Countdown: 3 days

He woke from his afternoon nap yesterday around 3:45 pm, and was very blue again. The Pulse Ox gave readings of 67-70, so I started him on oxygen for about 12 minutes and was able to stablized him at 73. Good news is, the rest of the evening he did well. He slept with the Pulse Ox on for three hours during the night and readings were 76-ish. His oxygen level is all over the place, but he's super active and growing - so we're told it's to be expected this late in the game. They want us to use the oxygen during these necessary times to preserve his brain cells as best as we can.

I heard Jarrett was quite the 'three year old' during the Ringbearer/Flowergirl procession last night. Good thing I wasn't there, I'd probably have been very embarrassed. If anyone has any pictures I'd love to see them and possibly post a few of them here.

We'd like to take a moment now to thank all the people who have completely understood the importance of keeping BOTH of our kids healthy and well in the months, weeks and days leading up to this surgery. The precautions we are forced to take aren't our bright and wise ideas; it's those ultimately set by his health care team at Children's Mercy Hospital. As much as we'd like to be able to go to family functions 'as a family' or go on especially fun outings and vacations 'as a family' we are constantly reminded of the horrible things that can happen should one of us get sick... and quite frankly, it's a risk that we aren't willing to take. Trust me, it's a daily conversation in our home.

We wish, just as much as others, that our circumstances were a tad bit different in the weeks preceding Scott & Sarah's wedding; but they weren't, so we mustn't dwell on the 'what could have beens...' Instead we must be happy about the days and years ahead of us, all the while remembering the hardships and sacrifices we've made to get Tyler as far as he is now. That is what we ultimately want everyone to know. The doctors tell us our lives will change dramatically after Ty is completely healed from this second surgery. We'll be able to finally start doing things 'more often' as a family - under much less strict guidelines set forth by his health care team. But just as any family living with a CHD child, we'll be the ones, nonetheless, still using close judgement during the 'sick season'.