Bringing Gabe Home

Another Procedure

2010-05-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Gabe went to the cath lab yesterday and things didn't go quite as well as planned. It turns out that his pulmonary artery is maybe shrinking? We know that it was larger several months ago and they thought it was 1mm and the plan was to put in a stent. It is only narrowing in the area where they reconnected the pulmonary artery. When they got in there, it measured only 0.6mm therefore, they weren't able to put a stent in. They ballooned it three times and got it to 2mm. Which means that we will be going back in about 3 months to try again. This has been hard for me and my Type A personality. I have to accept that this is more of a process and it is going to take time. This is a quick post, but I already feel that if I dwell on the bad news much more, I will start wallowing. Gabe is so healthy otherwise. The docs say that the heart function is great. So all in all, things are going ok. I will post more later. Thanks for the thoughts.

A New Kid

2010-03-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since the last post and things are going well. They kept telling us about an increase in his activity level, which we didn't see for about 3 weeks or so after surgery. Then, all of the sudden, this kid is EVERYWHERE! He runs, climbs, jumps, and moves at 100 miles an hour every waking moment. It is awesome.

We have been released from the surgeon, which is great news. We will see the cardiologist again in a month for another echo cardiogram. They say that he has pulmonary stenosis now where they connected his arteries. This means there is a narrowing in part of the artery. They think it is an easy fix in the cath lab with either a stent or a balloon. It sounds like they might do that early this summer. The doctors are very pleased with his heart function and his progress.

We are really looking forward to some warmer weather so we can start getting outside and doing fun things. We were able to meet up with the Stubblefields, a family from Southern Illinois we went to China with. They were in town for the IHSA tournament this past weekend and we met up with them for dinner. We joked in China about their daughter, Ava, being Gabe's girlfriend. (He actually had a couple girls in our group who were his girlfriends) I am putting some of the pictures on the blog. They were SO cute together. It was so nice to see them. We are planning a little reunion in St. Louis this summer and after seeing the Stubblefields, I am even more excited to see everyone. It will be nice to see how all of the kids have changed over the past year.

I am sorry that it took so long for a post. Chasing a toddler has kept me pretty busy. I will be better about posting in the future. Take care.

Check Up

2010-02-04T18:36:00.000-08:00

We saw the cardiologist today for a follow up. He is very impressed with Gabe's progress. He will see him again in a month to run some tests to make sure things are progressing as they should and hopefully, at that time, take him off most of his meds. We will love that because the Sildenifil is given three times a day and one of those times is at midnight.

In true Gabe form, he put on quite a show today. He had Valentine candy to pass out to the office staff and he charmed everyone there. He even listened to one of the doctor's heartbeat with his stethoscope.

We will see the surgeon again in two weeks and after that, the appointments should taper off. We are just so excited that things are starting to fall together for our family. We only have a couple more weeks to be so home bound. I am going to start him in a Kindermusic class as soon as we can start getting out. We have many plans for spring and summer as well.

I will post periodically as we get more checkups and such. Thanks again for all of your support and prayers. It really helped get us through this. Even though we have had Gabe for 7 months now, we have always been so careful with him. It feels like now we will be able to do normal family things. We are over the moon! Thanks again!!

Ludlums

Home on the Range

2010-01-28T05:31:00.000-08:00

Things are slowly getting better here at home. Gabe still isn't wanting to eat much, but hopefully that will change soon. He had one day this week when we saw his former appetite at all three meals. I thought we had turned the corner, but the next day, it was back to hardly eating. A boy can't live on American cheese alone, but if it were up to him....

We will be going to the cardiologist next week and they will likely conduct an echo cardiogram. We will know more about his heart function, etc. at that point. Assuming that we get a good report, I will likely start back to work a couple days a week. I am looking forward to that because I am not the best stay at home person. I don't think this weather helps much, we are going stir crazy. We try to get out for drives since we can't take him anywhere. Luckily there are still a couple people with Christmas lights up, which Gabe loves.

Sleeping has gotten a little better. Fingers crossed - we haven't had a nightmare for a couple days. Hopefully, that phase is over.

We are certainly seeing some of the results of his surgery. Gabe hasn't gotten winded once, even after taking on the stairs. It is awesome!

We haven't taken the opportunity to thank everyone who helped us out. First of all the doctors and nurses in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit were outstanding. As usually, we got incredible care and attention.

Also, thanks for the meals that people brought. You have no idea how helpful it was to not have to worry about cooking. Plus the hospital cafeteria got really old really fast.

Someone sent us a Curious George DVD and there was no name on it. Whoever it was - thank you!

Thanks for all of the supportive visits, phone calls, texts and especially prayers. It is amazing to see how many lives Gabe has touched. It is especially moving to know since most of you haven't gotten to meet Gabe yet. That will hopefully change as soon as we get past our healing time. By spring, this kid will be all over the place!

Thanks again for everything and I will post the report from the doctor next week.

Typed Too Soon

2010-01-20T04:22:00.000-08:00

It appears that I typed too soon about the sleep. The nightmares started last night. He woke up twice very frightened. The second time, it took so long for us to comfort him and get him to calm down. It is so sad to see him so upset. I know that many people who have been on bypass report nightmares and very bizarre dreams. Hopefully, this will be short lived. Thanks for the prayers.

Updates

2010-01-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

Well, this week is full of appointments for Gabe. We got blood drawn (total nightmare) and a chest xray yesterday. Then we saw the surgeon to check on his progress. He is very pleased with Gabe's progress. He isn't getting enough fluids, which we suspected, but it is hard to get a 2 year old to drink if they don't want to. We are having a terrible time with food, even his favorites. I know that people who have been on bypass complain that foods taste different, usually bad. I don't think that we had this much trouble after the last surgery. I practically put a smorgasbord in front of his at mealtime and he might have a couple bites of something. Then he will start spitting food out. The only thing that he really likes right now are barbecue or salt and vinegar potato chips. Nice. He normally eats really healthy, but I guess for now, we will make some concessions just so that he is eating something.

He has been sleeping really well. The last time, we had a heck of a time getting him back on a sleep schedule and he wasn't sleeping nearly as much as he should. Fortunately, the sleep wasn't an issue at all. I guess that is the trade off.

Gabe's chest xrays looked great and they managed to cut back one of his medicines after yesterday's appointment. We will see the pediatrician on Thursday for a follow up as well. So far, things are going well, we just have some adjusting to do. Gabe is still crabbier than usual, which I think is due to the discomfort/pain that he is still experiencing.

I will say the other advantage we had with the last surgery is that during our "quarantined time" at home was relieved with frequent walks in the stroller. I didn't realize what a great break that was! We are going a little stir crazy and we are only a few days in!

I will post an update in a couple days. Thanks again for thinking of us!

YAY!!!!!

2010-01-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

GABE IS HOME!!!!!!!!

He is happy to be home, but very sluggish. He is eating a little better and finally interested in drinking milk again. I am sure that we are in for a treat getting back on a sleep schedule. Thanks for all of the prayers. I will continue to post, but probably not as regularly. Thanks again!!!

Good Day

2010-01-13T14:37:00.000-08:00

Gabe has had a great day today. The oxygen is off as well as most everything else. Assuming that everything else continues to progress today, he will be going home tomorrow. He is eating, but could stand to drink a little more.

He has spent a good part of his day cruising the ICUs and waving at all of the people. He has been blowing kisses to everyone.

Brian is working tonight and I will go home to get things ready for his return. We are so excited to get back into our routine. I am sure that sleep will be all mixed up, as it was the last time. Fortunately, we will have lots of time at home to get that straightened out. Thanks again for all of the positive thoughts and prayers.

Never a Dull Moment

2010-01-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

Brian stayed last night and reported this morning was great. He said that Gabe was laughing and giving kisses. Many nurses came in to see him and he would blow kisses to everyone. I didn't get there until about 11:00 and he was getting tired and was crying. Brian said that he had only slept about 4 hours and had been up since 4:00 a.m. He was continuing to fuss, so the nurses figured it was a good time to pull his chest tube. He was a little shaky at the time, which they attributed to stopped the precedex (sedative) this morning. They gave him Versed (our favorite) and he did ok to get that out. They pulled many things at that time. We enjoyed the rest of the Versed time with a wagon ride. He was waving to all of the people in ICU, he was the social attraction of the day. Brian finally went home around 3 to sleep. Gabe started to fuss and I decided to try to put him down. That is when the fun stopped.

It turns out that his shakes were a withdrawal from the medicine. He was so agitated and he was thrashing in his crib. He was crying for about 3 hours. There was nothing I could do to sooth him, it was horrible. Even when I would hold him (which I FINALLY got to do today) he was push me away. They gave him Adavan a couple times during the day to help with this withdrawal, but he reacted to that and the medicine made it worse.

