Children's Visit...First Check Up

It's Thursday afternoon and we just got back from our first check up visit at Children's in Little Rock. This is our first of our every two week visits.

There is more great news to share!!!! Brycen had an ECG done on his heart and had a chest X-Ray taken. Both were perfect! His heart is beating normally and is of good proportion and there is no fluid in or around his lungs. Dr Fontenot told us, "treat him as you would any child now....he's fine" In fact, the news was so good that we no longer have to have weekly doctor visits in Fayetteville and our next appointment at Children's is in 3 MONTHS!!! Dr Fontenot said that at this rate we will probably only have to visit once or twice a year after the next visit.

While we were at Children's we went to check on our buddy Caden. We haven't heard from his family, but the nurses told us that Caden was discharged last week. We hope and pray that his recovery goes as well as Brycen's from here on.

We took some pictures this week and I haven't downloaded them all but do have a few to share.


His scars are no longer scabs, so he got to take a real bath. He loved it!






We always say our bedtime prayers. May God bless each and every one of you that has prayed and supported us through this all and may he continue to work his miracles in the children and families that remain at Children's Hospital.

Many of you have wanted to come visit us, but we haven't been able to have visitors because of infection risk. However, because of the good results, WE CAN NOW HAVE VISITORS. Please feel free to call or come visit anytime (you can even hold him)!

I will post more pictures this weekend.

Is it day or night???

It's Tuesday evening and Brycen continues to show improvement, though he's not exactly tipping the scales. We went to the pediatrician today and his weight was only up 4 ounces from last week. The doctor (and mom and dad) would like to see a little more than that, preferably an ounce per day. But his eating habits have gone from eating every 3 hours to wanting to eat every 2 hours and in the middle of the night every hour. He definitely has his days and nights mixed up! We're hoping this is a sign of the first little growth spurt infants usually go through.

Mom and dad have been tired, but thanks to Granny Lu and uncle Michael, we hope to get some rest the next couple of days. We've had a pretty non eventful week just trying to keep Brycen content and trying to cat nap as he does, but have managed a few great photos.

Your prayers and support continue to pour in and we thank you once again! Please remember Caden (we haven't heard any news on him since last post) and SSG Feeny in your prayers.

Though we don't have posts everyday now, we WILL keep the blog going. Too many of you have enjoyed it and we appreciate all of you who continue to celebrate in our success.

Here we are sleeping in the Big bed with daddy.

Enjoying some couch time during the U.S Open.

He loves for mommy to rock him!

At Home Update.....Thursday night

There's no place like home! We got home late Monday night and have started to settle in quite well. Brycen has had a visit to our pediatrician and has also had an in home visit from home health. Children's has asked that we keep two visits per week before we return to Little Rock to make sure that he is gaining the right amount of weight. So far, so good. He is back above birth weight and is eating like a champion. He's done well enough that he thought it would be a good idea to go out and get in that first trip to Lowe's this afternoon. Now if we can just get day and night figured out, we'll be doing great. Here are a few pictures since we've been home.

We also have an update on Caden! He is doing much better and they hope to be going home soon. Please keep him in your prayers!

WE'RE HOME!!!!!

It's 9:30 and we are home and settling in. Brycen has eaten well and is sleeping like a rock. We took some pictures right before we left Children's and wanted to share a few.

Here we are dressed and ready for home.

My Angel and My "Angel One"

I promise this is leaving the hospital, not going to tailgate (yet).

This time Brycen had to travel by car, not helicopter.

They say "most accidents happen less than a mile from home." I don't think they were talking about this kind. I'm glad we were exiting into Springdale.

So we made it home safe and sound. Dad never knew he could be so nervous driving. We realized on our way home that we failed to get the contact information of Caden's family. At last report, Caden was still in CVICU under monitoring for his brain, but it has been discovered that his vocal cords have been paralyzed from the ventilator and he is having trouble eating because he can't swallow. They were going to have to place a feeding tube in him and may have to do more surgery to correct the problem. We may never know Caden's status ever again, but please keep him and his family in your prayers. If we ever find out during any of our return check ups, we will let you know.

We've said it a thousand times, but a thousand times over still wouldn't be enough. We can't thank you all enough for all the prayers, visits, and support each of you have given us. Times like this aren't easy, but they sure are made easier with great friends and family like we have in all of you.

We also can't thank the staff at Children's enough. These miracle workers became family to us in a matter of hours. To each person we had contact with, from nurse technicians to surgeons, we will never be able to repay you for the miracle you worked in our lives, but we will pray that God will pour his blessings upon you and yours forever more!

GOING HOME!!!!!!!! 3:30 Monday

Brycen has been a champion since the minute his helicopter left the ground. He has taken heart surgery and kicked its butt and now the doctors (and I think we've seen everyone of them here) say he's ready for home. We are waiting on all the paper work to clear and we're off to Springdale! Thank you all so much for all of your support and prayers. We will post some pictures once we get home.

We love you all!

Sunday Update 3:30

We met with Dr Fontenot this morning and he says Brycen is recovering as fast and as well as anyone he can remember. The nurses here can't believe he is doing so well. At 3:00 he just had his last IV removed!!!! He is only on the heart monitor and pulse/ox monitor (what everyone has when they're in a hospital). He continues to eat well and is starting to gain some weight. I think at the last weigh in he was at 7lbs 4oz, that's a big change from 6lbs 10oz 5 days ago. Our going home outlook appears to be either tomorrow or Tuesday. We are so blessed that such a bad situation has gone so smoothly.

We also have an update on Brycen's friend Caden, from Jackson, MS. Caden's bleeding in his brain has stopped and they're hoping it's done for good. All signs seem to point that way. He remains in CVICU so that they can monitor his brain very closely, but he has recovered well from his heart surgery. All of his tubes and his ventilator were removed yesterday. His mom and dad say he looks so much better.

Both of our families thank you all for all of your prayers and support!!

Here is a picture of Brycen's room. Dad is still giving nurse Cydne fits on getting the XBox working for him :)

Brycen's Room

Well, the blessings keep coming. Brycen has had such a great past two days that this afternoon we were all 3 placed in an "almost home" room. We have to stay with him in a room so that when he wakes up he can be fed. This is continuing the trend of him eating on a regular basis for 24 hours. The doctor said tonight we're looking at possibly going home Monday.

Our new room doesn't have quite the comfort of the Residence Inn, but at least we're with Brycen........and at Children's every room has an X-Box 360. Dad is excited about that.

It's been another great day, filled with answered prayers. Thank you all so much! Please remember to keep the other kids here lifted as well as our men and women in Iraq.