Happy 1 Year Heartiversary to Brody!!!!!

It was one year ago today that Brody went in for his first heart surgery (Glenn Surgery).  I can clearly remember that day in my head and hate even thinking about it.  I always knew that day would come but let me tell you nothing prepares you for it!!  When they take your baby away to the OR it is like your whole world stops and you are helpless.  It was THE worst feeling I have ever felt in my entire life. 

There isn't a day that goes by that I am not thankful that God took us to Vancouver that afternoon of April 7 to have this wonderful team take care of Brody.  We would never go anywhere else to have him cared for.  We thought that we would be funny and send some Rider gear and ask for a pic...but did they get us as they sent it back after the Lions won the Grey Cup... I guess they have a point this time :)

WOW Brody has and continues to excell. He is not a typical heart patient...he is growing normally, a little chunck (about 26 pounds now), he is walking, saying some basic words, and a happy child.  However the little gaffer still doesn't like to sleep much (up at least 3 times a night).  Eveyone tells me this will go away but it keeps happening so the coffee producers can keep upping their prices as that is the only thing that keeps me going some days.

We went out for ice cream to celebrate tonight however didn't get any pics as Brody was a grump from not sleeping much today (an hour all day).  However here are some summer pics for everyone to look at and enjoy. Brody is living proof that just because you are born with a challenge doesn't mean life is over. It is all what you make of it day by day.  We are so happy to call him our son and would not have it any other way.



SWIMMING IS AWESOME!!!!





GO RIDERS GO!!!!!!!



Get outta my way!!!




Hanging with my big bro having a snack!!



Check up was great!!!

We went to see the Cardiologist in Saskatoon on May 31.  He is doing very well.  They are very happy as he is showing no signs of distress or needing any medications as all his levels are great.  His oxygen stats were averaging around 92 however were as high as 95.  They were very surprised to see how big he is, a whopping 23 and a half pounds and 30 1/2inches long.

So all this being said it is status quo now and we have to go back in about 6 months.  At that time they will start talking to Vancouver to book his  next surgury date, heart catherization (which can be done in Saskatoon) and MRI (which will need to be done in Vancouver).  So around Christmas we may have our answers on what is the next surgery.

Also someone I worked with sent  me this song and I thought of Brody.  It was written by a Christian singer about his son who was also born with a heard defect. He wrote it as when he first found out about it he wasn't sure how he could let himself love someone who may one day not be around.  But the song is about giving all of his love to him no matter what... I went through the same feelings... I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50ygAc2qP5A

Stay tuned for summer updates :P

Happy 1st Birthday Brody!!!!

We absolutely can't believe that our little man is 1 already.  He has got so big!!!  Just by looking at him you wouldn't even know that he has a heart condition.  He is healthy, developing at a normal rate and is ready to run.  We celebrated his 1st Birthday on April 7 with family and a few friends.  We had an Elmo cake (which I made and had a bunch of fun doing it compared to the Spiderman cake I did the week before for Caine's 4th Birthday).

So how is Brody you ask....since Christmas we have had a few set backs but doing well.  In January we ended up in the hospital with Croup.  It sucked.  We checked in on Sunday night and were there until late Thursday afternoon.  They kept telling us that they were not going to release him until his oxygen stats were in the high nineties...which is impossible for Brody as being in the low nineties in an accomplishment for a child with a Congential Heart Defect.  So once they finally believed us and Brody got checked out by the Cardiologist (who happened to be in Regina) we got to go home.

I went to  back to work April 10 and April 11 Brody caught a virus of some sort that caused his hands and feet to have blue spells.  Very odd. I went to get him checked out and he was fine just a cold virus of some sort.  His oxygen level was 93 so very good.  It passed in a few days so no worries.

Now he is just a happy go luck kid who couldn't cut teeth if he tried :)  He just has the two bottom teeth that he cut at 10 months and nothing since.  But he eats whatever everyone else does so no more baby food for him.  He is no baby that is for sure.  

We have a follow up Cardiologist report on May 31 in Saskatoon so once we have the next steps and results from that appointment I will update the blog.  I will try to do it more as alot of you ask for updates.

For your viewing pleasure here are some birthday pics and a few pics that we had taken from Drawn Daisy here in Regina.  Krista is great :)

Merry Christmas!!!

I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner (4 more sleeps as Caine would say).

It has been 4 1/2 months since Brody had his surgury and you would never even know he has a heart problem.  He is growing and developing great (except he doesn't like being on his tummy as we couldn't do tummy time for like 6 weeks after surgury).

