Greyson's Surgiversary

Today was Greyson's heart surgiversary.  I had a hard time last night knowing that one year ago we were sitting in the hospital 10 days before we were scheduled to because Greyson decided he was done laying around with no energy and wanted to get this surgery over with.  Little did I know at that time that I would be totally surprised at how well he did.  I guess I should have known then to trust him more. ;)  He knows what he needs and I guess he needed to get this surgery out of the way. 

This is what we saw about 2 in the afternoon when we got to see him again.  He did so well and recoevered so quickly. 

I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for his cardiologist, Dr. Rahimi, who looked so terrified when we brought Greyson up the night before with sats in the low 60's.  I thought he was in a bad mood, but later found out from the ultra sound tech that he REALLY worries about his patients like to the point of loosing sleep over it. Dr. Fiore who, with his HUGE hands, got in there and partially repaired Greyson's heart and will do his next surgery probably next summer.  Barb who kept us updated every hour about how Greyson was doing even if there wasn't anything to tell.  We could really tell she cares about her patients and she was so excited to see him in he cafeteria a month later at his post-op check up, she actually got off the phone with someone just to talk to him.  Dr. Bonderant who, although I think he made her a little nervous at times, took excellent care of him back here at home and continues to be his pediatrician.  Greyson is definitely not one of her easy patients, well I guess neither of our kids are.  All of my blog readers, Facebook friends, Heart friends, and local friends and family who prayed for Greyson all day during and after his surgery.  Papa Gary had over 200 emails of people praying for our little guy.  I know that this certainly helped Greyson do so well. 

So has this whole heart thing slowed Greyson down at all?  Absolutely not!  He was walking about a month after his 1st birthday, and talks All.The. Time!  He says so many words and definitely speaks in full sentences months before his sister did.  I wondered when I had him how long it would be before I was living with 2 comedians, well that time is here.  Between the things Addison does and says and the things Greyson does and says I am laughing almost all of the time.  I love the way he says "Yeah."  It doesn't usually matter what you are asking him you get a very enthusiastic YEAH back. 

I'll admit we did a trial run at potty training since Greyson has really showed interest in the potty.  We got him his own big boy potty, complete with musical tunes when he goes in it, and big boy undies and boxer briefs like daddy, yeah I just tol everyone what Nate wears, lol.  The first day he had a few accidents, which I expected, and did manage to go in the potty twice.  It was clear however that he wasn't quite ready for it as he would pee and not even know he had done it.  We will hold off a few months and give it a try again.  Once we can go outside more it will be easier I am sure since he can just go out there, that was one of Addison's favorite things, good thing we live in the country.  I was concerned, however, about his constipation issue.  Ever since he got sick a few months ago he has been constipated all the time, like goes every 2-3 days and when he does it is a big event, complete with screaming, crying, and pushing really hard to get out a golfball size nugget.  I feel terrible for him and had tried prune juice but it either had no effect or the total opposite effect.  I finally called the pediatrician and she suggested we try MiraLax, today is his first day on this new medicine so hopefully it will work out well.

I was telling Nate the other night how tired I am of having an assembly line to make milks for in the morning and now we have added another medicine to Greyson's milk.  I know as far as heart kids go his medicine regiem is nothing, but I hate having to put all the medicine in each kids milk and make sure I get the right milk in the right cup and that each kid gets the correct milk in the morning.  Last night when I was making up Greyson's milk I joked that his cup was half full of medicine before I even got to put milk in it, lol.  He is only on the MiraLax, aspirin, and vitamins plus milk and strawberry poweder.  Addison is only on the poweder from a capsule of antibiotics plus her milk and strawberry poweder but it seems like such an assembly line.  I think the Propranolol one year ago was a little easier then all of this milk business.  Guess we will just get used to it, Greyson will be on at least aspirin for life. 

I'll leave you with some pictures of the kids playing in the yard the other day when it was so nice here.  They had a blast.

Vacation...better late then never.

So we went on vacation in the beginning of January to Tulsa, OK. for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.  Now I tell some people this and they picture little people running around...no this is not what it is.  They are actual midget cars.  Pretty much a sprint car without the wings.  I have been going nearly every year since I was about 13 or 14 and it is a ton of fun.  These cars go REALLY fast around the track and when they flip...they FLIP!!!  I watched a flip on one of the qualifying nights where the car flipped up into the fence around the track.  The driver was fine, as is usually the case when these things go air born, but he couldn't get out without some help because he would have just fell down.  Anyway I think you get the idea of how awesome these things are to watch.  More on the Chili Bowl fun later.  We did other things on vacation too...

We got up every morning to have Krispy Kreme donuts (well nearly every morning) and Greyson LOVED them.  He loves sweets anyway.  Then we got ready to go to Addison's favorite store (and Papa Gary's also as she told us, althought I am not sure papa feels the same since he works there). 

