Turning Point

It is the day before Jonah has his 2nd open heart surgery and he is 14 weeks and 5 days old...exactly. Those numbers hold some meaning with me because I never, in 1,000,000 years, would have thought we would be preparing for the Glenn so soon. All of the numbers that the doctors give you at the very beginning are a complete approximation. Nothing is ever guaranteed. But sitting at the table, pregnant with the baby that these ballpark figures impact the most, I was definitely holding on to the idea that Jonah would be having the Glenn done somewhere around 4-6 months. I guess I held on too tight to that and is why I still am so amazed we are actually at this turning point.

Every story we have read, every parent of a child with HLHS...even the doctors and nurses...says that after the Glenn, life for these kiddos becomes so much easier (relatively, of course). These babies hopefully begin to gain weight a little better, energy and strength improves, and they are overall just happier babies. Although I have heard this several times, it is not something I am quite convinced of yet. It's one of those, "I'll believe it when I see it" type of things. In a way, I think I have become used to the way things are and sort of assume this is just the way it is. And, we have adjusted. For the most part, we have fallen into a comfortable day-to-day rhythm...and as odd as it is to say...it's really not that bad!! It is all about to change though. For the better!! And, when I really let that sink in, I get really excited (of course, scared at the same time:)). Because the gift of having Jonah here with us every minute of every day learning about the world... realizing for the first time that his hand is actually connected to his body instead of floating randomly in front of him-then using it to bat at his toys, smiling and reacting to his goofy parents making all sorts of funny noises and faces, and being loved by all of his grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and cousins...I can't imagine life any better than it is at this very moment!!!

Even though we know the recovery of this surgery will have its challenges, we are so excited to get to the other side. To really see, for Jonah, how the Glenn will help him turn the corner after the hardest fight he has ever had to fight. The Norwood was by far the most complex of the 3 surgeries and the time in between the Norwood and the Glenn is the most unpredictable. To know that we are about to close that door and open another...I can honestly say, I am ready to go running in!!!!