been amazing and has done so well this whole time, it's amazing! She has grown so much and has started saying all sorts of words and numbers, singing, "reading" books, etc)
for my recovery. swelling to go down and for my scar to heal well.
for my heart to stay steady and focused on God's timing and plan for Noah, not my own. :)
I'm homesick. I haven't been home since Sept 8th. feeling it.

 

guess that is the update for now. Thanks for riding this road with us. we are blessed beyond measure by every one's support and love.

blessings
shaina

well...here it is.

So, tomorrow is the day. I've been counting the days to get through the last two weeks of being away from home, without hubby, etc. Now, we're at the eve of Noah's birth and I am oddly enough in such a stuper of peace and "ok-ness" I have suddenly been bombarded with facebook posts from everyone and it is the most humbling thing I have ever experienced. Truly, I am speechless at all the support and outpouring of concern and love for our Noah. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Noah will be safe and sound, through all of this, because of this covering that we have, over us, constantly. I have been in a state of peace, healthy anxiety or better word excitement really. I am thankful for the lack of nerves, lack of emotion (in a good way, if you know me haha). Strength has been evident to me today because I didn't have too hard of a time letting Ava go, to stay with mimi and tpaw at the hotel for tonight, so we can actually get some rest before tomorrow and get out of the house and to the hospital on time and with less trouble. ha :)

Tomorrow changes everything. Many of you who have more than 1 child have experienced this feeling. Everything changes. Nothing will be the same. Then add to that the craziness of heart surgery in a few days, a couple week stay in the hospital, back in a few months for surgery #2, a week stay for that, meds, oxygen saturation monitor and baby scale coming home with us, daily check ins from the hospital when we get home, to see how he is doing, etc. him learning to eat at approx week 3 of life, praying and hoping he'll catch on and do well. (that will be a big factor in him getting home)etc etc. All of that doesn't really cloud the excitement of the fact that we will meet our sweet noah tomorrow, regardless of the "extras" that come with him. sometimes I get overwhelmed, which is normal, but I think right now, I just want to meet him. :) one step at a time.

So, for all of you prayer warriors out there, here are some detailed prayer requests:

c-section to go smoothly
Noah to be delivered and get to the NICU easily and with good vitals
(i would LOVE to get to hold him, but it depends on how he is doing)
for Ava to have a smooth day with all the craziness

For now that is all that I will allow my mind and heart focus on. Tomorrow. the first day of the rest of this journey. We'll take it one day at a time. Thank you for walking this road with us, praying for us, keeping up with us. We're truly humbled beyond words by the outpouring of support and love.
wow.
God bless each of you for your selfless acts of prayer and support. The Body of Christ TRULY IS PRICELESS!
be blessed,
shaina