This Bass Cro (Pro) was HUGE.  There was an Uncle Buck's resturant inside it and it was delicious! 

There was a huge fish tank that the kids loved looking at all the fish in.  I think Greyson just wanted to go swimming in it himself though.  That boy is a water baby as we learned at the hotel pool.  Addison was swimming by herself with her floaty thing on and was pretty proud of herself.  Greyson wanted to go to the side of the pool and jump in over and over again and apparently didn't care that he couldn't get there himself.  He would jump in to me then flail his body around to get back to the side, nearly flailing out of my arms in the process.  He will be getting his own floaty thing this summer for our pool.

Bass Pro also had a huge laser gun range thing.  Addison LOVES shooting guns and she was pretty excited to play with these.  I think we played 4-5 times and both kids loved watching all the different stuff they had in there.  When you shot it it would make a sound or do something and they were pretty entertained by that. 

I am not sure why these uploaded sideways and it took me enough to get them to upload in the first place, our interet SUCKS but we are in the process of getting better. 

Addison went to the races a few nights and was somewhat entertained.  I don't think sitting still that long is really her thing and she wasn't too impressed with the mud flying at her.  She was happy to wear her glasses and ear tetection as she called it.  Although she really doesn't look like it here. 

While everyone was at the races what did me and Greyson do?  Well he tried on my bra of course.  He just took it off the dresser and put it on, it was too funny not to take a picture of.

On the last night of vacation we decided to go to the track and go in and meet all the racers after the races was over.  We got there a little early and were able to watch the race on the screen.  (I had my money on the race and was lucky enough to win 2 nights while on vacation...which never happens for me).  After the race was over we went to meet the drivers, it was fairly late but the kids didn't do too bad.  Addison isn't like Greyson and usually doesn't like meeting new people or letting them hold her so daddy decided to hold her and let JJ Yeley hold Greyson.  What you don't see JJ holding Greyson in the picture?  Well that's because when Nate handed our little 'not affraid of anyone' boy to JJ he started crying.  He NEVER cries with new people I even said "you can hold Greyson he's not affraid of anyone" and he started crying.  Everyone is all smily in the picture (except the kids) because it was so funny how upset they got. 

When we went to see Jac Hadenschild the kids were more open to having their picture taken with someone who drove those super cool cars.  We did't do a lot of picture taking with drivers 1. because we didn't know how our kids would react and 2. because it is somewhat of a pain to get in to see them with everyone else waiting to see them too.

So when I went to my first Chili Bowl I got to sit in Sammy Swindell's car.  It was really neat and a memory and picture (although I won't be posting it here) that I will always have.  I wanted the kids to be able to sit in one on their first Chili Bowl, even though Greyson didn't actually go to the races this year.  They thought it was pretty neat.  Addison liked sitting in the car and driving with the steering wheel.

Greyson on the other hand is the future Chili Bowl champion!  He was in there adjusting things and checking everything out...he's such a boy.  This is Bryan Clausen's car.  He was super nice and even gave both kids little die cast cars.  The couple that sits behind us in the stands is friends with him and helped us get back to get the picture.  I fear we will be spending out money on this one day...wouldn't that make his cardiologist happy, lol.  At least he will be in a full cage. 

Vacation was a blast and I am so glad we got to take the kids.  I think Greyson will be more apt to go to the Chili Bowl then Addison.  It didn't appear to really be her thing.  We may try taking them both to an outdoor track sometime and see what he thinks of it.  I don't want him inside the chili bowl as it is all inside and the fumes get kind of bad, at least until after his Fontan. 

Here is a link to the Chili Bowl's website if you want to see what it's all about.

Also the morning of the main day of racing I got a text from Nate saying that Donnie Ray Crawford was shot by his grandfather.  I thought he was joking until I looked it up and it was all over the news but no one knew why.  He was a great kid man as you can see from what he did for a fellow racer.  Here is the link to an article that explains what happened to Donnie Ray Crawford.  He will be missed greatly in the racing world.  I am just so shocked by such a tragedy.  These things don't happen in the racinng world.  There are spats amoungst drivers and people get mad but it doesn't go this far.  I don't think anyone really knows what it is all about but it sure is sad to see such a great guy gone.

As far as Greyson's heart and health are concerned.  He is doing awesome.  You would never know how messed up his heart is by looking at him and we are so blessed to have him in our lives.  I never forget that.  I truely love seeing that cute little smile every day.  I am sure that he will continue to do great until he decides he is ready for his next surgery and hopefully that will be the last. 

Thanks for checking in with us, I hope to start blogging more soon.  We just don't do a whole lot in the winter, I am such a germaphobe we stay home all the time.