I was so upset because Gabe needed sleep so bad, but he was really fighting it. We decided that the Adavan was making it worse, the Nurse Practitioner agreed and gave him Chloral Hydrate to sleep. They said it could take 45 minutes to kick in and he was still phrasing and really fighting me. I had to halfway lay on him to keep him from trying to stand up for the hour it took for the medicine to work. He was so over tired and angry, it was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. A couple of times, I had to walk away and the nurse would come in and take over.

He has now been asleep for a little over 3 hours and it has been great. This is really what he needs. Brian came back after only a couple hours of sleep. I really don' t know how he is managing with such little sleep. But he is so darn stubborn, I can't get him to stay at home more. Hopefully, we will be home by the weekend and Brian can relax a little more there. Thanks for the continued prayers. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

Great Afternoon

2010-01-11T16:29:00.001-08:00

I am not sure what happened, but Gabe has been nearly his old self from about 4:00 on today. He hadn't been talking or smiling or anything (at least without a medical intervention) until then. I got out his little Elmo doll and put it on my head and I got a smile. We, of course, did it over and over and he was eventually laughing. Another nurse had to come in and see it. After that, he has been playing with some toys in his bed. We put stickers on his photo album and now he is looking at his pictures. He seems SO much better this evening.

He did have some juice, which made him cough (and hurt) quite a bit. Now he is a little fearful of drinking anything, even milk. Hopefully, that will pass. We are going to try some soft foods here in a few minutes.

I just wanted to post how great it has been to see him smile today. It is the boost that I needed! Thanks for the prayers!

The Sun Will Come Out....Tomorrow

2010-01-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

Gabe had a good night and the doctors say things are still going well. He has some fluid on the right lung today, but they think it will resolve itself.

When I got here, Gabe was somewhat sitting up (with the help on many pillows) in his bed. His color and everything look great today. He was able to have a sippy cup of water, which he took down. Luckily, he kept it down as well. He may get to have some milk today which will make him SO happy. They also want to try some food this evening. Our "sentence" here will depend on how things go with food. Cross your fingers and toes!

He is resting right now which is great and he doesn't seem mad at me at all today. I think this could be the day that turns things around. However, the arterial line will stay in until tomorrow. Boo! Which means, I still don't get to hold my Bubby. Hopefully, things will continue to progress and tomorrow, the line goes. Thanks for all of the prayers, things are looking so much better now.

Unfortunately, my parents are headed back up to Mayo today. My dad has a few more tests over the next couple days and hopefully they will have some answers for him. Please include him in your prayers. They have been a great relief this week because both would come up a sit a couple hours a day to relieve us. It will be a little more difficult this week without them, but I am sure we will manage.

We appreciate all of the support and we love the comments on the blog. Hopefully, upcoming blogs will all be this hopeful and positive!!

Calming Down

2010-01-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

Brian got here and is going to stay for the night. Gabe seems more comfortable now that the chest tube is in. He is actually sleeping!

Thanks for the food Judy and Linda!!!!!

I am going to sneak out and go home for the night.

Better Afternoon

2010-01-10T15:59:00.000-08:00

The doctor came in early in the afternoon and put the chest tube back in. My parents were here and Brian still wouldn't leave even after working a 12 hour shift last night. They put the drain tube back in his chest right in the room. He was sedated for the process and they called when they were finished.

They reported that Gabe handled it very well (thanks Versed) and said mama and dada several times. They went ahead and put out the pacer wires that were connected to his heart. They are there in case of an emergency, so having them gone is another good sign. The doc said that the Doppler test on the leg was extensive and they saw no clots. I was really worried about that, but it also goes to show that they are being very careful. Someone thought his leg looked a little swollen this morning and this was a precaution.

He also read the echo cardiogram and the fluid around the heart is minimal, and they say it will resolve itself. The lung was the bigger concern and that is currently being treated with the chest tube.

They did a chest xray afterwards to make sure that everything was ok and the tube was in the right place. It showed already the change in the fluids. Which is very good.

All in all a very anxious morning, but after the sedation from those procedures, he slept. Mom has spent the afternoon with him and reports that he has been resting peacfully. She will go home now and I will take the evening shift. I honestly don't know when Brian will wake up and come back. He was here for about 20 hours and I am sure he is beat. Hopefully, he will keep sleeping and I won't see him until much later.

Say a prayer that the art line comes out tomorrow and I get to hold my baby. Thanks.

More Bumps

2010-01-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

Gabe had a rough night. He has been so fussy and uncomfortable for the last couple days. Brian's sister and husband came to visit last night during his fussiness. A friend brought up a wonderful dinner as well. She had plates, plastic ware....the works. It was great. He was so irritable during that time and they gave him some Versed. After that we had about 40 minutes of "regular" Gabe. I even got a kiss! He was chatting and talking about Elmo. It was great. After that he got a good couple hours of sleep. When he woke up, he was really upset again. He was thrashing around in his bed and reaching for me to hold him. It is so difficult to not be able to hold your child when they are asking for you to. Last night was a really tough night for mommy and daddy.

Brian worked last night and reported that he didn't sleep that great. This morning, they found that he has fluid around the heart, and in the lung. They also suspect a blood clot in his leg. They just did another echo cardiogram and a Doppler on his leg. They are going to put a chest tube back in today to drain. This will put us a little farther behind in recovery and going home. We are just waiting for the doctor to come in and let us know about these last tests and the chest tube. They will sedate him and insert the chest tube right here in the room. We really appreciate your thoughts and prayers. This might be an even tougher day then surgery.

Saturday

2010-01-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

Brian stayed all night with Gabe and reported a fairly good night. He had a episode around 2:00 a.m. after he was given Tylenol when he vomited. I am sure with a fresh incision on the chest, that hurt a lot. Brian said that otherwise he slept fairly well. I am on the day shift and the doctors just rounded. They all think he is headed in the right direction.

They suspect that his art line will come out on Monday, which means we will get to hold him! That will be almost a week since we have held him and I am so looking forward to that. He should also start with some milk on Monday, which will help sooth him. He doesn't seem as mad at me today, but he is really down. We experienced this the last time. In fact, he was so depressed the last couple days in the hospital the last time, it was very heart breaking to watch. Luckily now he is into videos and we brought many Elmo videos to help pass the time. Right now, I am trying to get him to relax and get some sleep. It is really fighting it today and he really pretty cranky. I think his eyes are getting a little heavy.......hopefully.......I am off to try to facilitate a nap. Until tomorrow....

Rough Night

2010-01-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

Brian stayed all night with him and it wasn't the best night Gabe has had. He had a couple more of the spells with the pulmonary hypertension. They did another echo cardiogram today and they assure us that the heart function is good. They all think that this is the lungs getting used to the way the heart is now functioning. I know that there is much trial and error involved, but for me, the "wait and see" is difficult. I also know that the doctors and nurses deal with this everyday and they know what they are doing.

Brian is home sleeping and he was supposed to work tonight. They have arranged for someone to cover for him, so he will probably be hanging out with Gabe. I am on the day shift today. Mom and Dad come up in the afternoons and help out. The last time, we didn't break it up in shifts as much and I think this way is much smarter.

I think this current issue isn't an emergency, but it will likely keep us here longer and we will go home with more medication. Still unnerving for me.....we are hanging in there.

First Bump in the Road

2010-01-07T16:32:00.000-08:00

I knew it couldn't all go this smoothly! We had some issues today with pulmonary hypertension. The doctors and nurses have assured me that it is ok. They explained that the changes in pressure that his lungs have experienced is causing something of a shock. Remember, I am NOT a medical person and Brian wasn't here to dumb down the explanation for me.

They also think that he may be reacting to coming off the oxygen, so he is back up to 100%. They have also put him Viagra (yes it actually has a medical purpose) for the hypertension. They have assured me that this is more of a transitional thing as his body gets used to how his heart now functions. They considered this a crisis situation and they are doing everything to make sure that his doesn't get himself into another crisis. The interesting part is that he slept through the whole thing.

On a good note, his temperature has come down and his blood pressure has stabilized.

We are taking this an hour at a time. Keep the prayers coming. Love to all.

Tube is out!

2010-01-07T08:02:00.000-08:00

The breathing tube is out and he is doing really well! He handled it well and he is back to resting peacefully!

Making Progress

2010-01-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

Gabe had a great night last night. He is still sedated, but they have been weaning him off slowly. They tested his breathing and he was able to breathe on his own, so we are now just waiting for the doctors to come in and extubate him. This will mean that he will be more wakeful today, but still sleeping a lot. We are excited because we really haven't seen his eyes open since he left for surgery. We miss his laugh and smile!

