Successful Race and Fundraising!

We left for Atlanta early early this morning for the Strong Legs Run (a fundraiser for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta...Sam's hospital). Chris and I ran in the 10K race. We both ran faster than we expected, and both set personal records for our 10K times. My parents and Chris's parents came up to support us, and to do the 2K race. We all walked the 2K...Sam rode in his stroller. Sam met up with his 'heart buddy' Matthew (photo above), who has a similar condition to Sam's, and who has the same Cardiologist. We had a REALLY great day, and can't wait until next year.

The race was also a fundraiser. Between my family, we raised $850! We were part of a larger group of teams who were raising money specifically for the cardiac services research team at CHOA. Together, these teams raised $36000! I'm proud of us, and we plan to do more for the race next year. Thank you to everyone who sent in money for this cause!! Not too long ago (just 24 years, in fact) there was NO SURGERY to help babies like Sam. They just died. Only recently have cardiac research teams developed surgeries (like the one Sam had in March) to extend these heart babies lives. I know it's not millions and millions of dollars, but every penny you donated to this cause will go to further research and development of new techniques to keep Sam's life going. And I can't ever tell you how much that means to me...

~Kathy

Last Call for Runners/Donors!!

Chris, Sam, and I are running in an event this weekend to raise money for the Sibley Heart Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. These people SAVED SAM'S LIFE and will be the ones we call on again when Sam needs his next surgery. We would love to have you come up and run/walk with us (there is a 10k, 5k, 2k, and several just kid races). If you can't come and be with us, you are welcome to donate to this cause. The links are below!!!

~Kathy

My Donation Page
Registration Page
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Race Info Page

LSU/Bama Tailgate

We drove to Birmingham and Tuscaloosa this weekend for a tailgate and to hang out with family. We stayed at Chris's sister's house, and Sam got to hang out with his cousins. They love him a little more than he can handle...as in, he LOVES watching them, but isn't quite ready to snuggle up and sit in their laps yet. He did let me get a few good pictures though! Saturday, we met up with friends from PT school for a tailgate on Alabama's campus for the LSU/Bama game. It was perfect weather, and Sam was an angel for most of the day. PT school was the three hardest years of school I experienced, but I met the MOST amazing group of people there. I value any chance I get to be with them, and this weekend was no exception. As an added bonus, my sister Amanda was with the LSU band at the game, and when the game was over, we rushed across campus and got to see her before they loaded the buses. I wish every weekend could be spent with friends and family (and a victorious LSU team...)!

~Kathy

First Halloween

Sam's first trick-or-treat took place on Monday, at my hospital. Staff and patients were invited to bring their kids up for trick-or-treating in patients' rooms and for a little party after. Sam met up with his friend Connor (son of a co-worker) and went to a few of our favorite patients' rooms and showed off for the nurses.

Halloween day started early...630am. Chris and I (and subsequently Sam) did a 5k race benefit for Jay's Hope, a local group who supports local families with children suffering with cancer. Sam dressed in his costume, and was in no mood to be awake and dressed in a costume. He made it through the race though, and after a much needed nap he watched us carve pumpkins.

Sam was getting cranky early, and we didn't think he would make it to trick-or-treat time. It rained here for a bit too, right at 530pm and I almost gave up hope for Halloween. The rain stopped around 6 though, and Sam got dressed one more time in his skeleton costume. We went to our neighbors house for Sam's first trick-or-treat. We have great next door neighbors, but they have been out of their house for a while, thanks to a busted pipe. I guess Sam didn't remember them (and he was really tired) because he cried and cried when Larea tried to hold him. He settled down though and watched a bunch of our neighborhood kids come and trick-or-treat for candy.

After a few more photos, Sam went to sleep. All in all a successful first Halloween!

~Kathy

Boo at the Zoo

This Saturday was Boo at the Zoo in Atlanta. We got free tickets through Children's Hospital of Atlanta's Kids at Heart (a support group for kids and families of kids who have had heart surgery at Egelston Hospital). The Atlanta zoo is small but nicely laid out, and Sam had a pretty good time. All of the kids were dressed up (as was Sam) and there was a really nice family atmosphere. Part of the festivities was a private catered party for Kids at Heart families. The best part was meeting two families we have followed via CarePages for a while. Both are Hypoplastic Right Hearts (like Sam) and one of them goes to Dr. Cardis, like us. It was in some way comforting to look around at the Kids and Heart party and see so many kids and families. I hate that so many people/kids are suffering, but it made us feel not so alone in the world.

