Tyler's Heart Surgeries

This whole ordeal started with a follow up echo about 10 days ago.
We had been following a pericardial effusion (fluid build up around the heart) on Tyler
since November. This day instead of heading back to school (like we have after every echo for the past two months) Dr. Mart decided that Tyler needed to stay for surgery, a pericardialsinthesis, where a surgeon would tap the fluid and remove it. The large amount of fluid was causing Tyler's heart to not function properly.

Tyler was so cooperative and positive.
Tyler and Thomas had so much fun playing video games
as we waited for the procedure.

Tyler is being wheeled into the procedure. Sweet Thomas held his hand the whole way and never left his side.

For two days after the procedure Tyler was in so much pain that all he did was sleep. He wouldn't talk, or even eat. It was his chest tube that was so painful.
We all sat with him so when he did wake up we would be together as a family.

They left in a chest tube to make sure all of the fluid that was around Tyler's heart was completely gone. You can see the fluid draining here.

Once the tube was pulled, he felt so much better!

We had several days of watching and waiting to see if the fluid would return.
Tyler and Thomas really made the most of those days and we all just PLAYED!!!

I took Thomas out of school a couple of days that week just so he could play with his brother.
It was so fun to watch their relationship grow. Instead of the bickering that I often hear between the two of them, they really appreciated being together as friends.
That was joyous to my heart!!

After daily echo's we watched as Tyler's heart started accumulating more and more fluid.
It was decided that Tyler would go in for a second surgery to put in a Pericardial window (a more permanent solution to the fluid accumulation) on March 18th 2010...
Thomas' 6th birthday.

Thomas was so sweet about the whole situation. He said that he wanted to be there with Tyler for the second surgery too. So, early on the morning of the 18th, before they took Tyler to the OR we had a small birthday party in Tyler's hospital room. We sang and opened presents and had so much fun together. It was a great way to keep us all distracted from the nerves of the looming surgery.
This is a card that Tyler made for Thomas. It had an adorable note to his brother and then he cut out pictures from a magazine of all the things that the two of them like to do together.

Tyler and I cuddle before the goes into the OR.

We were all faced with some pretty serious situations this week
and I could not be more proud of how well these two little boys handled them.
Their strength and peace during hard times inspires me.

After surgery, Tyler was in the ICU.
You can see where they cracked open his chest (the tan bandage) and the two tubes right below it that are draining his heart.
The surgery was a success and Tyler's heart is safe now.
Tyler is now out of the ICU and on the Surgical floor recovering. He had his chest tubes in for three days, and was excited when they took them out this morning.
If all goes well, after 10 days we will be going home tomorrow!!!!