I will never take for granted in my tomorrows, the miracle I hold in my arms today.

Well ladies and gentleman this will be my last post on my CDH blog.  I am converting back to only updating our family blog.  Any of my CDH family can feel free to now follow our family blog if you wish to continue to see updates on our entire family, including Garrett of course:  www.thecaraviafamily.blogspot.com

Garrett contintues to thrive.  He is still in the 11lb range somewhere and growing a mile a minute.  Garrett will forever have some ‘health issues’.  However his issues are minor compared too many CDH babies.  As said by another CDH mom, “When you have a child with CDH you spend their entire life sleeping with one eye open.”  She was exactly right.  You always have to monitor their health and be proactive about issues as they arise.  Once you are a CDH parent, you are ALWAYS a CDH parent.

I want to thank everyone that has read my blog as well as any one who reads it in the future.  This link will always remain active for reference for future CDH families.  Garrett is now a part of our family.  CDH will always be a part of him; however I will never allow it to define him.  So I decided to wrap up our CDH story.  Ours had a happy ending.  Fortunately he was a lucky 1 of 800 babies that lived this year.  Another 800 babies died in the past year due to the CDH birth defect.  In writing this blog I hoped to create awareness of a birth defect that I had never heard of until our diagnosis.  So thank you to each of you who followed Garrett’s story.  You all helped make this blog worthwhile.

Garrett Talks to Mom

I think he is saying something to the effect of, "Do you have ANY IDEA what I have been through!!!" 

hahhahahahahaha

Re-New Born Screen

Results = COMPLETLY NORMAL :)

Discharged From Home Health

Garrett was discharged from his home health visits today!  Yipee!

Weight:  11 lbs 1/2 oz  (Last home health visit: 9 lbs. 15 oz.  --we skipped the 10 lb range all together apparently)

Tomorrow morning we go for his regular pediatric check-up and then onto an Echocardiagram at Cardinal Glennon in the afternoon. 

Still No Results

Initially, OF COURSE, the doctors office said we should have the results from Garrett's re-newborn screen by the end of last week.  When I called today to inquire, they told me it could take much longer that one week to get them back.  I was a little suspicious when the other lady told me they would have them back within a week -- I thought that sounded to good to be true with the timeliness and I was RIGHT ON.

As soon as I know something it will be posted on here.  Thank you everyone for being so concerned about little Garrett!  I have a lot of texts, e-mails, etc., inquiring about him and the test results so I wanted to put this post up.

Garrett enjoying summer with his big brother Grant:

My CDH Miracle

I found out at an ultrasound CDH is what you had,

Nothing could have prepared me for something so unbelievably bad.

‘Your baby has a 50% chance of surviving’ is what the doctors said,

I had so many scary thoughts running through my jumbled head.

I decided from the beginning to give you the best chance I could,

I knew if you were a fighter, a good chance that you stood.

Your organs were working against you from the very start,

They migrated to your chest – stomach pushing on your heart.

Your lungs could not grow to what they were supposed to be,

Yet you still grew to a full baby, warm inside of me.

You made a quick entrance into the world one fine day,

Unfortunately the specialists did quickly whisk you right away.

I did not get to hold you as a normal mother would,

But I knew it was for the best; and this I understood.

You were such a strong baby; baby boy of mine,

You fought quite the battle, and it took quite a bit of time.

There were many scary moments, especially for mom and dad,

You came so close to life support; at times we were quite sad.

I sat by your side and watched you fight to stay alive,

I was by your side for always, from the moment you arrived.

I watched you improve to the baby you are today,

I watched the CDH battle slowly moving far away.

After living on a ventilator, many drugs, and surgery too,

After 45 days you came home to me, my baby number two.

You have taught me many things my son, too many to explain,

You taught me how to beat the odds, how to deal with all the pain.

You continue to grow stronger with every passing day,

Continue on this path my son, growing stronger in every way.

No one can explain why things happen the way they do,

No one can explain to me why I was given you.

You are my miracle; this you will always be,

I am happy god has given me you to stay on earth with me.

2 Months Old

Hard to believe Garrett is 2 months old.  We took him to my hometown for Father's Day Weekend.  My dad's side of the family was very excited to meet him!

 LOVE THIS PIC:  My dad sleeping in his chair and Garrett yawning in his.