The big meeting...

Well today all the cardiologists and surgeons met again to try to figure out what would be best for Ben. They don't think there is anything they can do for the mitral valve as far as repairing or replacing it right now. They would like to try to extubate (take out the breathing tube) again so that he might be able to go home in a while and recover and get a little bigger before doing another open heart surgery. They think if he is able to go home he would require another surgery in 1-3 months. I am nervous because the last time they tried to extubate it didn't go so well and it put his little heart in a lot of stress for about a week causing him to have lots of other complications. But the only other alternative (if he is not able to extubate) is the really risky Norwood procedure which is another open heart surgery (or series of surgeries) where they would completely reroute his entire plumbing in his heart to only use the right ventrical and not the left at all. This would mean he would only have one pumping chamber for blood to come in and out of and would mean at least 5-8 future surgeries beginning in the near future. On the positive side, he had a catheter to his heart yesterday to measure the exact pressures in all the valves and chambers and his left atrium which is collecting all of the regurgitated blood from his mitral valve only had a pressure of 16. Dr. Hawkins, the surgeon, said normal is below 10 and if it was over 20 they wouldn't even try to extubate because there would be no way Ben would be able to do it. But Ben's was 16...so he really might be able to get off the breathing tube and then in a few weeks he might be able to come home and rest for a few months or longer. Oh wouldn't that be wonderful! Maybe he could even be home for Christmas! The first spontaneous trial (30 minutes with the ventilator off to see if he'll breathe on his own) was today and it went pretty well for 20 minutes, then he stopped breathing and the machine kicked back on. That is pretty good I'd say and I'm sure it will only get better tomorrow. If the trials go well they will try to take the tube out on Sat or Sun. Cody and I both have really good feelings that he will be able to get it out and that he'll be able to come home soon. Oh I hope so!

Updates on Baby Ben...

I am so sorry I haven't had time to update my blog in a while, this is the first time I have been home in a long time. I can't believe Ben is going to be 2 weeks old tomorrow. Being at the hospital is a rollercoaster everyday. There's good and bad news constantly. Clinically, his vitals are improving, but we had some bad news from the last echocardiogram on Tuesday. It showed the leaking in his mitral valve is worse than it was before the open heart surgery and his aortic valve is just a mess as well. We are hoping that when they repeat the echo on Monday the rest he has had will have made some improvements. They pulled the breathing tube out yesterday but ended up putting it back because after about an hour of doing fairly well his heart just didn't have the energy to breathe any more. It was really, really scary. Cody and I have started taking turns at the hospital and coming home to try to give the girls some normalcy at home and to break out of the depressing environment and recharge a little. I was aching to be with the girls but it is devastating to drive away from little Ben in Salt Lake. Thanks everyone for your continued faith and prayers...they really help.

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Cody's Surprise Baby Shower

Cody needed a treat for his work Halloween party that was easy and could be made the night before. We have made this before with blue jello (to simulate the ocean at Aimee's Ariel birthday) and also with red jello (my favorite), but for the occasion we tried it with orange. It looked like candy corn with the darkest layer on bottom and the lightest on top but it tasted more like a "dreamsicle". Mmmm, yummy!

Recipe---
Two large boxes of jello (the 8-serving ones)
Two 12 oz tubs of cool whip
6 cups boiling water

Dissolve jello in water completely. With a wire wisk gently stir in 1 1/3 tubs of frozen cool whip (put the remaining 2/3 tub in the fridge to thaw). When all mixed in pour into a 9x13 glass pan (must be see through or it defeats the purpose of the layers Ü). Let chill in fridge for about 2 hours then spread remaining thawed cool whip on top for final layer. I usually refrigerate a little longer to let last layer set but you can serve immediately if desired. Cut in squares and enjoy.

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Here are Jocey and Aimee riding horses at their friend Kayla's birthday party. Happy Birthday Kayla, thanks for a fun day!

Practice, Practice

One of the last few days in our old house and I found Aimee in one of her favorite spots...singing and playing the piano. Check out her perfect fingering! I wish I had thought to get video of it at the time because she has the most beautiful and tender voice. Unfortunately she caught me watching her, smiled, and got down.

Well we're late posting these pics, but here is cute Jocelyn on her "First Day of School"! She is loving Candy Apple Cove Preschool and her amazing teacher Miss Vicki. She has made lots of friends and is learning tons. In fact she can already say the full Pledge of Allegence and has learned lots of fun songs too. She is really blossoming and it is wonderful!

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