Playing in the yard.

It will be three week tomorrow since Joseph's surgery.  Today he was out playing in the yard and Ellie captured this video:

As you can see he is doing just fine and moving around without any pain.  We will keep him home for another week and then he will be off quarantine!  He will be able to go out and about again.  Yhat will make working through our family schedule much easier.  After that we just have to protect his chest from impact and strain until the end of July.  It could prove to be the toughest job in Pasadena!
Joseph is doing so well that I will probably only do one more post and then I will put up some pictures on his Birthday in August.  Thank you for taking interest in Joseph's story. 

Kenny

Check up was great!

Joseph went back today to see the cardiologist.  Great news! After several tests including an ultrasound of the heart the cardiologist said the surgery was successful and he does not need to come back until his next check up in six months.  Joseph's rash is gone and his battle scars are healing well.  He will need to stay home for 2 more week and then we can start to let him out of the house again.  That will make the family schedule much more easy to manage.
We are so thankful for a successful operation and very thankful for your help getting Joseph through this.  I think I have stated this before but it bears repeating.   I would not wish this situation on any parents but in many ways it has been a very positive experience.  Joseph and his story have given many friends and family a better perspective on life.  We have grown closer as a family and as a community.  We have a stronger appreciation for prayer and have been strengthened in our faith.  We are blessed.

Kenny

A fine weekend

Joseph had his checkup on Friday.  If he was brave and let the doctor see he chest he would get a chocolate shake. (I know --- do not give food as a reward---but give me a break, the kid had major surgery and can't stand the doctors touching him after all that) Anyway, he made it about half way through the removal of four stitches and start cry/yelling to make sure that everyone in the clinic knew that there was a three year old being tortured in room 4.  Time stands still when you are holding down your own kids as he is pleading for you to take him home.  It took 35 minutes to remove the stitches (OK-- I fibbed it took two minutes, but it sure seemed like 35 to Joseph.)
The medical team determined that he had a slight infection at one of the chest tube sites and sent us on our way with an order for antibiotics.  In the two days since he has been on the antibiotics he has improved greatly.  He is healing quickly and his rash is almost gone.  Mary took him outside to play and he enjoyed that tremendously.  He played with his cars in a pile of sand and was thrilled to smash his cars through the sand in mock NASCAR racing complete with crashes and sound effects.
I have to thank his grandma for letting him borrow her IPad.  He plays with it for hours and there are some decent learning games on it.  He missed the last month and a half of his preschool so we feel he is keeping up and in 13 years he won't blame his SAT scores on a stunted educational experience when he was three.  His class and teachers at St. Edmund's have been great and brought him over two baskets of toys. He made sure that he played with every single toy in the group. He teachers stopped by and gave him his book all about his year in preschool.  He has shown the book to anybody he can, as many times as he can.  The toys, books and IPad really helps because he is still limited in what he can do.  He will be able to do many more things in a few more weeks but is in protection mode for six more.  Here is a shot of him with HIS IPad.  His sisters cannot believe that he is the first in the family to have one!

Have a great week everyone and know that we appreciate all the love and prayers.

Peace

Kenny
PS  yes he did get his shake because he was brave for half the exam---but I took two sips out of it for the crying!

9 days and counting

It is hard to believe that Joseph's surgery was 9 days ago.  What a week!  He continues to do very well.  The only minor issue the rash on his arm on leg. A dermatologist looked at it and gave us some lotion for it.  The rash does not bother Joseph except for a little itching.  So it should be easy to rub a little painless cream on an arm that does not hurt---right.  Wrong!  I can always reason with Joseph except when it comes to getting him clean.  He must think the lotion is some kind of soap.  I cannot hold him down effectively because I do not want to hurt his chest.  It is like trying to put sunscreen on an octopus!  Except the octopus does not scream or try to to kick you. 
Oh well---If that is the biggest issue we have we are blessed.  Clare's eye is healing fine even though it looks worse. 
Peace,

Kenny