Hangin With Cooper

Almost Outta Here (Updated 12 pm)

2010-06-17T12:02:00.001-05:00

Everything is going great since surgery. Cooper has eaten (they gave him some pedialite) and is taking a nap on momma as I update this.

We're going to be discharged in the next 30 minutes. Will be good to get back to the casa.

Surgery Complete (Updated 10 am)

2010-06-17T10:08:00.000-05:00

The surgeon just came out to let us know everything went fine. The anesthesiologist is waking him up now, and as I'm typing this Supermom is heading into the recovery room to see him.

So far so good from Christus Santa Rosa hospital in San Antonio. More later...

The Morning of Surgery (Updated 8:45 am)

2010-06-17T08:57:00.000-05:00

We were instructed to arrive at the hospital bright-and-early at 6 am, and were in the waiting area right on time. Unfortunately it was hurry up and wait for Cooper, and we sat for a half hour before getting checked in. From there things progressed, and the nice nurses fitted him with this cute little hospital gown, complete with an exposed rear end. Not such a big deal for a baby wearing a diaper, but it does let a draft through the back door.

From there we went to the pre-op waiting room and met with the surgeon. A different group of nurses gave him a syringe full of goofy juice to calm his nerves. After about five minutes he started to giggle at everything, and his eyes were half open. This kid was STONED! And it was hilarious.

From there they whisked him back to the operating room. We've been in the waiting room for about an hour now, and they said it would be another 90 minutes or so before we get to see him. There hasn't been an update from the surgeon (yet), but he told us we wouldn't hear much unless there was a complication. So no news is good news.

Surgery, Again

2010-06-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

When Cooper was diagnosed with his congenital heart defect, we were informed that the course of treatment would include a major surgery. And we had prepared ourselves as much as we could for that inevitable day. Thanks to the surgeons, nurses and specialty doctors that have looked after him before, during, and following the surgery he's happy and healthy.

Which brings me to the subject of this blog post. In addition to his heart defect, Cooper arrived with something the doctor referred to as a "hypospadias". As a male member of the human race, I will dance around this subject matter like Kevin Bacon in Footloose. Let me put it this way...there is a condition, which needs to be repaired surgically, and the area affected is below his waist and above the thigh.

Technically speaking a hypospadias is a somewhat common defect in which the opening of the urethra is on the underside, rather than the end, of his, um, package. Not to make light of the situation, because we are talking about surgery here, but it's a "sensitive" subject and I don't really want to go into much more detail.

The good news is the urologist believes that barring any crazy complications this will be the only surgical procedure required to make the repair. But it's still surgery, and they're still going to put him under (there's always a risk), but when put in context with a major heart procedure it doesn't seem to stress me out quite as much. It feels so heartless when I say that, but the anxiety I feel today is much different that what I felt a day before his heart surgery.

Anyway, tomorrow is the big day. We leave for the hospital very early in the morning, and if all goes well we'll be home sometime tomorrow night. I'll post an update here when I can. If you feel so inclined, a little prayer for Cooper would be very much appreciated.

Splish-Splash

2010-06-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

The little man is quite fond of playing around in the water. Last weekend his paw-paw had a little birthday celebration, and we headed over to cousin *Walton & *Paddy's house for some splashing around in their pool. (*Names have been changed to protect the innocent)

While Supermom lounged around trying to get some sun, yours truly was in charge of keeping him occupied and happy while also preventing a full-scale freak out. It took him a little while to warm up to the flurry of activity in the pool (splashing, shrieking, etc.) but once he did it was super-happy-fun time.

Cooper also loves bath time. Around two months ago he outgrew the small plastic tub we had been using for bathing. Now he's in the big bathtub, and there's plenty of room for him to move around, splash, and frolic like a seal at SeaWorld. Last week he also learned the hard, cold truth that humans, unlike fish, cannot inhale water. The little guy was on his tummy causing a commotion when he felt the need to rest his head on the bottom of the tub. There was also two inches of water in the tub at the same time. The shock and horror on his face was priceless, and I don't think it is much of a surprise that bath time was over at that point.

Father's Day is this weekend, and because it's my first I'm going to be releasing my favorite father-related songs and movies later this week. I hope momma, errr...Cooper got his dad something extra special.

Time to Finish Baby Proofing the House

2010-06-08T08:07:00.000-05:00

Success!!! After threatening to get up and go for the last two weeks, Cooper decided it wasn't that big of a deal to start crawling. He's been quite capable, and has the reverse gear figured out. He's also pretty good at going from his tummy to sitting, and vice-versa.

Just before dinner time he was playing on the floor of our living room. Cubby is a big fan of electronics, and has three (3!) old cell phones he likes to play with. I recently upgraded my blackberry, and have to charge the old one every few days because he really likes when the phone lights up. But there's nothing quite like mom or dad's actual working cell phone. So I used it for some extra motivation, and well, the results are below for you to enjoy.

This morning Supermom had left for the office, and I was hanging around until it was time to take him to daycare. (Side note...our new daycare provider is awesome. He has plenty of other kids to play with, and they all love him.)

I like to read him books in the morning, and we started our ritual...until he caught site of his exersaucer. He shoved his books aside, got on his hands and knees, and proceeded to crawl across the room. The days of leaving him unattended and playing with toys are over. God help us.

Gimme a Head with Hair

2010-06-01T14:32:00.000-05:00

Long, beautiful hair.
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen;
Give me down to there, hair!

