Sam is 6 months old today!
We are truly blessed with an amazing outcome from the journey that we've been on for the past six months. I did a search for VSD and CHD on Google Blog Search and added a few links on the sidebar column to blogs similar to this one. We thank God for carrying us through this period and setting us down safely with our boy Sam in our arms. Here is an excerpt from a prayer we received from a dear friend. Thank you for your beautiful prayer, E.E.

Lord bless this little baby. Grace his life and his mission Lord. Help him to grow strong and to be a witness to others. I pray that he will have a blessed life and that you will always shine upon him. Help him to overcome this condition and to grow strong. I know in the years ahead he will run, laugh, climb trees and be a blessing to his mommy and daddy. Bless little Janna too Lord. Help her to know how precious her life is and how much she is loved by you as well.

I ask these things in your precious savior's name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Seven weeks later:
Sam is still doing great. He's growing quickly as we approach his 6-month ("half birthday") celebration this Friday. Here's the latest view of his chest:

and Sam working on a bottle this evening:

Six weeks later:
Sam's milestones this week are 1) we're now able to pick him up under his arms, 2) he's got two front teeth now, and 3) he's adjusting to a home daycare environment 2 days per week. The daycare thing enables Sue to get back to work 2 days per week starting next week.

Bob and Sam on August 27th (click on pics to enlarge)


Sam finally got Uncle Steve to hold still for the picture. :-) This is from Labor Day weekend.



Sam checking out the hand-me-down exersaucer last Friday, September 9th.

Five weeks later:
Sam is up to 17 lbs now. We noticed some "rib retraction" the other day when changing a diaper. As he was breathing, his sternum was sinking into his chest noticeably as were his ribs. A check up with the pediatrician yesterday indicated that this is probably a case of his body growing faster than his ability to remove fluid. We're still ramping down on his Lasix (now 0.6 ml 1x/day). The effect is worse in the morning before he gets his Lasix. After that, his breathing and chest look normal. His body should get this straightened out when it has to stabilize after we stop giving him a small daily dose of diuretic. The trick is getting close to a zero dose so the "hand off" from external influence to his body having 100% control is as smooth as possible. I'll post a recent picture later today (tonight) hopefully.

Four weeks later:
Really not much to report. Sam went for his longest road trip ever over Labor Day weekend. We're no longer concerned about taking him away from major research hospital facilities like Johns Hopkins. He finally met his other set of grandparents and has the beginning of a tooth showing up.