Heart Surgery Anniversary

Today marks a big day in Caden's life. On January 24, 2009, Caden was taken to the OR to repair his coarctation of the aorta and have his diaphragm plication. We had been waiting for two weeks since his birth for this day. It had originally been planned for the 23rd, but when we got to the hospital that morning, they told us it had been put off due to more “urgent” cases. We were really frustrated because we didn't know when it was going to happen. But we had to trust that things happen in God's timing, not ours.

But very early the next morning (Saturday), Caden's primary nurse in the NICU, Irene, called us in our room at the Ronald McDonald House and woke us up, telling us his surgery would be that morning. We quickly got ready and over to the hospital so we could hold him and pray with him before the anesthesiologists took him to the OR. Then, we had to kiss our precious baby goodbye and watch helplessly as they rolled him through the huge double doors to surgery. The moment we had been waiting for, yet were terrified about, all at the same time. The mix of emotions is incredible.

We waited for what seemed like an eternity. But finally Dr. Reddy came out to tell us the surgery had gone very well and that Caden was doing great. What an amazing feeling of relief. But we still had to wait awhile before we could see him in the CVICU. When we were first able to get in to see him, it was a little overwhelming. There were so many tubes, wires, drains, machines, medications, etc. It was almost hard to see our baby underneath it all. We definitely cried tears of joy that he made it through surgery well and that we could be with him again. We didn't have any idea what was in store for us, but at least he had gotten over that hurdle.

Happy heart anniversary, Caden. We love you more than words can express!

What Caden looked like when we first saw him after surgery. It's almost hard to see a baby in there!