Our son was born with little-to-no hair on his head, and what he did have at birth was long-gone within a week or two. Without revealing any other odd personal hygiene rituals, Supermom and I have settled into a bath routine that involves a full-scale wash every other day. For days that don't include submersion, mommy uses a wash cloth for a quick rubdown. And lotion. Lots of lotion.

What does this have to do with hair? Plenty. When Cooper gets a bath you can't help but notice how long, thick and dark his hair is getting. It's even more apparent when you try to dry his cranium. We've been forced to use a thicker towel just because that's a lot of water to try and mop up.

Not only is it getting thick, but his hair is also getting long. Just the other night Supermom decided to style it into the cutest little baby mohawk you have ever seen.

This picture reminded me of a conversation at the dinner table. One of Supermom's co-workers asked the other day if Cooper is ever in a bad mood. She asked because the photos we share always show him smiling. The simple answer is yes, he has his moments...but, they are very rare. What you see in the photos is pretty much his mood all the time.

They Sure Keep You Busy...

2010-05-27T11:27:00.006-05:00

If you're upset with me, take it up with the little man. But don't let his cuteness factor fool you. He fights dirty.

I am ready to face the music. My last post (three months ago, give or take a few days) promised to be a two-part, can't-miss event along the lines of a television series finale. And then we changed daycare providers, and then Cooper got sick, and then I had to go out of town, and then, and then, and then..........

Today I have re-committed myself to updating regularly. When I last wrote we were down to the wire in finding a new location for Cooper's childcare needs. Since that time we've moved (again), and are now on our third provider in five months. Needless to say we hope this one works out, and so far she has.

We're just over a week away from Cooper's odometer rolling over to ten months. When you talk with other parents they always say things like "the time goes by so fast, I can't believe how quickly they grow up, etc." And when you become a parent for the first time it finally hits home. He's growing like a weed, and we can't stop it.

If you saw him eat, you'd understand. The boy is a combination of the Tasmanian Devil, a Shop-Vac and a drunken college student. What I mean to say is he eats quickly, he eats everything, and he eats whatever he can get his hands on. Recently I commented on my Facebook page that he'd eaten a combination of baby food (chicken and rice), some cheese, a few Goldfish crackers, a handful of Cheerios, oatmeal cereal, and polished it off with a vanilla wafer.

As far as mobility the little man is fully capable of crawling, but doesn't feel the need to get moving. He's the baby equivalent of a pencil compass. If you went to elementary school in the 1980s (before they were considered a weapon) you probably remember these.

Imagine Cooper's pelvis is the stationary (green) piece of the compass. And his chest/arms are the pencil. When on his tummy, he can spin in either direction but refuses to get up and get going. But he will get up on his knees and rock forward and back, so the fuse is lit. He'll be crawling in no time, and that's when things really get interesting.

There is plenty of other material to discuss, and I'm going to be more diligent about updating those of you patient enough to stand by for updates.

Seven Months...Already

2010-03-08T15:09:00.006-06:00

Would you mind watching our handsome little man? We're desperate!!!

Time sure does fly when you become a parent. It seems like yesterday I was shocked to hear the doctor tell Supermom her blood pressure was too high, and asking "are you ready to have this baby today?"

Cooper's odometer rolled seven months last Friday (March 5th). When I look back at all we've been through, all he's learned, and the new things he does on a daily basis it really is the "golden" time in his baby development. At least that's how the the parenting manual "What to Expect the First Year" describes this stage. While the experience may differ for many parents, I can't disagree that being the parent of a child at this stage is one of the most remarkable things I've ever witnessed.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for the little man he looks more and more like me every day. I did a little comparison of six-month photos, side-by-side, and the results are pretty overwhelming. See below.

The biggest stress for working parents is finding quality childcare. This process is torture, agony, and frustration all rolled into one giant ulcer. Supermom and I looked for weeks leading up to her return to the workforce. After an exhaustive search we finally found someone we liked; a stay-at-home mom, a military family with just a couple of other children and really close to our house. For a few weeks everything seemed to be going very well. Cooper was happy, I was able to drop in at lunch and spend a few minutes with the little man, and the other children weren't mauling him. All in all, two thumbs up.

That was until our childcare provider was offered a full-time job and decided it was time to go back to work. Less than six weeks after we thought we had found a great fit, we were looking once again. The State of Texas Child Protective Services has a website listing all certified and registered day cares, and this seemed like a good resource for the next search. And it is. Within a few days we were interviewing daycare providers, and Supermom found one a few blocks from our house. We scheduled a visit, and really liked the layout of her daycare (which was in her home). After visiting for a few minutes she told us another family had visited the night before, and paid a deposit for the only remaining space.

Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Back to the website, and many more options. Being the middle of the spring semester, most (but not all) daycares have no available space. But we found one that could take him, which meant another interview visit. Supermom didn't get a good "vibe" during our meeting, but we were a week from getting booted at daycare #1. What to do? Stay tuned.

A Long Time Coming

2010-02-11T09:32:00.008-06:00

Last Friday (Feb. 5) was quite the milestone for Cooper as his odometer officially passed 6 months. It's staggering to think about all that has transpired since his birth, and how time has flown by in the few months he has been with us. It was only eight weeks ago that the little man was in the hospital for heart surgery, and the recovery is astonishing.

Based on his development since the procedure, you would never guess he had gone through a major procedure so recently. In no particular order he has rolled over (from tummy to back), started on solid foods (cereal and veggies), sleeps like a regular person (9-10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), recognizes the sound of our voice, has mastered the art of shoving things in his mouth, and discovered how much fun it is to play with his feet.

The only adjustment for Supermom and I was modifying how we picked him up. The doctors wanted to make sure his sternum was fully healed, and that meant "scooping" him under the back rather than under his arms. But the 6-8 week recovery window has come and gone, so we're back to tossing him around like a sack of taters.

