Baby Christopher Update 9/22/10

Recently (Sept 21, 2010) we posted an entry on the Daily Interesting Things website telling about the progress of Baby Christopher.

That entry had lots of interesting and important information about his progress. If you haven't read that entry. HERE'S THE LINK.

You recall that Baby Christopher had a heart transplant when he was a little over one month old.

Then he continued to recover and recover and recover ... for months .... in the hospital.

Finally after about 9 months he was transferred back to Oregon (where his family lives) to continue to recover in a hospital there.

Why so long to recover? you ask.

Well, it seems that in the post-op period after the transplant and during the weeks following, his Kidneys stopped working, he went into renal shutdown, and had to be put on dialysis.

It is all a long long story which is covered in the DIT entry of Sept 21, 2010.

But, Guess what !!!????

After posting that update, the Caring Bridge site which has chronicled his progress added 2 more updates, both of which are soooooooooo wonderful, that we felt you should know the good news also.

So, with that by way of introduction, here are the 2 updates, both of which were posted by his father:

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UPDATE 1: Monday, September 20, 2010 11:11 PM, CDT

George here, quick update including big news.

* I spent Sunday with Christopher, just us boys, while Shannon was home in Eugene with Elizabeth and George. We had a great time.

He was completely untethered to machines/wires/tubes for five hours. We went for a walk around the PICU -- his first untethered trip anywhere, just me carrying him -- and I cannot describe how excited he suddenly became. His smiles were wider than I have ever seen, and had an intensity to them, and continued and continued and continued. He was EXCITED to be on the move with me. ...

I think my smiles were pretty intense, too.

***

* Much more important: Christopher went on the cycler dialysis machine today. His peritoneal dialysis volume is at 170 mL/cycle, and the nephrologists believe he's ready, so ... I had to leave the hospital this morning to go back home, but Shannon reports he seems to be doing well.

* Assuming he does well, he will probably be moved from the PICU to a normal room in a non-critical unit tomorrow (Tuesday -- I'm writing Monday night).

* Shannon begins training on the cycler machine tomorrow. We're already familiar with it from Christopher's time on the machine and training in Little Rock.

* The nephrologist is thinking -- and I can hardly write this, because so much could (and hey, might?) happen -- that Christopher might be discharged in ...

TWO WEEKS.

I know. I shouldn't have written it. I know.

But I had to.

It seems amazing, and hard to comprehend -- and a little boggling, frankly, that it could occur and we could bring him home.

Wow.

***

I cannot adequately describe how thankful I am to God for His continued answer to our prayers. As I walked Christopher around the unit yesterday, the joy was almost overwhelming, and I couldn't help but keep thanking God, over and over, for a special moment. And then to add the move to the cycler, the anticipated move out of ICU (for the first time in Christopher's young life), and the we-can-barely-fathom-it move home sometime soon?

Thank You, Father!

***

Christopher continues to make strides in other areas. He is very alert and aware of who is in his room. He loves to listen to Shannon and me, and to watch us. But he also likes to see who else is around. He loves his brightly colored toys, which Shannon has hanging over his bed. He likes to grasp rattles, and eating those fingers, and has gained much head and neck strength and control -- you know, the things babies normally do at earlier stages, but he's just getting around to doing.

We're optimistic that his physical and mental development will begin to catch up to his age.

***

Would you continue to pray with us for Christopher's health? And that he would do well on the cycler, and would be able to discharge soon? And for us as we anticipate finally bringing our baby boy home?

UPDATE 2: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 8:19 PM, CDT

As anticipated (please see the very long previous post of last night ... posted above) ...

Christopher has moved out of Pediatric ICU and into another room in an intermediate-care unit.

What a big move! In his almost 10 months on earth, he has always lived in an ICU.

Go Christopher!

Again, we thank our heavenly Father, Who continues to bless our little ChristopherBear -- and us. And we thank you all (y'all) for praying for him, and us.

.