The only problems that he is having right now is the elevated temperature. The doctors are more concerned about it today and may start antibiotics soon, just in case. The other issue is that there is a blood clot behind his atrium. This really concerned me, but a couple doctors and several nurses have assured me that this will absorb and go away on its own. They said he will likely be sent home with this clot still. It makes me a little uneasy, but I have to trust them.

Gabe's color looks great and he isn't nearly as swollen as he was after the last surgery. His lungs look clear, but his kidneys are feeling the effects of him being a little dry. However, that is also how they keep his lungs dry and free of things like pneumonia. I guess it is a balance and everyone says that things are right on target.

I will post again later. I am going to get ready to the extubation because I have a feeling he won't be super happy when they take the tube out. Until later......

Day After

2010-01-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that I didn't update the post after surgery last night. Things got a little hectic and we thought we were going to see him sooner than we did. Translation......1 hour hospital time = 3 hours real time. Brian and I have found that everything times 3 is the best equation.

The surgery was successful, but long. They took him at 8:00 am and we didn't see him until 10:00 pm. It helped that we had a private waiting room. Brian stayed with him until about 4:00 am, while I came home and got some rest. We are going to be doing this more in shifts. The doctors say that everything is looking good today. There were some problems with a slightly elevated temperature and low blood pressure last night, but those seemed to have stabilized. He had Brian, two nurses, and a nurse practitioner all to himself last night.....how is that for service?!?. We also have a great corner (larger) room with a view. We couldn't be getting better care.

The doctors want to keep him paralyzed and heavily sedated until they extubate, which will likely be tomorrow. So we are enjoying the peace and quiet, because once the sedation wears off......this will be a different story. I will update again tonight or tomorrow morning. Thanks for all the prayers.

Surgery Updates

2010-01-05T09:09:00.001-08:00

6:00a.m. - Get to the hospiatl for tests, etc
8:00 a.m. - They take Gabe back for surgery and he was surprisingly agreeable all morning. He went with the nurse with no problem
9:30 - They made the first incision
10:30 - He is now on the heart-lung bypass
4:00 - They keep telling us that things are going well, but they are expecting another 3-4 hours and he is still on bypass

Tomorrow is the Big Day

2010-01-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

We are getting everything prepared for tomorrow. I have decided that having gone through this once and knowing what to expect is both good and bad. I know what to pack for him and what he will need to be comfortable. However, I know what to expect from him before and after surgery. Unfortunately, after our nightmare EKG last week, I think he knows what to expect when he sees the people in scrubs.

The last time, after he was extubated and the heaviest sedation had worn off, I felt that he was really mad at me. I didn't get this vibe towards anyone else. Maybe I read too much into this, but I felt that I had broken his trust by putting him through this. It was really hard. That lasted a couple days and then he was better. Towards the end of the last surgery was a total disconnect and he got really depressed. The nurses all said at that point, he needed to go home. I felt that he had resigned himself to living a life like he had in the orphanage. Again, people think that I read too much into this and he can't comprehend to that level, but I still disagree. Either way, I feel very guilty knowing what he is going to go through. It has to be done, but I just wish we were able to explain all of this to him. We have some last minute tests and information to gather today, but we are really trying to enjoy our last day before the hospital.

I will be blogging through the surgery and hospital stay. We really appreciate all of the continued support and love from all of you. Thanks.

Ludlums

Wrapping up 2009

2009-12-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

Gabe had a terrific Birthday and Christmas. He started getting into the gift opening towards the end. Next year will be a very different story. He spent some time with all of his cousins and had so much fun. It is so great to see them all together and they are all so good with him.

We are one week out from surgery. We had a day full of appointments today and things did not go well. We started with an EKG, which should have been very simple. He totally freaked as soon as he saw the nurses. They struggled getting the leads on and were finally able to get something of a read. This was with him bawling (which is NOT him at all) and him continually reaching for me. We were both laying on the bed, both crying, but he wouldn't really roll over for them and the leads kept falling off. We tried lights off and then after about 20 minutes, we were going to try to calm him down and try again. He couldn't calm down and actually made himself throw up. I decided to call it and I thanked the nurses. There was no way I could watch him continue and know that they probably weren't even going to get the information they needed. Next was the chest xray and Brian took him in for that. I could hear him crying, but it wasn't quite as bad as the EKG.

Then the H and P at the surgeon's office which didn't take too long. Finally, we had to go to the PICU to get his blood drawn. There are a couple nurses there who do such a good job (you know who you are) and can get the job done so fast. We love them for it! We were all so worn out after that, the whole family had to take a nap. He was in a much better mood after he woke up. However, I think we got a taste for next week. Gabe is starting to figure all of this out and he knows a lot more than before. Unfortunately, we can't reason with him or explain anything. He has been through so much and he is starting to make the connections. I think that this next surgery is going to be more difficult emotionally than we imagined.

Keep the prayers coming. We plan on really enjoying our time together this week before he goes in. I will be posting more before the surgery and daily when we are in the hospital. Thanks for your support.

Ang, Brian and Gabe

PS I will get more Birthday and Christmas pictures up. I will have SO much time in the hospital to get caught up on all kinds of things.

Happy Birthday!

2009-12-20T04:53:00.001-08:00

Gabe turned two on Friday and we are having an Elmo party today! He has no idea what is going on, but this is so exciting. We are really looking forward to a holiday season with a child. I also wanted to let everyone know that he is on the calendar for his big surgery on January 5. This is a short post, I have to get him ready for church and then for the Elmo extravaganza. I will post more this week with the details. Also, I will have some birthday pictures up this week.

Ludlums

Getting Answers

2009-11-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Gabe has his cardiac cath yesterday. The procedure was supposed to last an hour, but it ended up lasting three hours. They had a hard time getting the wire around his shunt. We have decided that when they give us a time frame, we just need to multiply it by three. That seems to be the formula so far. We were at the hospital for eleven hours and we were all so tired when we got home. Gabe has been a little cranky today, which is to be expected. The worst part of the whole thing is that he has to lay flat and he can't move his leg for six hours after the procedure. If anyone has any ideas for how to keep a toddler still that long, I am all ears.

The doctor said that the pulmonary artery has grown, but he doesn't expect it to get any bigger with this shunt. That leaves us with a couple options; the first is that they put in a bigger shunt and way for the artery to grow or they go ahead and do the repairs. He thinks that the repairs will allow more blood flow to the right PA, which will encourage growth, although, they will never be equal. He thinks the larger shunt won't make much difference and it will, obviously, add another surgery. The team conferences on Monday morning, so they will discuss it and call us. I am really hoping for just one more surgery for now, but I also want to do what is best for Gabe. It is looking like January for the procedure. I thought I was ready, but after seeing him yesterday, I don't know. He was more upset than I have EVER seen him during recovery. It was really hard to watch. It was even harder to hand him off to a the nurses this time. I just keep thinking about how much better he will be when this is all over. The doc said that we can expect NO blueness and we shouldn't see him getting so out of breath anymore. I completely trust the doctors and I feel that he is in great hands.

All in all, there is so much to be thankful for this year. Gabe still has a tough road, but he is going to be ok. We are so blessed that he is our son. We are also so blessed to have so many family and friends supporting us and loving our family. Thanks to all! Enjoy the holiday!!!!

Ludlums

Next step

2009-11-13T03:43:00.001-08:00

Things are going pretty well here. Gabe has now added dog (or duck, we aren't sure) and ball to his repetoire. Speech therapy starts next week, so I am sure we will be hearing much more very soon. We are so excited for his first holiday season. Not to mention, he turns two the week before Christmas.

As far as his health goes, he continues to gain weight and grow. The last time we were at the doctor, he made it to the charts. Before, he was too small and the last visit he was at 10th percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight. He is still getting really winded, which concerns the doctors. He is scheduled for another angiogram on November 24. They will know more about how things are going at that point. Then we will work on a plan for his big surgery. They still want to hold off until after flu season, so assuming things are going ok, he will have it in the spring.

Not much else to report at this time. I promise, I will put up some new pictures this weekend. I will also post as soon as we get the information from the angiogram.

Thanks for the thoughts!

Still progessing

2009-11-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

I have been terrible about posting! It is nice that some people have asked for more, so here goes. Yesterday was our first Halloween and Gabe was the cutest penguin ever. We went to a few houses of friends, but I don't really think Gabe "got" the trick or treating. He enjoyed seeing friends, but was very glad to get out of the costume at the end of the night.