Supermom had taken an extra three months off from work to make sure he was healthy before and after the surgery. Toward the end of January she went back to work, which meant we had to find a place for him to stay during the work week. Luckily we found a babysitter that is relatively close to the house, and he seems to have adjusted very well to the new environment. The best part is because my office is so close to the house, I can drop by to see him every day at lunch.

Cooper is also quite the ham. Supermom caught him laughing at Nana last month, and the video I've posted below is only a couple minutes of what turned out to be a five-minute laugh attack. Please enjoy.

We're Home!!! (Updated 2:45 p.m.)

2009-12-19T14:47:00.003-06:00

No photo, and I won't bother to go into much detail right now, but the great news is that we are home. Dr. Calhoon, one of Cooper's surgeons, came by to check on his progress around 9 a.m. this morning. We were on the way home at 10:30 a.m.

Mom, Dad, and Cubby are finally back in our own crib. It feels really good. Supermom and I were talking in the car about the last year in our lives. It was exactly one year ago today that we found out Cooper was on the way. It's been quite a year.

Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. If you're traveling this week to be with loved ones please remember to buckle up and travel safe. Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

He Peed...And Smiled (Updated Friday, 11:30 am)

2009-12-18T10:18:00.004-06:00

Supermom, a rocking chair, and Cubby bear in her lap. Things are slowly returning to normal.

We suspected that the first night after Cooper transferred to Intermediate care might be a little difficult. Not necessarily because his condition could or would worsen, but only because we wouldn't receive the immediate attention we had grown accustomed to in the P-ICU area. Let me explain.

The P-ICU layout provides a nurse stationed outside a pair of rooms (no more than two) with computers constantly monitoring vital signs. If an alarm sounds, they're very quick to react. Alarms can also sound for reasons that aren't critical. For example, there are sensors connected to Cubby to monitor his heart rate and breathing rate. If he starts thrashing around, this can throw off the sensors and sound an alarm.

Intermediate care doesn't provide for this type of monitoring, and the layout is much like any hospital floor one might encounter. A central nursing station, hallways in either direction. This doesn't mean that you're on your own, but it is a little less big-brotherly.

Because we suspected the night could become difficult for only one of us to handle, we agreed that we would both stay at the hospital. There is really one issue, and that is all of the wires connected to Cooper to monitor his vital signs. It is a bit of a challenge to move and position him for feedings, to hold, etc. As it turned out, the night wasn't so bad. Cooper slept quite a bit, and so did Supermom and yours truly.

A couple of things did happen that were great signs of his recovery. The first...he peed. Because of the drug cocktail he has been taking (and the catheter) he wasn't producing as much urine as they had hoped. They even had to re-insert the catheter before moving him from the P-ICU to the Intermediate area. Dad was in the room when it was inserted, and speaking for all men everywhere I just wanted to cry. Anyway, at some point late in the night/early in the morning Supermom was changing his diaper. Let's just say his bowels are returning to normal. Anyway, she put a little pressure in just the right spot and Old Faithful was a-flowin'. This was a good thing. I've never been so excited to see a baby pee all over himself.

The second sign came around 4 a.m. or so. I don't remember the exact time, because no human being functions very well at that hour. The overnight nurse had just finished recording his vital signs and he was awake. As were Supermom and dad. I remember going over to the bed and looking down to gauge his mood. And that's when he smiled at me. Not just a slight grin, but a full-gum, ear-to-ear smile. I called Supermom over to verify that I wasn't seeing things, and she agreed it was indeed a smile. This was a VERY good thing.

Things continue to progress very well. We might be able to go home tomorrow (Saturday), but his doctors will visit again tomorrow morning to make that determination.

Moving Day (Updated 4 p.m. Thursday)

2009-12-17T15:50:00.000-06:00

Cubby is recovering well. He's also sleeping a lot, which makes dad a little jealous.

Good news. We've moved from the Pediatric ICU to the Intermediate care wing on the seventh floor. This is a big development in his recovery, and means that he's stable and on the road toward discharge from the hospital. We hope this may happen Saturday or Sunday. Saturday also just happens to be dad's birthday, and the only gift I'd like to receive is my healthy son in my home. Dad misses his Cubby bear, it hasn't been the same around the house the last two nights.

As an aside, Supermom stayed with him in the P-ICU room last night. I was tossing and turning in our bed, and realized that I couldn't sleep without the constant hummmmmm of the baby monitor. So I went in his room, flipped on the monitor, and went back to bed with silence coming from the receiver. It wasn't normal, but it was as close to normal as I could get at the time. And it worked.

His home for the next couple of days is next door to the room where we were taken the day before surgery. I can't help but think about everything that has happened in just the last week. Exactly seven days ago we were in the surgical clinic going over the procedure with the talented men that would be operating on our son. Three days ago we were being admitted into the hospital for open heart surgery on our son. Today we're in recovery and he appears to be himself more and more as the hours go by.

The Lord works in mysterious ways, indeed.

I can't even begin to thank our friends and family that have been so generous with their time, their prayers and well-wishes, and concern for our son. Many of those friends and family only know him through pictures, e-mail, and this blog. We look forward to a day very soon where he will get to meet (and thank) you all.

Progress...(Updated 12:15 p.m. Thursday)

2009-12-17T12:02:00.000-06:00

I'd like to thank the rain and traffic in San Antonio for the long commute to the hospital this morning. Never have I wanted to go "NASCAR" and ram someone into a concrete barrier more than my drive in this morning.