We went for a check up in Saskatoon at the end of November.  Everything looks great.  His oxygen stats are 93 and everything looks great on the ultrasound.  I really did enjoy going to Saskatoon to get this done as they have people who only do ultrasounds on children so they know what they are doing and were done in like 10 - 15 minutes.  Not like in Regina where it is a generic ultrasound tech so it takes a long time to get it done (45 mins to an hour).  They are very happy with how is doing and we don't have to go back for 6 months.  The nurses and doctors in Saskatoon we amazed that his surgury was in August as to how well his scar has healed.  By the way it is healed they would have thought that his surgury was over a year ago.  That says great things about the surgeon, Dr. Ghandi, that we had in Vancouver.  So glad that fate took us to Vancouver :)

Here is a picture of Brody today and his scar...you will be amazed as we always are when we see it.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE WEBERS!!!!!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES IN 2012!!!!!

Check up looks good

We went for a check up on Thursday in Regina.  We had to get an ECG and ultrasound done.  It all looks good.  They are all impressed about how nice and clean his scar is.  It will probably be 2 months or so until we have to do another ultrasound which may be in Saskatoon in order to get all the accurate pictures required.  We just thought that may be a good time to take another family over night trip then and visit Fuddruckers if that happens.

Brody is such a little trooper.  In the 4 and a half months that he has been with us he has been through so much.  Not only has he gone through his gas spells, and the surgury he is now fighting the pain of cutting teeth.  He is so strong that sometimes I feel like I pull on his strength to make it through.  I was putting him to bed tonight and just watching him sleep and thought to myself I am not sure why God gave me such a special little guy but I wouldn't give him up for anything.  He is such a ray of sunshine every morning and nothing beats those little dimples to make you smile :)

FINALLY HOME :)

Sorry for the late post... we have been running ever since we got released from the hospital so I will start back at Sunday.

We went in for a chest xray to ensure all was clear and it was so we got released on Sunday.  What a feeling I think even Brody felt better getting outside.  We found that Brody was a different kid.  He didn't cry while we were driving around in his car seat and was happy just to be out.  Then we all got to the airport to pick up my Mom and Caine it was a great day.  We went for a walk on the seawall when we got back to the room.  It was great.

On Monday we all went to the Aquarium.  Caine loved it and his goal was to get through it quick to see everything quickly.  Even Brody was a different kid.  He didn't get upset with being in his car seat and just loved watching the fishes.

On Tuesday we went back for our follow up appointment.  His chest XRays were clear and his oxygen stat levels were 94 so great results.  They were happy and said we could go back to Regina and follow up with our cardiologist there.  Caine actually liked hanging out at the children's hospital because there were alot of new toys to play with.  We all went back that day and had 3 hour naps.

On Wednesday we just hung out.  I took Caine to the park and Brody slept most of the day away.  Poor little guy didn't get much sleep in the hospital so we didn't have the heart to wake him to take him out.  Also on Wednesday night Jerry and his wife Andrea came to our place for supper.  We loaded them down with our extra groceries that we didn't need anymore. 

On Thursday we were excited as were were heading home.  We decided to go to Science World in the morning as our flight did not leave until 6pm.  What a waste of time and money.  Although the dinosaur exhibit was cool the whole place was under construction and not much to do.   We then had to make our way back to the Children's Hospital to get Brody's special formula as for some reason Saskatchewan couldn't figure out how to get it.  What a gong show that is!!!!!!  We finally got on our airplane and the pilot came on the intercom to tell us that there is a freak storm going through Calgary and they could not take off until they got clearance from Calgary.  We had to sit on the plance on the tarmac at the gate for an hour before we even took off.  A one hour flight took 3 hours.  By the time we got to Calgary our connector flight had already left for Regina so we were stuck in Calgary for the night.  They booked us in at the Delta at the airport (which is a very nice hotel and has very comfortable beds) and booked us on the early morning flight on Friday.

We got on our flight on Friday and finally arrived back in Regina at 9:30.  It was a very long day as none of us got much sleep the night before. 

Now we are working on trying to get everyone back on a schedule and routine.  It is tough right now as Brody is completely messed up and for some reason his bad gas issues have just come back since we have returned home.  Hopefully that is a phase and they will go away as I am not sure we can survive that again...2 hours of sleep a night.

We have our next appointment with the cardiologist on Thursday and I will update after that.  For now here are some pics of or last week.

DAY SIX....We are getting out :)

The day has finally come that Brody is well enough to be released.  We talked to the doctor this morning and he feels that Brody is good to leave.  We had to go for a chest X-Ray first to ensure there is no fluid build up around his lungs or heart.  Once they have a look at those (and they are anticipating no issues) we will be released.

What a long road in such a short period of time.  Brody has gone from being on a ventilator to being back to his normal self in 5 short days it is amazing... the Surgerion, Dr. Ghandi, is fabulous and has taken great care of him since we have been there.  We have a bit of comfort knowing that when we come back Brody will be in great hands.

We are sticking around Vancouver for a few days to enjoy some sites with Caine and my Mom and are heading back on Thursday night.  Can't wait to get home and back into our normal routine again.