We went to see the cardiologist on Friday because Gabe is still having problems with getting winded. The doctor says that there is no reason for him to be so winded and the echo cardiogram they did on Friday looks good. His right pulmonary artery has benefited from the shunt put in during the August surgery. It started at 2.7 mm and the last time, it was at 4.1 mm. Friday is measured 4.9 mm. The cardiologist still wants to put the big surgery off longer, so Gabe will get bigger and stronger. Not only that, he would like to wait until the flu season is over. He and the surgeon do want to have another angiogram done within the month. That way, they will know exactly what is going on and we can come up with our plan. Gabe is thriving and it doesn't seem like this next surgery is as pressing as it was before the shunt was put in. I am guessing we will be doing this in the spring. Gabe now weighs 24.2 pounds, which is almost 7 pounds that we have put on him in 4 months.

It is amazing to see how great he is doing. Not only is he growing like a weed, he is learning so much. He says more words everyday. Brian and I are always singing to him and yesterday in the car, he just starting with "row row row" just like the beginning of Row Row Row Your Boat. The first three words were as far as he got, mostly because he couldn't stop clapping and cheering for himself. He has also gotten very lovey. He likes to give hugs and kisses to everyone. He will occasionally grab your face with two hands and give you the biggest kiss. That is the best!

We are so excited for the holidays this year. It is going to be so exciting to experience them through his eyes. We also have his birthday coming up the week before Christmas. It sounds like the cardiac cath will be around Thanksgiving and I will keep everyone posted. I will also make sure that I get some more pictures posted. Additionally, I will try to not be such a stranger. Thanks for all of the continued thoughts and prayers.

Ludlums

Updates

2009-09-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since our last post. We are just getting used to being a family. We just celebrated our 2 months since we got Gabe. It is amazing to think that in such a short time, we have accomplished so much. It really seems like he has been here for so much longer than that.

We went to the surgeon and the cardiologist last week. We don't need to see the surgeon again until we plan the surgery. Both doctors want to wait a little longer until the next surgery. It looks a little more like February or so for the next one. The doctors want to give his artery more time to grow and more time for him to get stronger. His surgeon also wants us to continue to keep him a little isolated during the flu season. I was hoping that he would be able to have his surgery and recover during the flu season. That way, by spring, he would be able to do "normal" kid things. However, it might be more like summer until that happens. It is difficult for someone, like myself, who likes to go a lot. However, I do know that we are lucky that we will probably only have to be this cautious for a few months. It will just be nice for him to be able to play with other kids and experience new things outside of the house.

As far as his recovery, he is doing amazing! It is so incredible to see how quickly he has bounced back. He is doing so many new and funny things. He is saying a couple more words and he is signing for more things also. He is an absolute joy and I almost can't remember what things were like before Gabe.

I have gone back to work, which was a little difficult. Luckily, Brian and I are on opposite schedules, so we don't need much help with Gabe. He will be with my parents for a few days a month. Their first day with him is tomorrow. They are pretty excited about having him. I am so blessed that they are willing to help us out.

We will keep posting periodically as we approach the next surgery. Again, we appreciate all of the love and support for Gabe. Take care!!

Getting Better

2009-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Things here are steadily progressing. We had a little scare last Friday when Gabe's oxygen saturation was low and he just wasn't acting like himself. I called his cardiologist's office and they had him come right in. They did a quick echo cardiogram and put him back on a particular medication. That has made a difference and things have been better since then. We go back to the surgeon and the cardiologist on Monday and hopefully we will learn more about the next surgery. I am afraid that they will have to perform another cardiac cath to find out if the shunt is working. That means one more time of being "put under" before the big surgery. I know that it is necessary and I trust his doctors, but it all makes me a little uneasy. I am just hoping that by spring, we have all of these procedures and recoveries behind us and we can be a "normal" little toddler for awhile.

You would never guess by looking at him that he had an open heart surgery only 3 weeks ago. He is back to walking and being super active. He is so amazing! We are still pretty locked down in the house. He has only been a couple places and only a handful of people have seen him since he has been home. Walks are good for us and we take 1 or 2 a day. We are both getting pretty bored of the house! If things keep progressing as they are, I hope to get back to work in a week or so. I am starting to miss it. Plus, I know that I will need even more time off when we have the next surgery. I haven't told my mom about the new earlier start time for District 150. That means that she will have to be at my house to babysit at like 6:00 or 6:15 a.m. Yikes! I am so lucky that she is going to be our babysitter and she is really looking forward to it.

Not much else is going on here. Gabe is just learning all kinds of new tricks. He still isn't saying anything but mama and dada. Hopefully, that will start to pick up pretty soon.

We will post again after our appointments, as we should have more to report at that time. Until then......

Brian, Angela and Gabe

First Check Up

2009-08-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Things are so much better now that we are home. Gabe is sleeping much better at this point, almost back to his normal schedule. The eating is a little slower, but we saw quite a bit of progress today. It is tough to see a kid who was such a GREAT eater be so picky, but we will get back to where we were.

We spent the morning at the hospital today getting yet another chest xray, labs, and seeing the surgeon. Everything looks good and we go back in 2 weeks. We will also see the cardiologist on the same day. It looks like if things continue to progress as they are, we will be having the next surgery in 2-3 months. This one should be about the same length of around 9 hours, and we will likely be in the hospital about the same amount of time. I think going into it and knowing what to expect this next time will make it a little easier.

The PICU (the unit where he stayed after his surgery) drew his blood today and it was nice to see familiar faces. Everyone was happy to see Gabe passing through and they all commented on how healthy he looked. They made the process much easier for Gabe and me. The PICU has been amazing through this whole thing. I am so grateful for the wonderful care and compassion they have shown us.

Everything else is going great. We will continue to post as Gabe progresses and as we approach the next surgery.

Brian, Ang, and Gabe

Yipee!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

We are taking Gabe home! We have to wait a few minutes to make sure that the place where his lead was isn't going to bleed. We have only 6 more minutes to wait. I will post more very soon. Yeah!!!!!

Holding Steady

2009-08-13T01:01:00.000-07:00

The past couple days have been interesting. Medically, Gabe is making progress. The doctor said yesterday that his xray is looking great. He is getting weaned off most medications. The real issues now are the fact that he isn't eating or sleeping. They want him eating on his own, but he is only taking a little bit because his stomach is upset. They give him IV nutrition for 12 hours at night. His sleep is terrible! They said that sometimes when a child has been sedated so much, this happens. He is sleeping only a couple hours a night with no naps. I hope he hits a wall with that soon and will get back on a schedule. I have a feeling that this sleep thing will be a nightmare when he gets home!

We did have some great times yesterday. I have been feeling really bad because Gabe is back to being in a crib so much, I am afraid that he thinks that his life is back to what it was in the orphanage. I am worried that he might think this is how his life is going to be again. So I brought pictures of the house, the dogs, and family to show him yesterday. He loved seeing the pictures, especially of the dogs. Hopefully, it won't be long and he will be able to see the dogs in person.

We also got to take many laps through the Intensive Care units in the wagon yesterday. Gabe was loving it. The nurses were blowing bubbles for him to catch and he was having a blast. They moved his room to the end, where he now shares a nurse with another room. The fact that he doesn't need the one on one care is a good sign. Hopefully, it will just be a couple more days.

We will keep everyone posted on his progress. We are so ready to come home and get back to our "normal" life. Thanks for all of the prayers and support!

Brian, Ang, and Gabe

Turning a Corner

2009-08-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Things are SLOWLY progressing. I don't think that Gabe feels all that great today. He only slept for 2 hours last night and he didn't really nap much today either. I really hope that he goes to sleep tonight. The great news is that I got to hold him for a couple hours today! Hopefully, he will be feeling better tomorrow and we will see more of that wonderful smile.

The docs say that the pneumonia looks better on the xray today and they were able to take more of the lines and tubes out today. Gabe decided to pull his oxygen earlier and has been able to maintain good saturation levels without it. (Future doctor????)

They said that we will probably be here another week. Bummer. More later....

Progress

2009-08-10T17:36:00.001-07:00

Gabe was pretty cranky today, but I think we are starting to see progress. In regards to the pneumonia, his xrays looked the same today. Considering they were worse yesterday, I think staying the same is moving towards getting better. (Trying to stay optimistic) They also did another Echo Cardiogram today and they said that the heart function looks good. The really good news is that he good his chest tube out tonight. He wasn't too happy at first, but they assured me that he will feel so much better now. I had two nurses tell me that some of their older patients have said that their chest tubes actually hurt more than their chest incisions. He continues to fight stomach problems, so they took him off food and put him on fluids for nutrition. Hopefully, that will change in a couple days. They are also going to try to take one of the lines out tomorrow and we are then supposed to "challenge" him more. I think they want us to walk him around a little, which he should like. The best part of that is that I will be able to hold him again! I have missed that the most. It was a fairly uneventful day, which isn't all bad. Hopefully I can post more tomorrow of Gabe progressing. Good night all!