Cooper has had a good morning so far. When I first arrived it was time to feed him, and I finally got to hold him. It was a little challenging with the wires and monitors still attached to him, but it still felt normal to hold him again. I also got to feed him a bottle, and he ate a little slower than normal but he still sucked down all four ounces.

The little guy had two IVs removed last night, and the catheter early this morning. After surgery they inserted a couple of "pacer" wires into his chest that help bring the heart to a normal rhythm if anything goes out of sync. Thankfully that didn't happen with Cooper, and the pacer wires were removed around 10:30 a.m. Cooper's surgeon (Dr. Husain) came by and said everything was looking great. They've also taken him off his regulatory IV medicines, and he's receiving pain medication by mouth.

Most likely we'll be moving to Intermediate care sometime later this afternoon. There are a couple of tubes used to drain any blood that tends to pool around the heart, and we've been told those might also be removed this afternoon as well.

His recovery is going well so far, and we're relieved that he is responding as well as he is. Supermom and I just had a crash course in CPR, which was precautionary and hopefully we'll never have to use it.

The hospital staff (doctors, nurses, and everyone I haven't named specifically) has been tremendous throughout our stay. I'll post a couple of pictures later today, but he looks better every hour. We're very grateful.

Post Op: Day 1

2009-12-17T06:53:00.001-06:00

Lots of machines, lots of beeping.

I'm sitting at the house as I update the blog this morning. I'll be heading back to the hospital in a few minutes and wanted to provide an update. Supermom and I are alternating our stays at the hospital to every other night. The bed in Cooper's P-ICU room isn't quite big enough (or comfortable enough) for two people, and the hospital really prefers that only one parent stays overnight with their patients.

Yesterday included a lot of waiting around. Supermom and I managed to get some much-needed rest Tuesday night, and we both felt (and I looked) better. Neither one of us got much sleep Monday night, and Tuesday was quite exhausting.

Cooper was resting in his room and still hooked up to the ventilator. The plan was to remove the breathing tube at some point, but they needed him to be awake and alert so that he wouldn't relax and forget to breathe. The only issue seemed to be that he just wanted to rest, and the anesthesia was taking its sweet time working through his system. The anesthesiologist said that everyone responds to the medicine differently, so "waking up" really depended on each person and that every case was different.

Our son was being a little difficult in that he tended to thrash around because he was tired of laying in the bed. This had prompted the nurses to tie him down in the bed. They wanted to prevent any lines to be yanked out as he tossed and turned.

So we waited...and waited...and waited some more. Around 4 p.m. they determined he was awake and alert and removed the breathing tube. He is an overachiever like his momma, and is doing just fine breathing on his own. This is also a sign that other tubes and IVs could be removed, but that will be determined by the doctors throughout the day Thursday.

Supermom called around 9 p.m. last night and informed me that she was able to feed Cooper a little (much easier now that the tube is gone). And she got to hold him. I'll admit, I was jealous, and can't wait to get back up there to see (and hold) him this morning.

More later...

Day One-Recap

2009-12-15T20:06:00.000-06:00

I'm going to try and summarize everything that happened today. First and foremost I want to thank everyone for their words of encouragement. Supermom and I were very touched by the outpouring of support from friends and family. For those who know me, I rarely have any difficulty verbalizing the thoughts and ramblings that rattle around in my brain. In this instance I'm not really sure what to say except "Thanks."

Cooper is resting comfortably at the hospital tonight. Supermom and I are at home trying to get some rest. San Antonio is renowned for the quality of medical care available, and I've learned this first-hand. The doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other medical professionals associated with the University of Texas Health Science Center and Christus-Santa Rosa hospital are first-class and have taken great care of Cooper.

The procedure went as well as we could have hoped. The repair to his ventricle was complete and successful. He's stable and will be in the P-ICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) for the next couple of days. He'll remain on a ventilator through tonight, and if all goes well in the morning he'll be breathing on his own.

Supermom and I were able to see him after he was transferred to the P-ICU this afternoon. I expected the worst but was surprised to see him look as normal as he did. He's hooked up to all sorts of machines and monitoring equipment, which as a parent sends your stomach up into your throat. But the nurses tell us he's responding very well to the medicines.

We'll be up early and at the hospital to see him tomorrow. We're hoping that once the doctors get to their daily "rounds" that they will give the go-ahead to have him removed from the ventilator and breathing on his own. If he's breathing without assistance and his blood pressure remains stable, there is a chance he could be transferred to intermediate care by Thursday.

Again, thank you to everyone for their well-wishes and prayers for the little man. He's tough like his momma. More tomorrow, I'm off to get some rest.

Closing Up (12:15 pm)

2009-12-15T12:14:00.000-06:00

Pay no attention to the time stamp for these posts. The actual update time is in the title of each post. Anyway, the surgical team is closing him up. He should be out by 1 pm and into recovery. Thank you to everyone that has kept our family in your prayers.

Surgery Update (9:45 a.m.)

2009-12-15T11:45:00.000-06:00

The surgeons took a little longer to get started this morning than we had been told. It's 9:45 a.m. and they have yet to start the procedure. They took him back to prep for the surgery around 8:15, so we're waiting to hear when they will actually begin the process.

More later...mom and dad are doing okay (so far.)

Update (11:30 am)

2009-12-15T11:32:00.000-06:00

The surgeons just told us that the repair is almost complete and that Cooper is stable. They should be finishing up very soon.

Update (10:45 am)

2009-12-15T10:48:00.000-06:00

The surgery is progressing well. Just heard that Cooper is hooked up to the heart/lung bypass machine and the surgeons are getting to the actual repair. More later. Supermom is doing well so far...plenty of family here for support.

