April 22, 2003 (15 months old)

Jayke's checkups with the cardiologist and the pediatrician went very well. He is 31 inches long and weighs about 20 1/2 pounds. He is eating and drinking really well. He finally has 2 teeth, one on top and one on bottom. It seems like a lot of things are starting to "click". He is walking pretty much on his own, and took about 3 or 4 steps on his own our first visit back to church. But, mostly just needs the security of knowing you're there, just in case. He is sounding out new words. He sleeps through the night on most nights. We have figured out his new schedule, and he does his best as long as we stick to the schedule. He is enjoying getting out to the park on nice mornings. We do not go back to the pediatrician until Jayke is 2 years old, unless his surgery is before then. Because he has done so well and not "outgrown" his heart, the cardiologist says we can wait to look at his last surgery until he is 20 - 24 months. Praise the Lord for his awesome healing power in Jayke's life!

"...God acts in ways that baffle us to demonstrate his reality. He is real. So are his acts. So is our need to be mystified with deeds too large for our small hearts." (Miller)

 

 

January 15, 2004 (2 years old)

Our move to Arkansas has gone very well. Jayke made very quick adjustments to the new environment of MANY trees! He has grown quite a bit...about 35 inches long and almost 23 pounds! He is trying very hard to sound out words, and we are beginning to understand him a little more now. Since our move to Arkansas, the best option for his cardiologist checkups is travel to Dallas, TX. His checkup today went very well! He is doing great and is ready for his LAST surgery!!! The heart catheter and FINAL surgery are both scheduled for April this year! Praise the Lord! God is so awesome! We are very grateful for your continued prayers, and we continue to grow in knowing Him better because of it. Thank you!

 

 

 

April 12-30, 2004 (Completion Fontan-LAST surgery!)

Over the weekend, we drove to Dallas to get unpacked and settled for the very LAST surgery! Praise the Lord! We tried very hard to prepare Madi and Jayke for the upcoming surgery and heart catheter, but Jayke just didn't understand. We just continued to pray for God to send protection over Jayken so he didn't have to understand what was happening, just that he felt much better.

Tim took Jayke in to the hospital on Monday for his heart catheter, while I stayed with Madi (trying to keep her away from hospitals as much as possible). They had to stay overnight because the catheter started so much later in the day than originally planned. The doctor found several "extra vessels" that grew from the Pulmonary which he coiled to stop their growth. This could have been the cause of his lower SATs reading lately. So, the next morning (Tuesday), Madi and I picked up Tim and Jayke, and I took Jayke to Childrens' Hospital for his preadmission checkup while Tim and Madi went back to the hotel to clean up and try to get some rest. After preadmission tests, Jayke was extremely exhausted. After a full afternoon of rest, he picked out a delicious dinner at Rainforest Cafe.

Early Wednesday, we all went to Dallas Childrens' Hospital to check in for Jayke's surgery. The surgery began at 8:00 am and we received very vague updates about every hour to hour and a half. Then Dr. Leonard came to talk to us about the surgery at 2:30 pm. Everything went well during the surgery - the aorta and pulmonary are both good sizes. After closing the sternum, an echo (through the throat) showed some "turbulence", so they had to reopen Jayke's sternum and apply a patch to correct it. Jayke came out of surgery with pacer wires in use due to a junctional heart rhythm. The aortic and ventricular rhythms are not beating together, the aortic beat is very weak - 3rd degree blockage due to inflammation. There was not a significant amount of drainage, so he only needed 2 chest drain tubes. Jayke had a very rough night. Many many people prayed. Please God bring healing and comfort. We know your plan is great for Jayken.

By Friday, Jayke's heart rate was doing much better! But, portions of his lungs collapsed and are very wet, so the doctors started chest physical therapy, which is extremely painful especially after his sternum had been "opened" twice just two days ago.

On Sunday, the doctors turned the pacemaker off gradually until it was completely off and Jayke's heart maintained the same rhythm...still junctional...but strong.

On Monday, they moved Jayke out of intensive care to a regular hospital room! Jayke's rhythm is still junctional, which could still be from inflammation, but the doctors tried to prepare us for the possible need of a pacemaker.

 

By the following Sunday, Jayke was wanting to get out of bed on his own to play with Madi in the playroom. There were lots of fun toys that Jayke loved to play with. He eventually got to where he would stand up on his own and want to walk around without help in spite of all the tubes.

Jayke was discharged on April 30 with the same junctional rhythm. The doctors want to check him in 2 weeks to determine the need for a pacemaker. We got some rest that night in the hotel together as a family, before driving back to Arkansas on Saturday, May 1.

God, thank you for your strength and wisdom and for sustaining us through this surgery. Thank you to all of you that helped us through prayer, donations, cards, gifts, visits, phone calls. We love and appreciate you all!

 

 

May 8-10, 2004 (Jayke's post surgery check up)

Because of the long drive to Dallas, Jayke just couldn't stand to be in the car following surgery for another long trip. Thanks to Angel Flight, Jayke and I were able to fly from Little Rock to Dallas, which shortened the driving time tremendously. Jayken "took me out" for Mothers' Day dinner on Sunday, then we went to his check up on Monday morning and flew back to Little Rock that afternoon to meet Tim and Madi

Praise the Lord! Thank you God Almighty! The checkup went wonderfully! The junctional rhythm is GONE! Jayke now has a NORMAL heart rhythm! Praise be to God! There is no need for a pacemaker! He also is now taking a lot less medication. Thank you God! Thank you God!