Another Bump in the Road

2009-08-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Gabe has had another rough day. We found out that he now has pneumonia. They have assured us that this is very manageable. However, this will also extend our stay, as well as the overall recovery process. It is so hard to see this little guy continue to suffer. The good news is that we are starting to see a little more of his personality again. I got a half smile today. I can't wait until he is feeling better again. Unfortunately, we will then be back to do this all over again. I know that it is all necessary, it is just hard when you can't explain that to a child. I think he has finally stopped being mad at me for all of this.

The other good news is that he starting eating a little today. He ate a half of a yogurt. Food is very comforting for him, so I am glad that he is now able to eat. I had to laugh because they brought him a lunch today of chicken strips and corn. Two things that he couldn't eat even if he wasn't sick. I thought it was a strange meal for a baby. However, I shouldn't complain because it wasn't too bad. (I ate it)

They have started a couple antibiotics for the pneumonia. They had been running tests to make sure that it all it is and not something else. We should know for sure in 48 hours. The doctor mentioned that we have some other variables to consider with Gabe. We are used to seeing certain "bugs" in kids here and we really have no way of knowing what all he has been exposed to in an orphanage in a foreign country. So these are all things to consider. Hopefully, these antibiotics will do the trick. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Until tomorrow.....

Tough Day

2009-08-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

The docs said that the second and third day after surgery are the hardest, and they were SO right! Today was not a good one. The sedation is gone and he is more awake and alert. That is good, with the exception of being in pain. Also, he has had some lung issues that they are working on. Part of his lung collapsed, which they assured me with work itself out. He is also really congested and they are trying to get him to cough it all up. However, it is really painful to cough, considering they just opened his chest two days ago. So he is fighting it and he will touch his chest when he coughs. He has been crying quite a bit today and it is very hard to watch. From a medical standpoint, the crying is good because it pushes him to take deep breaths which is great for his lungs. From a mom standpoint, it sucks.

I think we are looking at another rough day tomorrow and hopefully the tides will turn soon. For all of those who have called and texted today, I apologize for not responding. Today was a little consuming, as I expect tomorrow to be as well. I appreciate the continued support, even if you don't hear back from me right away. It looks like maybe we will get to come home on Thursday or Friday. I would rather have him in there longer and be stronger when he gets home. Honestly, I am a little terrified of taking care of him on my own at home. I am so lucky that Brian will have some time off and can ease me into this.

Another great thing is that Brian is working tonight which means that I get to come home and sleep in my own bed. They wouldn't let him take care of Gabe, but he is working in the room next door. So he is about as close to Gabe as he can be. Not only that, but I feel so confident in the care that he is getting in the PICU. They are awesome. Many people have told me how important it is for us to get our rest also. Very true, so on that.....good night!

Resting

2009-08-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

Gabe had a good night. The nurses convinced us that we wouldn't be bad parents if we went home and got some sleep. They reminded us that we will need our strength when he gets more active. We went home for a few hours. We were here in the morning for the doctors' rounds. They all said that he looks good. He gave him another echo cardiogram and chest xray and so far, everything is looking as it should. They have been keeping Gabe very comfortable and he has been sleeping most of the time. He will periodically wake up and look around and drift back off. He got his breathing tube out around 11:15 today and now he can have something of a cry. He is adjusting very well to breathing on his own with a new supply of blood to his lungs.

We have spent the day up here, however, Brian and I decided to take shifts for a bit. He went home to rest and he will relieve me in a couple hours. He has to get rested up because he comes back to work tomorrow night.

We did meet another little girl on the unit who was adopted from China and she is a cardiac patient here. She is three and as cute as a bug. Coincidentally, she lives very close to us, so she and Gabe will go to school together.

The doctor actually just walked in and gave us another good report. Things are really falling into place. Not much else to report right now. I will post more tomorrow.

Brian, Ang, and Gabe

Surgery Day

2009-08-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

(As of 3:38 p.m.)

We started the day very early, as we had to be here at 6:30. Fortunately for Gabe, he didn't have to be hungry all day like last week. There was much to do at the hospital and Gabe was in pretty good spirits. They took him back at 8:15 for what was supposed to be a 2-3 hour procedure. We got our first update around 10:00 saying that things are good. Around 12:30, they were still working, but wouldn't give any indication as to why it was taking so long. The cardiologist just came to talk to us to let us know of the complications they are experiencing. They put in the BT shunt two different times and didn't like the blood flow that they were getting from it. They decided to start a central shunt around 3:00. With this procedure, they will have to put him on the bypass machine, which is something we were hoping to avoid. So we will be waiting for a couple more hours. I will post again in this same blog post with an updated time when we know more. Please keep the prayers coming, this is the first time that I have been really scared.

(At 5:11)

The cardiologist just came in and told us that Gabe is off the heart/lung machine. Things are going well. He said that the surgeon is going to keep him in there to make sure that things are working correctly. He has been in surgery for just short of 8 hours. This has been a really hard day for us. We are just waiting to hear that they are closing him up. I will post when I hear.

(At 9:57)

Gabe got out of surgery around 6:30 tonight, which made a 2-3 hour surgery a 9 hour one. The surgeon is a bit of a perfectionist and after putting in two shunts, wasn't happy with how they were working. After his angiogram, his oxygenation levels were in the 50s and leaving today's procedure, they were at 84. He looks so much better than I thought he would. He is a little puffy, but his color looks good. Better than last week after the angiogram.
even his nail beds are considerably less blue now. He is resting very comfortably and with some medical assistance. We are going to try to get some rest tonight because they say the next two days are really going to be tough. Doc also said that he sees the next surgery being somewhere in the weeks to months range. It all depends on how this shunt works. I am just anxious to get this little guy on the road to recovery.

Gabetastic Weekend

2009-08-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

We had a great turnout for the "Meet Gabe" party. Thanks to all of those who helped us celebrate Gabe being with us. Sunday was his baptism and that was very nice. I was worried about him during the longer service and his all white outfit, but he did a great job. He didn't much like the water, but he quickly recovered.

Gabe had all of his cousins (6 boys ranging from 21 months to 9 years old) here at one time. They all love him and he thinks they are the greatest. It was so sweet to see them interact. We even had the 5 oldest over for a sleep over on Saturday. It was fun, but I am certain that I don't want 5 kids! Not even close!

We had a terrific weekend with friends and family and it was a great way to spend the last weekend before the surgery exactly like this.

To continue with the festivities, my friend Leslie and I took Gabe and her baby, Landon to the zoo today. If you live in the area and you haven't seen the new Africa exhibit at the zoo, I suggest you go. It was very nice and the kids loved it. Gabe especially loved the meerkats. He was cheering and signing more for them. He thought they were hilarious.

In regards to the upcoming procedures, we consulted with the surgeon today regarding the first surgery. The procedure is to start at 8:30 on Wednesday morning and last around 2-3 hours. We probably won't be able to see him until around 1:30 or so, we are guessing. I will try to post when I can regarding his progress. This surgery will be much easier and less risky than the second. It sounds like the next one to work on the repairs will be about 4-6 hours long and should be sometime between 2-4 months from now. It all depends on how the shunt works for him. He is only expected to be in the hospital for about 5 days this round and a couple weeks for the next one. The doctor said for having pulmonary atresia, his is the best case scenario and he sounded very positive and optimistic. Exactly what I was hoping to hear.

I will post at some point on Wednesday night or Thursday to let everyone know how the surgery went. Thanks for following and keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Brian, Ang, and Gabe

Back from the Hospital

2009-07-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Gabe had his angiogram yesterday afternoon. After all day of fasting and it getting set back, it was so good to get it over with. There was good news and bad news. (I am not in the medical profession - so those who are, please forgive me if I mess up terms) Everything that we were expecting (pulmonary atresia, etc) is present. The good news is that he only found one small collateral that is feeding the right lung. If there were many collaterals, which I think they were expecting, it would have been a more difficult repair. He said that the right lung is getting almost no blood from the heart. The bad news is that his pulmonary artery is not continuous, but they believe it was at one time. It is very small, only 3 mm and therefore, they will have to put in a shunt. That will happen on Wednesday, August 5, which means that the repairs will be put off for a few months. The shunt should allow the pulmonary artery to grow, which will make the repairs possible. So instead of one surgery, he will have two. He was such a trooper for this short stay there. Brian and I stayed with him, but I feel very comfortable leaving him overnight when I have to for the big surgeries. They took such good care of us in the PICU. They will make a zipper incision for the shunt and then use that again for the repairs. I am glad that I got his pictures done this week and we managed to get a bathtub picture so we will have a nice one before he gets his "zipper."