Update (10:05 am)

2009-12-15T10:06:00.000-06:00

Just heard from the surgical team. They started the procedure a few minutes ago. If all goes well it should be three hours to handle the repair.

Update from Surgery (9:50 a.m.)

2009-12-15T09:52:00.001-06:00

The surgeons took a little longer to get started this morning than we had originally expected. It's 9:50 a.m. and they have yet to start the procedure. They took him back to prep for the surgery around 8:15, so we're waiting to hear when they will actually begin the process. More later...mom and dad are doing okay (so far.)

In Good Hands

2009-12-14T19:50:00.000-06:00

Cubby and Supermom after the nurses hooked up his IV. It was not a pleasant experience, especially for dad.

Thanks to everyone that has passed along a kind word via e-mail, text, phone call, or leaving a posting on Facebook. We all appreciate it very much. This has been a very long day, and most of our day in the hospital has been administrative. The nurses did fill us in on the procedure, and we were shown all of the tubes (and corresponding locations) that will be inserted into Cooper over the course of the next few days.

He did sit still for his first x-ray image, and has been picked at, poked, tickled, cuddled, and held by almost every nurse in the building. He doesn't seem to mind the nurses.

Only one of us was able to accompany Cooper when he had his IV inserted. The hospital tries not to perform anything "painful" in the same room where the children spend most of their time. And they only allow one parent in the room at a time. So dad had to try and calm him when the nurses were inserting his IV.

Supermom was in our room and heard him screaming...thankfully that will be the last time they have to insert any needles without first giving him something for the pain. You'll notice the "cast" looking contraption in the picture above. That's supposed to keep Cooper from pulling out the IV tube. He's already tried to shove it in his mouth. We'll see if it holds out.

It's going to be an early day tomorrow, but we are on schedule for a 7:30 start to the process. I hope to have some sort of update in the early afternoon.

It Takes Your Breath Away

2009-12-13T20:53:00.000-06:00

There are some days you dread as a parent. Immunizations at the pediatrician's office, the first time your child gets sick, or when they bash into the coffee table. You try your best to patch them up, give them a kiss on the forehead and send them back to do it all over again. And there are things that you can't handle without some help, for those occasions we call in experts.

When Cubby was born the pediatrician on call discovered a heart murmur. The standard of care is to consult with a pediatric cardiologist. Nine times out of ten the murmur is considered "normal", and is defined as an unusal sound heard during the beating of the heart. In Cubby's case it isn't such a normal murmur.

I don't remember what the cardiologist told us that day, the only thing I heard was "surgery" and my heart stopped. Since then I've become well-versed on Cooper's condition, which is known as Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF or TET). I would try to explain it, but this is the internet and why not just copy and paste? Below is what I found on a few websites:

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common congenital heart defect causing cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of skin caused by oxygen-poor blood reaching the general circulation. An embryologic failure of the right ventricular outflow tract to form properly results in the four cardiac abnormalities characteristic of TOF:

(1) Ventricular septal defect (VSD): An abnormal opening between the two lower chambers of the heart

(2) Pulmonic stenosis (PS): A narrowed area within the main pulmonary artery, at, above or below the pulmonary valve

(3) Malpositioned aorta: The entrance to the aorta overrides the VSD

(4) Ventricular hypertrophy: An overly muscular right ventricle

In the normal heart, oxygen-poor blood returns to the right side of the heart where it is pumped to the lungs to be oxygenated. In TOF, the pulmonic stenosis increases the resistance to right ventricular outflow. This can cause elevation of right-sided heart pressures that may result in oxygen-poor blood being diverted across the VSD to the left ventricle and into the aorta (“right-to-left shunt”). When the aorta carries “mixed” blood to the general circulation, less oxygen is available to the tissues and cyanosis can result. Without surgical intervention, most patients with TOF will not survive past early adulthood.

Here's a diagram of what is happening in Cooper's heart:

What all of this means is that Cooper will be having surgery. It's scheduled for Tuesday morning, but we'll be checking him into the hospital Monday afternoon. I feel uneasy announcing this on the blog, but there is a lot to understand about what is happening and I knew that if I had to explain it over-and-over that eventually I wouldn't be able to explain it anymore.

I'll be using the blog to update his condition over the course of the next seven to ten days. The procedure will last 5-6 hours, and then he'll be in the intensive care unit to recover for two or three days. From there he'll be transferred to intermediate care for another two or three days. If all goes well, we hope to be back home with him in time for Christmas.

The good news is that the surgery team is very well-known and respected for this type of procedure, and his prognosis for recovery is positive. The surgeons and his cardiologist have informed us that should the surgery go well he'll develop normally. That means he can run, jump, play, bash into coffee tables and all of the other things that boys do as they grow up.

I'll be sure to provide updates as the surgery approaches, and of course his condition as we move ahead over the next few days.

If you believe in a higher power, and if you wouldn't mind, please say a little prayer for Cubby tonight or tomorrow.

Four Month Update

2009-12-11T15:14:00.000-06:00

"You humor me. Please continue the funny faces. That is all."

So much for keeping the blog up-to-date. I never really believed people that told me "once that baby arrives your free time ends." I guess I should listen a little better. I'm sure SuperMom agrees. Just under a week ago (Dec. 5) our little man's odometer rolled past four months. My how time flies when you're having fun.

