27 Days Post OP

And doing just fine! Amazing isn't it?

Three Weeks Post Op

Tonight's celebration included Hillary's Birthday. Fun!

Reading a Max the Bunny book pre dinner festivities. 5 months old and enjoying the pleasure of a great book! !

Ornate ribbon...yummy.

Cake, Aunt Meredith, Hillary and Grandpa Buddy.

Whew 23 candles make a lot of smoke!

My Mom is smiling...

Genevieve is doing well at 3 weeks post op. Still some rough spots each day but the bright spots are getting brighter. She has not resumed pulling up with her arms, her chest is still sore...she has resumed most other physical movements. She is going longer without pain relievers, down to twice a day. She is enjoying her days more...the prognosis continues to be very good.

If anyone had told us we would be this far along 3 weeks ago, we would have paid a king's ransom to believe what they were saying...well a ransom was paid...and God's grace shines in Genevieve.

The Best Start to Each Day

A stroller, no socks, a hat, sunscreen, a golden retriever named Huck and sunshine. Genevieve celebrated her 5 month birthday this week; highlighted by a visit from her Grandfather who lives in Mississippi.

Eve of One Week Home

Genevieve had an unexpected trip to her surgeon this weekend and a follow up today. All is well now, and the prognosis continues to be good. Her pesky tube sutures looked angry on Satruday, so Hillary was on stand by to see someone from the surgical team at Children's Hospital ER. Genevieve never saw a surgeon, they were literally unavailable in a heart transplant procedure on a 5 month old boy that lasted the better of 18 hours. After waiting for 5 hours, sutures were removed by an ER Doctor with the consideration that Hillary would bring Genevieve back today. Directives were followed today and Genevieve returned to the office of her cardiologist, where the surgeon met her. What was heartwarming was that many of the medical team had to do double takes when seeing Genevieve, visually...she is stunning.

Pain management is a constant consideration...home care requires that we stay ahead of what we anticipate to be the onset of pain and fatigue. Dr. Christian did lower her lasix dosage to once a day, she is down to 9 syringes of meds a day.

Meds are never a good time -

Genevieve sat next to numerous children today in the waiting room, reminders that while Genevieve's heart needed many repairs - God did indeed spare her.

A friend of mine in Alabama tells me that children like Genevieve who face incredible challenges as young children go on to be great warriors and accomplish great feats as adults. It was a good day to hear that.

A large lesson in the past 48 hours is that Genevieve will never have just a routine doctor's appointment. She will forever have special considerations, even to remove some pesky sutures she is now on antibiotics.

Friday Night - At Home -Yeah!!

Genevieve is doing okay, Hillary will take her in for a look see tomorrow, Saturday. Her tube sutures don't seem to be healing as well as her princess suture, she is running a temp, we know better than to sit on our hands.

Genevieve faces some boredom now, we do all we can to imitate Meredith and standing on our collective heads. Meredith had a much desired respite tonight with her friends, dinner and a movie...the rest of us are left to imitate the funny, words-we-don't-know or-can pronounce imitation of Aunt Meredith -we -love- you -the -most -proclamations.

We do fine when a team member is absent, but better when we are all here. The human flaws of our safety net, we know this all too well.

Can I say and mean, we are all good? I don't know? Every moment is congtingent upon the next.

Friday Morning

Genevieve is doing well, she has minimal spells of exhaustion and pain. She is off motrin now, as it relieves physical pain, yet thins blood...not desirable long term situation for TOF repair patients. She is eating again along with playing, teething and being in good humor for the majority of the day. Afternoons are the hardest for her, we have learned to pace ourselves and anticipate the next spell.

Genevieve had a visitor on Wednesday night, one of her biggest fans since she was born popped in, by the time Tammy left I believe the feeling was mutual.

Genevieve and Tammy Algood.