It seems that he will likely be in PICU for about a week after the shunt and then hunkered down at home for another 5 or so weeks. The repair will likely be in November or December with a longer stay expected at the hospital. Again, he will have to stay in the house and limited interaction with people for about 6 weeks following that. However, they sound very optimistic abour the outcome, which makes all of these procedures much more tolerable.

Gabe is totally back to himeself today and glad to be home. We still plan to party on Saturday at my parents. Please feel free to stop by betwen 1-5 at 1712 Kingsbury in Washington.

I gotta run. Gabe just feel asleep and I have to take these opportunities while I can! Thanks for the continued prayers and support.

Getting Ready to Celebrate

2009-07-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Gabe had his first road trip this week. We went to visit Aunt "Rera" Maria in Indianapolis and he did pretty well in the car. Maria hadn't seen him for a week and couldn't believe how much bigger he had gotten. (thanks American food) There were so many kids to play with at her house, he was really loving it. His cousin Eli came back with us to spend the week. Gabe thinks that Eli is pretty cool and loves to watch what he does all the time. It is pretty sweet. They were holding hands in the car today.

I mentioned in a previous post that we are having a "Meet Gabe" party on August 1 at 1712 Kingsbury Road in Washington. Please feel free to stop by and meet our little guy. We plan to start around 1:00 and party as long as he will let us. Fortunately, he is quite the social butterfly, so that could be until he falls asleep. We plan to have water toys and such outside for the kids and food as well. If you could please post a comment or email me at ancal1976@yahoo.com to let us know if you plan to come over. We are trying to figure out how many brats and hot dogs to have. Also, I have to sound like a mom here, we have to do our best to keep him from getting sick so close to his surgery. If you aren't feeling well, let me know and we can figure out another time to meet him. I hope you all understand. There have been so many people following the blog and praying for Gabe. He is the most amazing little guy and his smile lights up a room. You can't help but be happy when you see him. Please feel free to share in our joy on Saturday. I hope to hear from you all soon!

Also, keep him in your prayers on Wednesday as he gets his angiogram. Pray for me because it itsn't until 1:00 and I can't feed him all day before. It should be pretty brutal in the house without food. I will post information after the procedure, as we will know a lot more about his surgery and what to expect.

We hope to see you on Saturday!

Ludlums

Updates

2009-07-17T23:57:00.001-07:00

We saw Dr. Shah today and I feel much better about the process. He explained things to me and made me feel more comfortable and optimistic about everything. Gabe HATES the doctor's office and wouldn't allow them to get his blood pressure, listen to his heart, or complete the echo. He turns into a bear at a doctor's office. Unfortunately, he will be in many in the future. We have a tentative schedule set up for him. He will have an angiogram on July 29 and hopefully surgery on August 5. There is a chance that he may have to have another surgery before the big one to put in a shunt. That would push the heart repair back a bit. We won't know until after Dr. Shah completes the angiogram. I am just really pleased with the office and how they have explained things to me and treated us. I feel very comfortable with them and I am anxious to get Gabe better. They said that we should be able to expect him to not be blue (under nails and periodically around his eyes and mouth) and he won't get so winded. They also said that his activity level will increase and I am not sure how to handle that one. This kid, and for anyone who has seen him, is the most active kid I have been around. I better start buying Wheaties.

Now that we have some dates, in true Calliss form, we are planning some celebrations. The support for Gabe has been unreal. One of the nurses yesterday came into the room and said, "Oh this is the boy we have been reading about." Another nurse, on our way out saw him and said, "This is the boy we have been praying for." I have never even met these women before. It is incredible to see how people have rallied around this little guy. We would like to give people the change to meet our little angel. We will have a "Meet Gabe" open house at my mom's house on August 1. Please feel free to stop by and meet our little man and have some fun. We plan to start around 1:00 and we will keep the party going as long as he lets us. My parents live in Washington at 1712 Kingsbury Road. We will have some brats and hot dogs cooking if you are hungry. We will make sure to have games and water toys set up in the yard for kids to play. We would love to give people the opportunity to see him now, because he will likely be hunkered down for awhile after surgery. This is a time to celebrate that fact that he is finally here and he is going to get the treatment he needs to continue to amaze us for a long, long time.

This blog experience has been amazing. I have heard from people I haven't talked to in years through this. I think Gabe has touched many people's lives already and I really want everyone to get to meet him before we start the surgery process.

If that doesn't work for you, we are planning his baptism the following day at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral. I haven't set it up yet, but it will most likely be after the 10:30 mass on August 2. I will have that dated locked down and posted this week.

We just want to show him off to the world, as we are the proudest parents. We look forward to seeing you all and having a good time!

Gabe's 1st Haircut by Nana!

2009-07-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

I shot a few photos of Gabe's first haircut from Nana today and thought you all might be interested in seeigng the photos

Enjoy - from Papa

Getting better

2009-07-15T03:46:00.001-07:00

I think Gabe and Brian are over their jet lag. Gabe slept through the night the past two nights. I, however, can't sleep for longer than 3 hours at a time. I get up for a couple hours and then go back to my series of naps. Gabe went to his pediatrician on Monday and the doctor was very pleased with how healthy (overall - but he has an ear infection right now) Gabe looked and acted. He admitted that he was expecting something else entirely when we described his diagnosis before we left. It was encouraging. He had to get a chest xray, which I convinced my sister to take him in for me. Then we had to try to get blood for some tests, which was unsuccessful and horribly painful to watch. The nurse said that many factors were making it difficult to get a vain and our other choice was to do a finger prick and fill a vial. She went to my doctor and asked if these were critical at this point because we were getting Gabe so stressed out that he was getting more cyanotic (turning blue) which he already has some signs of in his fingers and toes. However, getting so upset was making his mouth and around his eyes turn blue. He will have to get blood work done before surgery, so we decided all of the less critical tests can be done at the same time. It is so heartbreaking to see a child go through pain and not even be able to explain what is going on to them. I know I am going to have to toughen up here, but it is hard, he is a baby. The good news is that the pediatrician and his surgeon (whom we ran into) both commented on how well he was looking and I am feeling that is a good indication. We see Dr. Shah on Friday and he will be ordering tests for more specific information. I think by the end of next week, we will know a lot more of what we are looking at and have a date for surgery. Again, we will keep you posted. I just wanted everyone to know that on the day to day, things are getting better. I have excepted the fact that my house will never look the same and pretty much nothing will be the same. It is all a good thing! Our families have been SO supportive since we have been back. It is great. I know there are many others who would like to meet our little man, so as soon as we have the date of the surgery, we are going to try to throw a little meet and greet together. We love to show him off . We will keep posting periodically, so keep checking back.

There's No Place Like Home

2009-07-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

We are back! I should have posted earlier, but between adjusting to a new home and all of us having jet lag, I haven't gotten to it. Yesterday, I got up at midnight, Gabe was up at 3:00 a.m. and Brian at 4:30 a.m. So naturally, we went to Walmart at 4:30 in the morning. We had the whole place to ourselves! Brian's family all came for a nice visit yesterday, unfortunately, Gabe was so tired that he wasn't the best host. We will get there in the next few days. Gabe sees his doctor tomorrow and we are scheduled to see the cardiologist on Friday. We are hoping that we can move it up a couple days. We are very anxious to get him better and we really want the process to start. I will keep everyone posted as soon as we know about a surgery. Not much to report, I just wanted to let you know that we made it home. It was so nice to sleep (or try to sleep) in my own bed. Yeah!

Getting ready to leave

2009-07-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

We are just getting packed and ready to head to the airport. We had an interesting experience last night. We asked the staff at the hotel about getting good seafood and they sent us to a place very close by. There are several seafood markets and several restaurants in a cluster. One had a sign that stated the New York Times rated it as one of the top ten restaraunts in Asia. We checked out their menu and another restaurant (but theirs had no English) and we were trying to decide where to go. This place was crazy because all of the fishing boats are working right on the coast by the market and they deliver the live fish to the market. You then go and pick out what you want, take it to the restaraunt you want and they charge you to prepare it. We were at the really nice place and I asked her if we could just pay someone else to pick out our fish and she said no. This was the only way it is done. So, we headed off to the market. Of course, they are fishing for the same things in the South China Sea, so we didn't really recognize much. We fortunately found a woman working there who spoke English. She picked out some type of trout and a lobster. She was moving on to the scallops and I told her that we probably had enough for the two of us. She told us that the really nice place doesn't cook it as good as the other, and she offered to walk us over and talk to the manager about what we wanted. This guy also spoke some English, so it was helpful. Apparently, people who go to these places don't often get side dishes, which is why she was trying to give me so much seafood. Many of the people in the place were only eating seafood and nothing else. We asked the manager for something, rice or noodles or a vegetable. He didn't seem to understand completely, so I told him to surprise me. He did ok, we got spinach and crispy noodles. The dinner was really good, even though they steamed the fish. The Asians can steam anything. Most don't have ovens, so they have mastered the art of steaming. They even make bread this way. The entire experience was very interesting. Brian got a picture of our dinner before we bagged it. The lobster was pulled out and managed to splash us as she was holding it up. Gabe thought that was pretty funny. It was hands down, the freshest seafood that I have ever had!