They say this is the "Golden" age of a baby. They're starting to interact with mom/dad, they can hold up their head, they smile, they coo, and they are still immobile. I have to agree. We enjoy the benefits of a baby without the function of a toddler. Good times!! The past few weeks have really been a blur. Our handsome little man (photographic evidence above) has really started to develop a personality. He has favorite toys (lights + music), books (10 Little Ladybugs & Snuggle Puppy), and activities (bath time).

SuperMom has been phenomenal so far. She takes to motherhood like a duck to water. It's quite shocking to see her in action. She has a solution for every mood. She knows when he's hungry. She knows when he needs a diaper changed. She knows when he is tired, or if he needs a burp. I'm completely lost and just do what she says. Our marriage and relationship seem to benefit from this approach. I guess there is a lesson to be learned here.

There is one thing I seem to be good at...making him laugh. I discovered this new talent just a few days ago during an impromptu game of peek-a-boo. I was going to supply video evidence, but the clip is taking forever-and-a-day to upload. The game went on for quite some time until SuperMom whipped out the video camera. While Cubby is very outgoing, he tends to become shy once the camera is rolling. I will try to upload the video after the gremlins at Blogger stop disrupting the network.

Video...Long Overdue

2009-10-27T15:44:00.001-05:00

There has been a lot going on. I have lots of great stories to tell. I will (at risk of flogging) promise to update the blog more frequently.

Until then, enjoy a little video. Cubby is loud like his mommy.

Photographic Evidence

2009-09-09T09:11:00.000-05:00

In the last blog post I promised pictures to show just how much our little Cubby has grown over the last month. We took him in to the pediatrician yesterday, and our little bundle of joy now weighs 8 lbs 8 oz., which is a full three pounds over his birth weight. Needless to say, he eats well. Anyway, I thought I would post the pictures week-by-week. Enjoy.

As you can clearly see, the boy is growing like a weed. I've always heard parents say they grow up too fast; now I truly understand what that means.

Feed Me!!!

2009-09-04T10:11:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to everyone that voted in the poll. Most everyone agrees it was gas that caused Cubby to smile. My personal thanks to the two people that voted for the blog.

Let's talk about why I have decided to refer to my handsome little man as "Cubby" and why that nickname seems to really fit these days. It all started when SuperMom was still expecting. Whenever she would feel irritable and short-tempered, I always joked that she was starting to show some "mama bear" instincts. Maybe you've seen the nature shows where the bear cubs are playing and creating mischief, then the mama bear makes a noise or paws at them and they fall in line? I guess you could compare it to a slap upside the head.

I have no idea why that popped in my head, but it did, and when we were discussing nicknames I said I would call him "Cubby" because SuperMom = Mama Bear, and Cooper = Cubby Bear.

**I would like to dispel the rumor that I chose the nickname because I am a big fan of a certain baseball team in Chicago. It is purely coincidental.**

Last week SuperMom accompanied Cubby to the pulmonologist. Our pediatrician recommended RSV shots, and wanted us to take him in to get on the list. So we did. We're not sure why, and we plan to ask next week when we see the good Doctor. Anyway, the nurses weighed him and Cubby tipped the scales at 8 lbs 4 oz. He was born at 5 lbs. 8 oz. My little man is apparently a competitive eater. In case you are scoring at home, that's 2 lbs and 12 oz. gained in a little under a month. It might be average, but it sure seems like a lot.

You might be wondering what the video above has to do with this post. When Cubby eats, or wants to eat, he makes these little grunts, groans and growls. I joke with SuperMom that the Tiger Cub is hungry, because that what he sounds like---a Tiger/Lion cub.

Sometimes he doesn't want to wait and will try to eat his hands or anything else that comes close to his mouth. This includes his pacifier, my finger, or even SuperMom's lip (she was kissing him on the cheek the other day and he tried to eat her face).

My next post will be photos to show just how much he's grown in a month. He'll be 1/12 of a year old tomorrow, which happens to coincide with the first K-State football game of the year (and the return of a certain legendary head football coach to the sideline). He'll be wearing his purple, you can bet on that.

Fooled You!!!

2009-08-25T14:30:00.000-05:00

"Mommy, I see you snapping that picture with your cell phone. Now feel the thunder!"

One of the most special moments for a new parent is when your baby smiles at you for the first time. It has happened at various times for Supermom, various times for dad, and a few times when we were in the same room. I wondered if it was something I said, some crazy face I made, or maybe he was just thinking about all of the trouble he was about to cause. Whatever was triggering his smile, I wanted to repeat the behavior and see it again.

Then Supermom picked up a book titled "What to Expect the First Year" that she had been browsing through since the day we came home from the hospital. "The First Year" is a follow-up best-seller to "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Basically these books cover all aspects of pregnancy and the first year week-by-week. She wanted to see what the book had to say about smiling, and then she dropped this piece of knowledge on me.

"It says here that a smile this early means he has gas."

The last few blog entries have been all about my son's digestive system...in the front door and out the back. So I apologize in advance, but I'm going to tackle Cubby's mysterious and intriguing smile, and it may or may not involve his digestive system.

Because I'm lazy, and my office has a lightning fast high-speed internet connection, I logged on to Google and searched for "Why Babies Smile." You would not believe the amount of information that is out there. If you don't believe me, do it for yourself.

A couple of anecdotal comments from Yahoo! Answers seemed to confirm what the book says. My favorite was from someone with the screen name Denis9705 who says "Because they remember the one about the dog under the table." Kudos to you, Denis9705. I laughed out loud.

