After Fontan surgery, three days of ECMO bypass therapy, maybe 25 chest X-Rays, two heart catherizations, a couple of echograms and being waked for vitals too many times to count, Riley Mackenzie Norton came home from the hospital. He was discharged from the University of California at San Francisco on April 27, 2006, after 37 days.
As I write he has been home 10 days. He is making steady progress regaining his strength. He is walking without stiffness, standing up by himself and eating better. At medicine time he struggles because some taste horrible and they upset his stomach. His medicines seem to affect his eating as does the lowfat diet he needs to be on until Thursday. Still, he continues to be brave and take his medicine.
Best of all he is increasingly himself with that beautiful smile, neat sense of humor and great personality. He plays with his cars and trains, spots every Prius on the road (his Grammy has one) and knows numbers and letters enough to startle people on elevators. In many ways he is a typical smart little 3 year old.
Fortunately he has little memory of when he was really sick.
We do, and I am so grateful to have him home and getting better. I am also incredibly grateful to friends, family and people I do not know for the prayers, gifts, meals and other support during a sometimes terrifying time. Thank you all.
A shout out and thank you to the heroes at the hospital who cared for Riley, intervened when he had a crisis, gave him one-on-one care in the Pediatric Cardiatric Intensive Care Unit and helped him regain the strength and health he needed to go home. I won't try to list the heroes because the names I might forget are the ones who were there during the most intense times.
Welcome home little man. You teach us so much each day. You make me a very rich Grampy.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
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4 comments:
well, nice to see u back online. Been a ongtime since u blogged.
We have all been waiting for some goos news and when it came I had a great big wieght lifted from me. I cannot even imagine having to go though all u guys had to endure. Thank God I never have and hopefully never will.
We miss you and will always be there for you.
Love Brenda
My sentiments exactly. Although you have been there from the get go. Thanks for being there for all of them and for those of us who could not stay longer than a week at a time.
Grammypeg
Dad,
That was very sweet. And, I am also glad that you could be there for those of us unable to be.
Daughter!
I guess that you having flexible schedule came in handy more than just in grandma's case. I bet you are thankful for being able to be there as all of us are too. We can't wait to see you all again!!
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