We also had a scary experience yesterday. We took Gave to the beach and as we were walking out there, I noticed that his eyes were watering. I thought he was crying at first. Brian and I thought it might have been because we had just seen a European man in the skimpiest thong imaginable, which is why we would have been crying. We sat on the sand for about a mintue and his eyes got worse. We went back to the room and they were swelling. Luckily, we brought every medicine under the sun and we gave him some Benedryl and baby Tylenol. We think he was allergic to something out there, maybe the salt from the ocean? He got cranky and finally feel asleep. His eyes looked much better when he woke up. It was the stragest thing. Now we are worried that he is going to have a problem with allergies. We are especially worried that he will be allergic to dogs. Yikes! (cross your fingers on that one)

I better get back up to the room. Gabe will be getting up soon and we will have to get him ready for the big trip. We are so excited to get home. Upon our arrival, we will go through customs and immigration. As soon as they stamp Gabe's passport, he will be considered an American citizen. Yeah!!! This is a big day. Then it is off to Chili's where I can drink the water and practice my freedom of speech. The joys of America!!! See you all in the States!

Happy Anniversary

2009-07-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

We are finally in Hong Kong and I think this is the most beautiful city that I have ever seen. The downtown is very modern and cosmopolitan. We are staying in, what the cab driver referred to as, the countryside. Our hotel is on the beach and there is a harbour on one side. We are watching the boats go by in the ocean. We took Gabe to the pool for his first real swimming experience. The very first time we tried was in an indoor pool and he hated it. Today was outdoor and he was indifferent. He mostly wanted to sit in his floaty and watch the kids play. We didn't keep him out long because it is very hot here. Both of my boys are sleeping, so I am going to head back out and lay out for a little bit. Later in the day, we will take Gabe to the beach. I think he will really enjoy playing in the sand. We will be sure to get some pictures of that.

Our last day in Guangzhou was a little bit sad. We have gotten pretty close to some of the families and our goodbye was a little abrupt. We went to the American Consulate to have an "interview" and then we took a group oath. After that, the bus dropped 4 families off at the train station and we were just able to give a shout out goodbye to the families. Fortunately, we have email address and we will be able to keep in touch. It is quite an experience to share with others and it seems weird to not have them around now.

The family that we were to our province with had similar problems getting their visa. They were supposed to come to HK with us last night and they are not able to leave Guangzhou. They are still waiting on their paperwork. We were lucky to have 3 other families with us on the train because once we left, we were completely on our own. No more guides or language assistance. We all got through the train station together and had to change money again. The interesting thing about HK is that is is technically China, but they have their own money. They say "One country, two systems." Also, I am able to blog in Hong Kong. There is a much different feel here. So far, most people speak quite a bit of English, so I am not too worried.

We had planned to go to Ocean Park today and see some of the animals and sights, but I think we are going to stay around the resort. It is our 4th anniversary and we thought just bumming around would be a great day. For the last 15 days it has been pretty scheduled and busy, so relaxing will be nice. I am also glad that we took a day before we make our big flight. It will be good to get rested up. We are dreading the 14.5 hours with a baby that doesn't like to sit still. After the in country flight, we aren't as worried about the heart condition on the flight. He did so well on the other one. We are more concerned with keeping him entertained and hopefully getting him to sleep. Luckily we are on business class and we will have some room for him to play in front of us. I am sure the people around us tomorrow will be wishing they were sitting somewhere else!

The train ride to HK was interesting. So far it seems that there isn't much to the middle class in China. It is mostly both extremes. We saw some shacks on rice fields yesterday that were shocking. People were living in these fields. It was very sad. I have gained a great appreciation for my home, family and my country during this process. I think some of these kids in our group, especially the older children, are not going to believe their new lives. Apparently, in GZ, the apartments are all about 1000 sq feet max and they cost around 300, 000 US dollars. We went to many parks and they are always packed with people because that is the only place that people can have space. Can you imagine?!? There are no houses, only apartments. I can't wait to have Gabe experience his own yard and all the space in our house.

I am rambling now, I will will sign off. I am going to lay out and enjoy some quiet time. We are so looking forward to getting back home. We will post when we return to let everyone know that we got back safely. Gabe will see his pediatrician on Monday and his cardiologist on Friday. I suspect that the cardiologist will go ahead and schedule the open heart surgery for the next week or two. We plan to blog through that process as well to keep everyone informed.

We have so appreciated the support and love from everyone during this process. It has been quite a journey and knowing that people are checking in on us and sending messages really helped. We will plan to have a "Meet Gabe" party at some point, hopefully before his surgery. Anyone is welcome to stop by and say hello. I will keep everyone posted on that date. Thanks again and we will post in two days!!!

Last day in China!!!

2009-07-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

After a couple hours of back and forth emails late last night, we got the paperwork we needed to leave today! Gabe will get his visa and we take our oath at 3:00 today. Our train for Hong Kong leaves at 6:15 and we should be there around 8:00 tonight. We will have a couple days of r & r on the beach. I went to put a post on Facebook today and they have now banned it. We think it is because of the political unrest going on in part of the country. None of us have been able to access FB since yesterday. It will be nice to be back in a country where we can use our freedom of speech! Thanks for all of the prayers and support. We are getting ready to go to the park and then for dim sum for lunch. Last night's restaurant had a live market of any kind of sea food or fish that you would want. They even had large, live alligators (mouths taped shut) that you could pick out the one that you wanted. It was bizarre. Gotta run. I will post again in Hong Kong! Love you all!

Ang, Brian, & Gabe

Visa Problems Resolved!

2009-07-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Apparently Angela contacted someone in the US who was able to fax the consulate in China all the necessary paperwork and, for now, all is good. I think they have it resolved in time that all their previously made connections will be intact. We still expect to meet them at O'hare on Friday 7/10.

Bill Calliss (Angela's Dad)

Visa Problems

2009-07-07T04:23:00.000-07:00

We are having problems today with our visa application. We have to try to settle something in Chicago in order to be able to leave. Unfortunately, it is about 10:00 p.m. in Chicago right now and we can't contact anyone until later tonight here. Pray that this gets settled, otherwise our stay will be extended. I will post more tomorrow.

Ang, Brian, & Gabe

Another day....

2009-07-06T04:46:00.001-07:00

This is going to be a quick one. We are getting ready to go back to Shaiman Island for some shopping today. We went to the Pearl Market yesterday and got some things very cheap. You wouldn't believe all of the dozens of jewelry stores. It is a wonder that they can all stay open. We went to an Italian restaurant last night on the island, the chef was actually from Italy. It was a nice change from Chinese or McDonalds. I ordered gnocchi and Gabe ate about 1/3 of my meal. He loved them! We completed the visa paperwork today, so that is going well. As soon as we take our oath at the consulate on Wednesday, we will be catching the train for Hong Kong. Guangzhou has been the best of all the cities we have seen yet, but we are still really anxious to leave. This is a long time to be away from home. Fortunately, we are meeting a lot of great people. Gabe already has a girlfriend named Harbour. I will have Brian attach that picture tomorrow. They play together very well. Not much to report, but I will have more tomorrow. Love to all! We still are blocked from the blog, so keep the emails coming to ancal1976@yahoo.com. We love to hear from home!

