At the cardiologist appointment Jack had an ultrasound done on his heart. That was when it was discovered... he had a Congenital Heart Defect called Tetralogy of Fallot. And the only way to fix it was with Open Heart Surgery. We noticed everytime Jack got upset he would start turning blue also know as Cyanosis which is another sign of a heart defect.
At 5 months old Jack had the surgery to fix his heart. The surgeons had to cut away at muscle and patch up the hole, all the while he was on life support and heart by-pass. I must admit I had to 'switch off' when the surgery was happening otherwise I would've lost the plot thinking about it all. The surgery took approximately 5 hours and Jack had to be in the ICU for 3 days and stayed in hospital all up for a week. Jack recovered so well, but we wtill had to be very careful when picking him up as his rib bones had to heal after they were broken open to operate on.
It all seems like a dream even now (or should I say a nightmare?), but I have a lot of photos to prove it did happen...
Jack and I about an hour or so before the surgery... nervous much?!?
Jack as I first saw him after the OHS. He was pale and on life support. I was in shock.
Daddy cleaning his eyes, keeping them moist. We also had to do his 'mouth care'. You just don't think about these necessities until you're in this situation.
One of the wonderful ICU nurses took this shot. Yes people hubby and myself are smiling... we really are that fricking chipper lol
Jack had his own pacemaker...
My first cuddle with Jack after OHS
Jack slowly waking up after 3 days. Damn he's a cutie
"Mummy!! I'm all better now!!"
Jack's "Heart Beads". All children with a CHD who undergo OHS receive beads throughout their stay at the Children's Hospital, each bead representing something significant in their stay. It makes for a rocking cool necklace!
