Always Amazing.

Amazing is never an adjective I imagined I would be using to describe this journey, yet here I am. This road has been filled with so many ups and downs. Its filled me with pride, understanding, gratitude, and compassion that I have never before known or experienced in my lifetime. In short it's been, well amazing.

 There is something about being the parent to a baby with a heart defect that has left me forever changed. I've had the opportunity to witness struggle and heartbreak and the miracles that lie on the other side. That is what Lukas is. A miracle. A living, breathing, beautiful miracle right here in my arms. In his seven weeks of life he has faced challenges and obstacles most will never know in a lifetime. Despite it all, he's perfect. With clothes on you would never know what he had been through. Just over a month ago he underwent open heart surgery, but unless you saw his incision you probably wouldn't believe it. Its a fact many folks we encounter are shocked to hear. We beam with pride everyday that we are granted this amazing opportunity to be his parents. Its really miraculous. I can't even describe the feeling in words. 

Yesterday was our one month post-op visit with Dr. Turrentine. That pride I explained kicked into high gear when he walked into the room. He had two x-rays in his hand; one from the day after his operation and one from yesterday (he had a chest x-ray prior to seeing Dr. T). He told me I needed to see these. At first I was a bit worried they weren't good. I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, they were excellent. According to Dr. Turrentine it was one the best post-operative x-rays he had seen. He told me to take the pictures home and show them off, because they were just that awesome.

what a marked difference! how is that for awesome?

When Lukas went in for his weights and measures, Dr. T's nurse noticed he had some bubbly scabs on his incision. She soaked them in peroxide while we waited on Dr. Turrentine and when he came into the room he knew immediately what to do. Lukas had a reaction to the dissolvable stitches that were under his skin. This meant he needed to have his incision "revised" a little. Good in the long run, not too good at the time. Dr. Turrentine had to pull the scabs away, pull the sutures underneath, and cut them. It was a bloody mess that left us with one poor, upset little boy. So we have to see him again next week just to check on its healing progress and make sure its up to snuff with Dr. Turrentine's expectations. In the meantime he have to clean it with alcohol, coat it with bacitracin, and dress it twice a day. 

I know you all haven't really had the opportunity to really see Lukas minus tubes and wires and without the post-surgery swelling and bloat. So in the spirit of sharing what a miracle he really is, its time to really "present" him to the world. Ladies and gentleman, I give you the amazing Lukas Robert Corwin.

 

So glad you all get to officially "meet" Lukas now! About time, right? =) I know, I'm a slacker (whomp whomp). 

Happy almost weekend friends! 

P.S. - because there is such a need for awareness and to spread the word about CHDs and their effects in our little ones, I am working on creating a calendar showcasing some of these little miracles. It will show so many of these little beauties and what extraordinary obstacles they have overcome. Every one of these children are miracles. Every single one. I'll let you know when its complete!  All the proceeds of the calendar will go towards families of little ones with CHDs and to increase awareness. I'm very proud of this endeavor and hope you will join me in celebrating each of these miracles right here on Earth! Details to come soon, promise!