Stephen's 3 Day Progress

Here is Stephen's progress in pictures...he has come so far in 3 days!!!

4/26 This is right after his surgery...remember this is what they said looked "good"
It broke our hearts to see him this way, but Joe said it best.  For the first time his heart was keeping him alive, not drugs.

4/27  He still has the chest tubes (they are covered) but his face, though swollen, looks so much better!

4/28 Morning-all 3 chest tubes removed and the pace maker wires are in the blue gloves

4/28  Afternoon- Extubated!!!  He is now breathing on his own.

As soon as they pulled the ventilator he woke up!  It was the first time we saw his eyes since the surgery.  This evening he actually started eating aswell =0)  

4/29-  He is in our arms again!!!  Only 3 days after open heart surgery =0)  

This kid is a champ eater.  He is up to 2 ounces and as soon as the doctor says he can eat more...I am sure he will!

This has been a crazy emotional week.  I will never be able to fully describe in words what we have lived through.  Physically handing your sons life over to a surgeon was the worst and then having to wait hours to hear any news was excruciating.  Seeing what seemed to be a lifeless body on a bed after holding and feeding him only the day before was heartbreaking.  Trusting in God didn't mean we would get the outcome that we wanted and we had to be okay with that...something easy to say and very hard to live out.  We are so very grateful that God has protected his life and is speeding his recovery.   Every night we prayed we wouldn't get a phone call and every morning we were thrilled with the progress we heard.   We praised God for every bit of good news.  Seeing each line/tube be removed means we are one step closer to taking him home.  I left the house at 7 am April 5th and havent returned since.  Oh how I look forward to being back in Fallbrook =0)  We are still trying to balance out our time with Stephen and being able to see our other children.  We miss them so much...that alone has been emotionally draining.  We are so grateful for the care our family is giving them.  Knowing they are in such great hands makes being apart from them a little easier.
God has been so good to us.  He has given us everything we have needed to make it through each day.  He is teaching and molding our hearts and has drawn us closer to Him and each other.  We love this little guy so much.  He is a fighter and God has blessed us with his life.  I believe the world is more beautiful with Stephen in it =0)