With all of the needs our little guy has had and how many things are yet to come with his care, I have really just prepared myself for the worst so that when it goes better it is a pleasant surprise. Sad that I've become that way but I think that's what the NICU does to a mom. Anything that changes while in the NICU is treated as if it were the worst case scenario until they eliminate all other possibilities and can identify exactly what the issue is... or so it has been with Caleb.

This week we had our first appointment with the Cardiologist. They weighed him (a whopping 6 lbs 2 oz!), measured him (18 inches long), and hooked him up with all sorts of stickers and wires for his first EKG.

He handled it like a champ- as long as he had his binky.

We were originally under the assumption from the NICU that he had two holes in his heart when he was born- a PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus), which is extremely common in preemies and usually closes on it's own, and a VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect) which is a hole in the wall of the ventricles of the heart. Well, when the Doctor came in, she drew a picture of a VSD as expected and an ASD (Atrial Septal Defect). She mentioned nothing of the PDA. She said that the ASD is the size of a pen point (literally) and is on it's way to closing; and the VSD is so small that he is not going to need any kind of corrective surgery. It is very likely that the VSD will also close on it's own and he'll live a normal happy life.

When she got done explaining it I had to clarify and say, "So, he's not going to need heart surgery?" She confirmed in the negative. Oh, what a happy moment!! I was ready for heart surgery!... I was ready for heart surgery and everything involved with it!

Basically it all boils down to the fact that hundreds of thousands of prayers have echoed the heavens on behalf of our boy and continue to do so. Not only by his parents, but by all of the family friends and loved ones. These prayers were heard and these prayers were answered. How humbled, blessed and grateful we are.