A day to celebrate

Today marks one year since we got THE call from Boston.  I sat on our couch with Brandon at my side.  My phone rang with a 617 area code – Boston.  I squealed a little with anticipation and tried to calm my nerves as I answered the phone.

“Hello, my name is Dr. Kevin Friedman, I am a cardiologist under Dr. Lock, head of cardiology at Boston Children’s…”

“Uh huh”… 

I had to act like I hadn’t been stalking every detail of their department for months.  I already knew what the man I was speaking with looked like.  I already knew where Dr. Lock had studied and what his background and specialties were.  I knew everything I could know about Boston’s program from what was available online and through other heart related FB groups.  I’d done my research, asked questions, hoped, prayed… and waited for this phone call.  What I didn’t know… what I was (literally) holding my breath over, was what they thought they could do for my baby girl.  Brandon was just as anxious as I was, so I was trying to jot down notes for him as I was talking so that he was at least somewhat savvy on the conversation I was having.

After Dr. Friedman introduced himself, he said, “We’ve reviewed all of your daughter’s files and test results thoroughly and we see no reason why we can’t make her a two-ventricle repair.”  With that, I wrote “2V” on the note pad for Brandon to see, threw my one free arm up in the air, and launched my body back into the couch in complete and utter victory.  I can’t describe this to you at all.  This is not “winning shot at the buzzer” victory… no.  This is more like “winning Powerball ticket, Publisher’s Clearinghouse Prize patrol, winning buzzer shot, homecoming crown, final Jeopardy answer AND a good hair day all wrapped into one… but probably better.  Ellie was sleeping on the living room floor.  By this point, she was in a really rough spot.  She was rapidly growing out of the PA band that had been placed during her first open heart surgery and she was fighting for each breath she took.  She was always blue and always looked pretty rough… though she smiled through it all.  It was go time for her – just in time! 

We’d meet with our cardiologist yet that week to confirm with her that we were headed to Boston… and have our van break down on the way home in yucky interstate traffic.  We’d wrap up our month with an epic road trip to Boston to save our little girl’s life.

For us, May will always be about miracles… about second chances… about life… about heartiversaries.  About taking our little Tin Man on a 13-hour trip down her yellow brick road to her Oz (Boston) to meet with her Wizard (Dr. Baird)… guided by the true Wizard (The Almighty, The Great Physician).  It’ll always be about bringing our sweet Tin Man home from Oz with her brand new heart.  We are forever thankful for all of the prayers and support that carried us to the through that trip and have carried us since.  We are thankful for this incredible testimony we’ve been given… for the outcome that Boston gave us… for the Good Lord’s mercy on our daughter.  We are very aware that Ellie’s outcome is extraordinary considering her starting point.  We count our blessings every single day.  Days like today are especially sweet to us and we have to share those especially sweet days with the world.  May God bless you all and may you feel His presence today and always.

Ready for summer

This is from December... but you can see her Tin Man plushy here

 Happy Mother's Day, Grandma Schroer

Happy Mother's Day, Mamaw Maier

 And these two... oi... these two are added here so that we never forget just how far she's come.  Whew... so happy this is NOT our reality anymore.  Praise God!