After more browsing the "gas relief" theory seemed to gather more momentum. Until I stumbled across a website called "JustTheFactsBaby." An entry dated 7/14/09 cited Dr. Daniel Messinger, an associate professor of psychology and pediatrics at the University of Miami. From the website:

Baby smiles at 0-1 months
Neonatal smiling occurs from birth to one month of age and shows no emotional content. Smiles are spontaneous and often occur while the baby is drowsy or during REM stages of sleep. Baby smiles are subcortical in origin and will actually decrease with maturity (so premature babies smile more than full-term babies). And, contrary to popular belief, baby smiles have nothing to do with gas.

Ah-Ha!!! So it's neither!

When it comes right down to it I'm still not convinced the gas theory isn't accurate. Especially considering my son seems to enjoy ripping a juicy fart so much.

I can't decide, and because I live in this beautiful democracy we call the United States, I'm going to throw it open to a vote. Cast your ballot in the poll.

Baby Fountain...

2009-08-20T08:21:00.000-05:00

What you see above is known as a "PeePee TeePee for the Wayward WeeWee". I'm not kidding, that's what it says on the packaging. It was a gift from one of Supermom's co-workers, and its function is very simple. When the diaper is off Cubby, you're in the firing line unless that little cap is covering him up. Up until a few days ago we never had to put it to use.

This particular diaper change started like any other. Cubby awoke and began to wiggle around. Then he started to grunt, groan and whimper. Then he let loose with a scream. It's not a sustained cry, but more like a short burst of disgust. This is a sign that his diaper needs to be changed; the boy has had enough of lying in his own filth. I would react the same way.

Supermom was in the other room, so daddy was back to the changing table with baby. Everything was proceeding as normal, and when I slipped the new diaper under Cubby's backside I turned to grab another wipe to finish the job. As I turned back I heard something that sounded like rain. Cubby was soaking the changing table, my shirt, and even hit the crib in a few places. I quickly folded the diaper over to stop the sprinkler, and busted out laughing. Supermom heard my guffaws from the other room and came quickly. Cubby-1, Daddy-0.

Because my office is so close to the house I have the luxury of going home every day for lunch. It's great to see my beautiful wife and my son during the middle of the work day. That next day the lunch hour arrived and I went home. The minute I walked inside Supermom began to recount her brush with the sprinkler earlier that morning. Apparently the circumstances were pretty much the same EXCEPT Cubby was pointed the other direction. He proceeded to soak the other side of the changing table, the glider/rocking chair, some of the carpet, and narrowly missed hitting mommy.

Our son apparently has the aim of a well-trained sniper. Every diaper change now includes the possibility of getting hosed. Supermom and I are now employing the PeePee TeePee whenever possible but it doesn't always work. If Cubby is wiggling around, the TeePee will not stay put. I found that out the hard way last night. Right after his pre-bedtime feeding (sometime around 9:30 p.m.) he dropped quite a load in his diaper. Supermom heard the grunts, felt the vibration, and prepared me for the worst. We agreed it was probably best if we tag teamed the diaper.

The changing was going well and the new diaper (with TeePee) was in position. Cubby kicked his legs, the TeePee fell off, and he let loose. I tried to get out of the way, exclaimed "You gotta be kidding me," and tried to block the stream. Supermom was laughing so hard she almost pulled out her stitches.

If the last few days are any indication, we might have our hands full.

Dirty Diapers, Dirty Towels, Dirty Dad

2009-08-18T13:53:00.000-05:00

"Yes, I DO feel better. Sorry for pooping on the towel."

I haven't been updating the blog nearly as much as I would have liked...I guess kids do tend to eat up a chunk of your free time. But it's all worthwhile, at least that's what I keep hearing. Just kidding, it's been a blast to this point. Of course Cooper pretty much eats/sleeps/loads diapers, so there isn't a lot of "parenting" and mostly "chaperoning".

My last blog entry promised an update on diaper changing in the middle of the night, as well as Cubby's first bath. I'll start with the diaper changing, because I tend to do that a little more frequently. In case you don't have children of your own, the "dirty" diapers when they are newborn look more like he/she has been consuming mustard. There are no "logs", there are no "baby ruths". And it is very easy to get this on you. Which I learned during a late-night changing session in Cubby's room. Keep in mind the changing room was mostly dark except for the small lamp on a dresser.

I was half-asleep when Supermom elbowed me in the ribs and said, "I just fed him 30 minutes ago...he probably needs his diaper changed." A good husband would have read between the lines and figured out that she meant she wasn't going to do it. I, however, am not that smart. The second elbow came flying about 30 seconds after the first when Supermom realized I hadn't figured out what she meant.

Since Cubby is bunking in our love nest until he's a little older, I scooped him out of the cradle and whisked him off to his room and the changing table. Cubby had loaded up a doozy for dear old dad, and I commenced to a-changin'. In my fury (and sleepiness) I wasn't quite as careful with the hand/wipe interaction as I am normally. Some of the GSR (gun shot residue) had found its way to the back of my right hand.

At this late hour I wasn't completely grossed out by it, nor did I really care to be honest. I took him back to his cradle, washed my hands, and went back to bed.

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A few days after Cubby came home from the hospital Supermom decided it was time for his first "bath". Actually it is more like a "wiping" because you use a wash cloth and some warm water. Anyway, one of the many baby shower gifts we received was a sponge in the shape of a turtle. Pretty cool, huh? Supermom put down a white towel over the sponge, I'm guessing to keep baby warm. The "wiping" was proceeding without a hitch, and Cubby even seemed to enjoy it a little.

When we removed the diaper and started cleaning his "manly" areas I heard the first indication that something was about to go down. Cubby is a lot like a thunderstorm--you hear the thunder before you see the lightning. In fact, this is how Supermom and I discuss whether he needs a fresh diaper.

