Nick's Heart Story

Well, Nicks heart surgery has been scheduled and "set in stone" (according to the Mayo staff) for June 15th. We will try to head out to MN on the 12th... have the 13th to find our way around, the 14th will be a full day of doctor appointments and pre-op testing (starting at 6:30am and going on until about 4pm), and then early on the 15th will be the operation.

DEEP BREATHS.

We've done this before... we can do this again. It gets a little more nerve wrecking each day, but I think we just need to stay positive. I read somewhere that expecting good results from something that you didn't invest positive energy into is like expecting to be paid for work you didn't do... so...

GOOD THOUGHTS.

I had this neat experience with Nick a couple of weeks ago that I shared already with a lot of my family and some friends, but I think I'll post about it here too:

Josh and I had decided to not tell Nick very much about what was going to happen until we got a lot closer to things. We didn't want to stress him out or cause him to worry. So, all we told him was that soon after he turned six, we would be taking him to the Mayo Clinic to visit with Dr. Cowley's friend Dr. Dearani, to see if he could do some things to help Nicks heart to do "good things". We said nothing about surgery of any kind.

Well a couple of weeks ago, Nick initiated this conversation with me out of the blue one afternoon:

N: Mom, you remember you said you'd show me a picture of Dr. Dearani and let me hear him talk on the computer? (I had found a youtube video of Dr. Dearani and thought it would be a good idea to let Nick see and hear him to help familiarize him)

M: Yeah... I forgot to do that, didn't I?

N: Yeah. It's OK though. Dad showed me 15 days before... after we watched 2 hunting videos , cause I asked him to show me Dr. Dearani.

M: Oh good! So, what did you think? Does he seem like a pretty nice and smart guy?

N: Yeahhhh.... He seems pretty good... Well, I hope they're smart enough there at that one place, that hospital we're gonna go visit. I hope they're smart enough.

M: Me too. I bet they're pretty smart there at the Mayo.

N: Oh Yeah. The MAYO. I was thinking, that at that place, maybe that they could make me go to sleep-- ya know?... so I don't feel stuff?-- and then they could unzip my zipper (points to zipper scar from previous heart surgery), and open up my heart and just... take out my tumor, and so I don't have to have my ICD anymore.

M: (Imagine a stunned expression) Uhhh..... what?? Can you say that again please Nick?

(Nick repeats what he just said)

M: WOW Nick! That is a GREAT idea! We should ask Dr. Dearani if he could try to do that for you! I think you'll probably always have your ICD to help your heart do good things, but maybe they can move it to your shoulder so it's not in your belly anymore...

N: YEAH!! That'd be awesome! I want it in my shoulder instead!

M: So, Nick.... HOW did you come up with this great idea?? Did someone tell you this awesome idea, or did you just think of it?

N: I just thought of it! All my myself! It just came into my head!

M: You are SO smart! I am so impressed! What a great idea you have! (continue praising this idea)

N: Yep. (giddy, bouncy, and very pleased with himself for his great brainstorming) I just thought of it. Cause I don't want a tumor in my heart anymore. I think my heart doesn't know if it should listen to the tumor or the ICD, so we should just take out the tumor!

M: (Stunned at his thought pattern and how profound this all seems) YOU are so smart!

Anyway, it was a special conversation, and I couldn't help but feel that little angels must be helping to prepare him for all this. Which we need to remember... Angels are with this little boy, and helping him... so have faith. Trust.