4 days after open heart surgery!
If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram you will have seen that Finley had his open heart surgery last week. We were admitted to the Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital on Sunday evening and Finley’s surgery took place on Monday afternoon. It was without a doubt the worst day of my life. Leaving him on the operating theatre was just awful and when I first saw him in the PICU covered in tubes and wires I totally broke down.
The op needed to go ahead as despite tube feeding Fin in addition to my breast feeds he wasn’t gaining weight and the time had just come. I was very nervous about him being so small, and no one really expected him to recover so quickly. He was in theatre for 5 hours and then in PICU for 36 hours before he came down to the ward. I’ll never forget seeing him cry but being unable to make a sound due to the ventilator, or the big tubes left in his tummy to drain away the excess blood. However, he did make wonderful progress and has just been thriving since! I’m breastfeeding him exclusively again which is just the best, and he’s even more alert (which I didn’t think was possible). He does have a pretty big incision down the middle of his chest, but given his age it should be hardly noticeable when he’s older.
We brought him home on Saturday afternoon and it just felt like a dream, my beautiful baby boy has been fixed and we can start and settle back into little family unit and look forward to Christmas without worry! I don’t think I’d realised how much it has affected me, but since he’s been ok it feels like a veil has been lifted off me and I notice the world again, it’s so strange.
He had his large VSD and small ASD closed, basically a big hole between the lower left and right ventricles and a smaller hole between the upper chambers. Congenital heart disease is as common as 1 in 100 babies, theres very little known as to why it happens, although in our case I suspect there could be a genetic link as my grandmother had a small ASD that only needed to be closed recently. Luckily, Finley has one of the easiest to treat CHD’s and as I’ve mentioned before, so many other babies and families we’ve come to know while Finley has been treated have got it so much worse.
No parent should ever have to go what we’ve been through, but every time I felt like I couldn’t handle it I thought of how strong parents of other heart babies are and that helped me get through it. Words simply can’t express our gratitude to everyone at PICU and Ward 23 at the Freeman and especially Barry his surgeon. If anyone reading ever finds themselves in a similar position to us, please email me as I would happily support anyone else looking after a child with CHD.
Finley is such a tough little boy, he’s amazed us all with his recovery and I have no doubt that this whole experience, despite not being aware of it at the time, will be a source of strength for him in the future.
Thanks so much for all the well wishes on social media over the weekend, I’m the happiest Mama in the whole world!
Congratulations Laura, what a traumatic thing to go through, but how lovely that he is now home and you can get on with being a family without the worry hanging over you any more. xx
Thanks Maria, its so lovely being home!
Such fantastic news Laura – you have all been through so much and I can’t even begin to imagine how hard things have been for you recently. You all deserve to have an absolutely fantastic Xmas and now you can look forward to a bright and happy future.
xxx
Thanks Jess, we are definitely looking forward to Christmas now :-)
YAY! Oh I’m so glad it all went well, well done Finley, and the doctors at the hospital too. Now (hopefully) you can breathe a bit and feel a bit more relaxed about things and look forward to your first Christmas together…
She’s So Lucy
Thanks Lucy, we are so pleased! P.S have your email and will reply as soon as I get the chance :-)
Take aaaaaall your time Laura, honestly! It’s more than fine :) x
Such a happy post :) I’m so relieved he’s well and fixed and happy.
Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear it all went well. What a little trooper!
Thanks Sarah!
Brilliant news. Wishing you all well.
Thanks Lauren!
I am so so so pleased that Fin is out and recovering! The only way is up from here :)
Lots of love xxxx
Thanks Lauren!
I’m a bit teary reading this Laura! You and James have been so brave and positive throughout this whole thing, and I am so happy and relieved for you that your dear boy is recovering well and you can now get on with your lives as a family. Roll on Christmas indeed!
Aww thanks Phil! It has been a really hard few weeks but roll on Christmas as you say!
So glad to hear that Finley’s heart surgery went well. It’s so good that we have such a great hospital on our doorstep too. Finley is gorgeous and I wish him a lifetime of good health and happiness :) xx
We certainly do! So thankful for the Freeman!
Brilliant news! Take care x
Thanks Amanda!
I am so so happy he is home! Bless you all, you’ve had such an amazing attitude through all of this and how could you not with that cute little face looking up at you!?
Thanks so much Katie!
Gosh how absolutely terrifying that must have been for you – but what a relief it’s over and he’s OK! What a little soldier he is :-)
It really was Anna, bloody awful but so glad it’s over!
I’m so glad to hear all went so well and Finley certainly looks very well in the photo. You must so pleased and relieved.
Thanks Caroline!
Fantastic news, he’s an adorable little man! I hope you can now enjoy being a happy family together again :)
Sarah x
Thanks so much Sarah!
Love that picture, he looks like he’s ready to take the world by the horns and live life to the full :-) xx
He certainly does doesn’t he!
What a little trooper Finley is. So pleased it all went well, I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been and the relief now must just be incredible.
Thanks Claire, it was an awful experience, just so glad to have him home :-)
Oh Laura, I’m absolutely over the moon for you! So glad to hear how well he is recovering and how you feel like you can look forward to the future now. I can’t imagine how much you’ve all been through but you really do deserve the best Christmas ever this year :) Big hugs <3 xxx
Thanks so much Nicky, it really was the most horrible scary experience but we are through it all now :-)
So thrilled for you, Laura. Fortunate Fin had his mama’s ‘liquid gold’ milk to build up healthy reserves and thus proves it’s quality over quantity, he’a a very healthy strong wee thing:) So chuffed for you all that your little ordeal is now over! This undoubtedly has made your wee family unit even stronger now!
Thanks so much Karina!
Congratulations, Laura! So happy for you and so glad to hear that Finley is on the mend! x
Thanks so much Lily!
You can reasily tell he is a fighter! Best of luck and I wish you are all well!
xx
Thanks so much Renata!
I was so incredibly happy to see your update on IG about everything going well with your little guy’s surgery. I honestly can’t even begin to imagine all that you’ve been through, but thankfully the worst is behind you and there are only happy times ahead :)
Thanks so much Amanda! We are so thankful to be through it all and as you say, happy times ahead!
Thrilled to hear your good news Laura. These past weeks must have been so tough for the whole family. I hope you can begin to relax now and especially enjoy the upcoming holiday period
Thanks Emma, we really can’t wait for Christmas now!
Yay!! Congrats to you and the little fella that’s fab x x
Such a terrible and emotional time for you to go through, I can’t imagine!
You are so strong!
But you know what? This Christmas will be the best one ever!
Hugs
Lovely news, wishing you all, all the best