"Was that thunder or lightning?"

"It sounded pretty wet, I'm guessing it was lightning."

Well, the thunder came and went. But just before Supermom slapped on a new diaper, Cubby let loose with just a little squirt of lightning. Have you ever dribbled a little mustard on a white shirt? How's that for a visual? The good news is that the stain has been removed from the towel. The memory will last a lifetime.

Settling In at Home

2009-08-12T08:31:00.001-05:00

It's been a wild few days at the ranch a.k.a. Casa Overocker. Cooper was ready to come home last Friday, Supermom wasn't able to go home until Saturday. So the Overocker family waited until momma bear was ready to come home, which we did Saturday afternoon. SuperGrandma(Supermom's mother) accompanied us and has been holding watch ever since. She's scheduled to go home today (Wednesday) but will find that to be somewhat difficult when I lock her in Cooper's room, prison-style.

NahNah (pronounced gnaw-gnaw) was a whirlwind the first few days. Because Cooper arrived a little early, we hadn't quite finished washing/drying/folding all his clothes. Do kids really need that many? Supernahnah sprung into action, washing/drying/folding in addition to cooking, cleaning, changing diapers with one hand, burping, rocking, solving quantum physics equations in between naps and offering a workable solution to health insurance reform. She seems to be holding up well.

Supermom is feeling much better, and that has this proud husband/father feeling a lot better. Because Cooper was delivered C-section, there was obviously a lot of soreness and swelling. But Supermom is a quick healer and can really tolerate pain, so she's improving quickly every day. I still have to remind her to take things slow, but she's listening (first time for everything) and seems to be well on the road to recovery.

If you care to read my thoughts on the little guy, feel free to read on. If not, I'd stop right here.

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I imagine most fathers feel the same way I did when Supermom was pregnant. She went through the body changes and hormones, she felt him when he kicked or turned, and I pretty much just tried to take care of her. I guess I was also taking care of him, but it's hard to feel that way when you don't get to experience the same things she does. So right up until the day we delivered I really didn't feel like I was part of the "process".

But all of that goes out the window when you see your child for the first time. So many emotions, and I'm totally shocked I didn't cry like the day they slapped my ass for the first time. He's already got me wrapped around his little finger. I can't wait to teach him to read books, play hide-and-seek, swing a baseball bat, rub the dogs' belly in just the right spot to get their leg kicking, and hug momma "super tight." It's gonna be a fun ride.

In the next installment, diaper changing in the middle of the night and Cooper's first bath. Thanks for reading.

Early Arrival

2009-08-06T00:28:00.001-05:00

I had planned to tell the story of how/when/where we found out Superwife was expecting our first little bundle of joy. Based on today's events that blog post will be posted in the "good ideas" file for a little while longer.

Wednesday, August 5th started out like most days around the Overocker household. Woke up, stumbled into the kitchen to get Superwife's breakfast ready, yelled at the dogs because they were barking, and went back to glance through the closet before settling on a polo/slacks combination that didn't completely clash. It also happened to be the morning of Superwife's next checkup, and I had skipped the last few. Being a month away from d-day (that's delivery day) it was probably a good idea if I schlepped my way to see the doctor, too. Superwife being the morning person she is decided to schedule the first time slot, 7:15 a.m.

Quick sidenote...the pregnancy had been completely hassle-free. No morning sickness, no swelling, no strange cravings that had me searching for the only donut shop open at 2 a.m., nada.
The visit begins just like every other. Then the doctor comes in with the "vitals" and says she is concerned about Jodie's blood pressure.

"Are you ready to have this baby today?"

Me-"huh?"

We're immediately sent to the labor/delivery section (area, floor, ward, whatever they call it) of the hospital for some blood work and monitoring. The nurse in triage says, "your blood pressure sucks." I think to myself that can't be a good sign, but we'll wait until the situation stabilizes.

Another nurse comes in with the blood work, checks the BP, and says, "your blood work is fine, your blood PRESSURE is crappy." How are you supposed to interpret that? Is it better or worse than 'sucks'? Is there a scale of colorful language, something like the Department of Homeland Security has for the terror-alert threat level?

Needless to say Jodie is admitted and given her own private room, which I have to admit is bigger (and nicer) than the first room I slept in during my freshman year of college.

I've given you way more detail than you care to read about at this point, but after inducing Superwife the heartrate monitor showed Cooper's heartbeat beginning to slow a bit. Nothing dangerous, but the doctor played it safe and decided he was going to come visit sooner than Superwife's body was progressing. No more than 10 minutes after that decision was made I was sliding on the sexiest coveralls you've ever seen. I have to admit I would make one handsome doctor.

About a half-hour later, Cooper James was born. He was three weeks early, but Superwife and baby are both well. He tipped the scales at 5 lbs. 8 oz. and was 18 3/4 inches long. Visual evidence is below.

Welcome

2009-08-04T15:10:00.001-05:00

I've been toying with the idea of starting a blog. I guess I felt Facebook and Twitter don't really allow someone to pour all of their feelings into something. You're text limited, and it doesn't allow you to explore a certain topic or opinion. So into the blogosphere I go.

Thanks for visiting. I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible leading up to the big day (which is August 25th, according to my Superwife's doctor), as well as after Cooper's arrival. I will be referring to her as "Superwife" until I receive permission to use her name. She has no idea I've started this blog, so we'll see how she reacts. Based on all of the literature and baby classes, a woman needs Superhuman strength to go through the act of childbirth. My hat's off to you, dear.

I'll have more on how & when we found out "Superwife" was pregnant in my next blog post.