After Boo, we drove home and stopped at the Tanger Outlets. We picked up a ton of clothes, shoes, and accessories for all of us. I love a good shopping trip. Sam was still dressed in his costume, and got plenty of attention.

The first thing I wanted to do when I got home was upload our photos from the day. To my shock and horror, they were GONE...no where to be found on the card. I flipped out, and laid in bed pouting for a while. When Sam woke up from his nap, we went out to dinner at the new Mexican restaurant across from our neighborhood. I fed Sam refried beans...damn the consequences. I was super bummed. I made Chris get us ice cream, as I figured that would be the only thing to make me feel better.

I hatched a plan, did some research, and with a recovery software, was able to recover all my lost photos! I know it's dumb to be upset over photos...it's not like I don't already have 4 albums of Sam pictures! But they are back now and that is what matters!

One final story: Today at church, Chris had Sam standing in the pew seat facing the back rest. Naturally, he bumped his mouth. He only cried for a minute but I thought he was giving a funny face. Sure enough, his newest tooth was bleeding near the gum. Sam is on Asprin (and a hefty dose, in my opinion), so he bled and bled and bled. He was swallowing it for the most part, but he got tired of that after a few minutes. He started spitting it out...spraying it EVERYWHERE...all over our new clothes. I grabbed a bunch of paper towels from the bathroom, and had a pile of bloody towels next to me in the pew. This lasted about 3o min.... Man, I hate to think of the adventures when he starts running and jumping and climbing and doing general boy things....

~Kathy

Another Mobile Weekend

We went to Mobile again this weekend. This time for Brian Cobb's going away party. He is taking a job transfer/promotion to Chicago, and his family threw him a little party. I have known Brian and his family since preschool...his Mom was our teacher! It was really nice hanging out with friends and I hope Brian enjoyed it.

While we were in Mobile, we took Sam to a pumpkin patch. He wasn't a big fan. It was cold and windy and he had just woke up from a nap. Super-crank didn't smile for hardly one picture. We'll have to find another pumpkin patch and go when he's in a better mood.

When we got home tonight, Chris and I lowered Sam's bed, since he is getting really close to pulling up. While we were working, Sam decided he could commando crawl! This is the first time we have seen him doing any form of crawling. I was getting worried that he was taking so long to get to this milestone. He's already proven himself a total faker recently, so for all we know he's been crawling for months, just not in front of us! But we are super proud of him, and are ready to start a new stage in parenthood...the stage where you do nothing but chase a baby all day...

~Kathy

Sam, the Faker (and Vacation News)

We've been pretty busy recently. We went to Mobile for two more weddings this past weekend. Amazingly we made it to both (they were only an hour apart) and hit up both receptions, too. Sam didn't get much sleep our first night in Mobile, and he never really recovered until he got a nights rest in his bed here at home in Macon. He was super grump all weekend. But, in his defence, he has cut more teeth. He now has two on the bottom and four across the top.

On Monday, when I picked Sam up from school, he was holding a bottle....which is something he doesn't do at home. I was so excited and told the teachers that he hasn't been able to do that and that I was so happy he was learning. They looked at me like I was crazy. They said he's been holding his bottle FOR MONTHS. That Sam had me and Chris fooled! My Mom's theory is that kids have to be a little more independent at daycare, but at home they know Mommy and Daddy will just do it for them. Little punk. Since then, we have made Sam hold his own bottle...which he does LIKE A PRO. And I seriously thought he couldn't do it....

Today, Sam had his cardiologist appointment. He had an echo and EKG, which all looked great. He weighs 22.8 lbs, and is 30 inches long. His oxygen percentage was great...87-89%. He flirted with EVERYONE. And he sat so still during the echo and EKG, which is pretty rare for him. Dr. Cardis thinks he looks wonderful. I rehashed the conversation about the vacation to California. After telling him the exact plans, he still believes we need supplemental oxygen during the flight. But he thinks we will be fine without oxygen in Wrightwood (the mountain town where my grandmother lives). That's a big relief. We'll keep our O2 meter with us, and if his oxygen looks low, we'll have the contact of a durable medical equipment company in California that we can get a tank of oxygen from. But Dr. Cardis doesn't think we'll need it. Sam may have a true white Christmas in the mountains!

Please say some prayers for baby Amelia. She was born premature in April and is still in the hospital working on getting strong enough to come off of supplemental breathing support. This has been (and is becoming more so) a painful journey for her parents and family, and they need to bring her home healthy and happy and SOON!

~Kathy