Since I'm sure Kristin and I have well exceeded our 250 text/month quota, I thought I would respond to the most popular questions in one fell swoop rather than text by text...
10. Wolfie was born at 7 lbs. 4 oz. AND 20.5" (finally got a length measurement).
9. He is currently very pink, not blue (cyanotic). Hooray!
8. No surprises in his recent echocardiogram; all the structures in his heart are as expected.
7. Kristin has been recovering exceptionally well. She was and is B-A.
6. Wolfie is a very calm baby (except when being poked); I'm also assured that--even though the nurses clearly say it to all the parents--he is, in fact, very cute.
5. How he got his name: Samuel comes from Samuel Hamilton, my favorite character from East of Eden. Jerry is named after Kristin's dad. Wolfie is short for Wolfgang, the affectionate nickname given by Kristin's AP Literature class. It started as a joke, but it kind of stuck. Could be a tough transition for some people...myself included!
4. Yes, our personal trainer, Mark, did actually call me just moments before Wolfie's birth. No, I did not answer.
3. Yes, Wolfie was born with hair. But sadly no, not enough to make him either a real wolfman or a wookie.
2. Wolfie's first surgery, the Norwood procedure including the (Sano shunt) is tentatively scheduled for Monday, March 21, 2011.
1. Yes, at this point Wolfie is as healthy as he can be given his heart condition. As are we with ours.
YES!! I'm so happy for you guys. Jerry is a great name, and Samuel in EOE rocks, but Wolfie may be the best nickname ever!
ReplyDeleteThanks for answering all the burning questions. I'll relay all the information to Karianne. Go Wolfie go!
1. you guys have a trainer? i' m impressed. or is this the lamaze coach?
ReplyDelete2. samuel hamilton, great, great character! and like i told kristin yesterday, very much like the samuel in the bible! ps: east of eden is by far my favorite steinbeck novel. tell kristin that ms. fite just ruined the grapes of wrath for everyone...she actually ruined every book we read under her tutelage.
3. here is really the most important thing i have to say: wolfie IS REALLY cute! beautiful!
xoxoxo
re: #7 -- did I really just click through to mister T.? really?
ReplyDeleteomg, re: mark. just clicked through to that...wow. those must be some hellish workouts...
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping us updated...we are praying praying praying for you all. Jason, I'm impressed with your quick expertise in blogging! I especially enjoyed the link to Mr. T :) A perfect description.
ReplyDeleteJason--I love your writing. How you manage to be so clever under the circumstances testifies to your mental strength. Humor is therapeutic--a great tension reliever.
ReplyDeleteCheers to all of you. I think about the three of you constantly, and all night I dreamed of darling little Samuel. Here's hoping for the best....
I am so relieved to see that Samuel is doing well. You all will continue to be in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteSo thankful he's here, and so glad we don't have to repeat Monday. :) Am enjoying every moment of this beautiful story and feeling confident in the power of prayer to bring about incredible miracles. Stay strong, you three!
ReplyDeleteÉtude Réaliste
ReplyDeleteBY ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE
(excerpt)
I
A baby's feet, like sea-shells pink,
Might tempt, should heaven see meet,
An angel's lips to kiss, we think,
A baby's feet.
Like rose-hued sea-flowers toward the heat
They stretch and spread and wink
Their ten soft buds that part and meet.
No flower-bells that expand and shrink
Gleam half so heavenly sweet
As shine on life's untrodden brink
A Baby's feet.
II
A baby's hands, like rosebuds furled
Whence yet no leaf expands,
Ope if you touch, though close upcurled,
A baby's hands.
Then, fast as warriors grip their brands
When battle's bolt is hurled,
They close, clenched hard like tightening bands.
No rosebuds yet by dawn impearled
Match, even in loveliest lands,
The sweetest flowers in all the world—
A baby's hands.
Thinking and praying for you little man! You can do this. We will be thinking of you often and checking in.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Sarah Hammitt
(Bowens mom)
I am sending you blessings from a stranger in person, but no stranger to HLHS. Here is my gift to you today - words that I would loved to hear almost 22 years ago this July 14! My son Ryan was born with his heart and all of his vital organs in backwards - July 14, 1989. He was a miracle then and we will be blowing out 22 candles pretty soon!!! When he was born, Dr. Norwood was our surgeon. The man recreated and replumbed Ryan's heart because he had morw issues than just an small left ventricle that did not work. He has a huge hole between his ventricles that cannot be closed ... aside from being learning delayed a bit, having some memory issues and very, very skinny 6 foot 4" young man, he is thriving! Senior class president. All A's ... in college now. All A's. Dean's List. Just a wonderful, well loved young man and an inspiration. I have been where you are and it was a scary, lonely time. Put your faith in God. Let it go. If you ever want to talk, you can call me Marie Louise Ludwig 484-678-2842. God bless you all. Ryan has not been blue a day in his life! Aside from girl issue blues :) XX00
ReplyDeleteBTW, I think my Landon looks a lot like a wookie!
ReplyDeleteMay God bless and keep your son as you go through each surgery. Wolfie is beautiful--and I think the name should stick. For good.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I found your blog through bowen hammitts website. My son, shaun, also has HLHS. He is now 11 months old and has 2 of the 3 surgeries behind him. He is doing awesome and is such a little blessing. I just wanted to stop by and say HI and give you our caringbridge page www.caringbridge.org/visit/shaunweiss
ReplyDeleteI know when we were starting this journey reading about other kiddos that were doing well really gave us lots of hope! We will be praying for your little guy. There is hope, just continue to have faith!
The weiss family from Indianapolis, IN
We will be praying for you and Wolfie - we are friends with the Hammitt family and have been praying for them and little Bowen for several months. God is Faithful and we are asking for Wolfie's healing. Stay strong in Him.
ReplyDeleteTotal stranger in Oklahoma- Just letting you know I am saying I'm shouting Wolfie's name out to God right now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the updates. I hope to stop by the hospital on Sunday. Jason, I didn't know you had secret blogging skills. Some of the links are hilarious...signs of the awesome attitudes of two very loving parents and one lucky kid.
ReplyDelete