Brian, Ang, and Gabe

Second day in Guangzhou

2009-07-05T06:07:00.000-07:00

I have to type this fast, as time really is money in Guangzhou. We went from having the internet in our room for 20 Yuan a day (around $3) to having to pay 50 yuan for 15 minutes. I guess that is the price you pay when you go from chickens running in the sidewalks to having a Maserati showroom in your lobby. Things are going well. We are going to a Buddist temple today and Gabe will get a blessing from a monk. (We will take all of the blessings we can get!) Then we will go to the Pearl Market. Miao, one of the Mandarin teachers who taught in the district, stopped by with her husband and her friend last night. It was SO nice to see a familiar face. One of the other Mandarin teachers who taught at Von Steuben, Sun Junfang, has called us several times to check on us. Miao was able to tell us some good places to eat and shop. They also gave us much information regarding things to do in Hong Kong. She wanted to hold Gabe, but hasn't had much experience holding babies. She was worried she was going to hurt him and said he felt like a "soft meatball" which is a name that has now become a running joke. Speaking of names, Gabe is really starting to respond to his name. His Chinese name is Jian and they called him Jin Jin at the orphanage. We started off called him Jin Jin and then we went to Jin Jin Gabe. I think now he responds to Gabe as well as anything else.

We had the medical exam yesterday and we are very pleased to say that we have put a little more than 2 pounds on him. This kid is a great eater. I really think that he wasn't getting enough just getting rice cereal, formula and a little white rice everyday at the orphanage. He is really taking to foods and hopefully, we will get him off the formula completely when we get back home.

Tomorrow we complete all of the paperwork for his visa. Once we have that, our business in GZ will be complete. Until then, there is a very large, beautiful park across the street and many things to do here. We will be relaxing and waiting for the next leg of our trip. I am so excited that we will get to be home at the end of the week. We will write more tomorrow.

Brian, Ang, and Gabe

ps:
Since we are still not able to access our blog, anyone can email us at ancal1976@yahoo.com. We should be able to ready the blog in Hong Kong, but we would love to hear from people in the mean time. Thanks!

First day in Guangzhou

2009-07-04T05:11:00.000-07:00

We made it to Guangzhou and we are so happy to be here. We are now one step closer to coming home. GZ is MUCH nicer, cleaner, better, than Nanchang. Our hotel is incredible. There is a Lexus and another luxury car show room in the hotel. It is a completely different world than Nanchang. Not to mention, there is a Starbucks right next door! Real coffee!!!! People speak much more English here and the city is very westernized. Not to mention, the driving is civilized. I need for everyone to get an idea of the driving in Nanchang. The city has over 4 million people and I only saw 2 stop lights. There are more bikes or scooters on the road than cars and nobody uses a crosswalk. Lanes are optional and using the other lane is not just for passing, it is for driving when no other cars are coming at you. So cars will just drive in the opposite lane and when a bus or car starts coming at you, you just squeeze back in the same going that directions. Signal use is rare and sidewalk use for scooters is apparently acceptable. So basically, it is a free for all of pedestrians, scooters, bikes, and automobiles and there isn't a seat belt or child restraint to be found. It is a complete nightmare. We only saw one accident and it was between two scooters. They were arguing in the street and we thought they were going to break out kung fu fighting. If I never go back to Nanchang or Jiangxi province again, that will be ok.
We completed the medical exam today and he got his picture for his visa. We got in late last night and he missed his morning nap today, so I am sure we will have a less than pleasant afternoon and evening. I am hoping to meet my friend Miao (one of the District 150 Mandarin teachers) and her family, as they are visiting GZ as well. We plan to take Gabe to the zoo/aquarium tomorrow. It was so nice to be reunited with our original big group today. The kids are all great. I am really glad that our entire group has special needs kids. We have really bonded with some of these people. It has been quite an experience and it is great to have others to go through it with.

I gotta run. We have to figure out what our adventure will be for today. We don't have a computer in our room at this hotel, so we may not be able to post as often. We will do the best we can. It is so nice to still be able to feel connected from so far away. Keep the prayers coming!

Brian, Ang and Gabe

Last day in Nanchang

2009-07-02T14:43:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: We have had to use a portable keyboard, which is really nice, however it is very fickle. It will miss keys and sometimes jump to other lines in your text. If is looks like we are losing our English skills, it is probably just this keyboard. If my middle school English teacher is reading this, I know I should be proofing, but with a sleeping baby, time is money.Today, we will get Gabe's passport and the rest of the paperwork here. We fly to Guangzhou (thank goodness) this evening. GZ is more westernized, but not as much as Beijing. I am just praying for a cup of coffee that has been brewed. Even Gabe is getting bored of this room. It is hard to get any kind of schedule or routine when we are all on top of each other like this. My bed (we are living like Lucy and Desi here) is pushed against a wall and we line it with pillows. This has become the play area. It was a huge upgrade from a crib, but I think Gabe has outgrown it. He can see himself in the mirror at the end of the bed and it has become his favorite thing. This kid cracks himself up. As soon as we hit the mirror, it starts with the tongue and it goes from there. (Dad- kind of like me with the microwave...remember???) We went to the People's Park yesterday, which was a lot like Central Park in NYC. It was raining, which was a bummer. I was trying to stay under trees so we would stay dry. Brian went off to take some pictures and I was by myself and about 10 Chinese people gathered around me, which has happened often. They were making over Gabe and trying to ask me questions, which I couldn't understand. The guide came over and was talking to them. She was telling me some of what they were saying, which proved my theory about the looks we were getting. They mentioned that there are so many girls to be adopted out in the country, which translates to, "why are you taking one of our boys?" We have had several younger people (always female) stop us and tell us that he is lucky. The older people and men give us dirty looks. It ticks me off, but I try to be polite, which is not something that I see much of here. People are very pushy and they cut in line and they are down right rude. The good news is that when the Chinese people approach us and they want to pinch Gabe's cheeks or play with him, he usually reaches for us. I think he is really favoring us to everyone at this point, which is awesome. We won't leave the hotel today until around 3 and the word on the street is that they have a Pizza Hut. Another American told us that the salad bar stinks, but the pizza is as good or better than ours at home. I am so excited to go today. I miss pizza, cheddar cheese, and real coffee the most! We found oreos here, but they taste a little off. Brian did get some food poisoning, but it wasn't from the 1000 year old eggs. He got sick right before he was going to try one. He is finally feeling better. We took Gabe to the playroom last night and there were many other families there. He is the only boy in the group we are with now. It was funny to see the difference between little boys and little girls. The girls were just sitting quietly on their parent's laps watching everything and Gabe is squealing and tearing around in his saucer, while Brian and I are on the floor and chasing after him. I thought he would be this little timid thing, but he is all boy. I think he may even give my nephew Dylan a run for his money. All of the people familar with his heart condition tell us that these kids will self regulate because they tire quickly. We are still trying to set some limits on him, but that is really hard with a toddler. Last night, Brian and I sat on the floor and would help him walk between the two of us. He can get a couple steps in. I really think he will be walking by the time we get home. He thinks it is a blast. This has been a long one, but I am up in the middle of the night and can't sleep. I think I am going to start packing. I better go check on Gabe. I am just as paranoid a mother as I ever thought I would be! We will post more tomorrow.

Brian, Ang and Gabe

A Few More Pics

2009-07-02T05:23:00.001-07:00

Going well

2009-07-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

Things are still going well here. Gabe is doing great. We are very lucky because many of the other families are not having it so easy. One family that we have spent quite a bit of time with is really struggling. Their daughter is 4 and lived in a foster home. She will often not allow her parents to go near her or touch her. The guides have a hard time understanding what she wants because she speaks a different dialect. They finally figured out yesterday and she keeps repeating that she wants her foster grandmother. It is really sad because this family is trying so hard. Even some of the kids closer to Gabe's age are grieving as well. The parents are all discussing at breakfast how little sleep they have been getting and I feel bad. I won't tell them that Gabe sleeps about 10 - 11 hours at night and about 1-2 hours each of his two naps. We are really lucky because Gabe really is a good little guy. We took him to Walmart again yesterday and I bent down and put my face in his and he grabbed it with both hands and gave me a kiss. You guys are just going to love him when you meet him. His favorite thing is a mirror. As soon as he sees one, his tongue immediately sticks out. (Maria - you will love that) He realy loves to look at himself in the mirror, it is pretty funny. We are getting ready to go to a people's park today. This is where we will likely see people practicing Tai Chi and playing chess in the park. Then we will go to do a little shopping. Tomorrow, we fly to Guangzhou and we are really looking forward to it. It is supposed to be more westernized and we are dying for a cup of decent coffee. they serve burned instant coffee here. Brian can't even choke it down, so you know it is bad. Gotta run, we will post again tomorrow.

LoveBrian, Angela and Gabe

More about Gabe

2009-06-30T16:59:00.001-07:00

Gabe is getting along with us very well. We weren't too surprised to see that he isn't walking by himself yet. He really wants to and he does pull himself up to his feet. He will walk if you hold his hands but he leans really far ahead. However, he sometime has a hard time sitting up and it really frustrates him. Once he is sitting up, he is fine. And he doesn' t like to be on his belly at all! I think getting home and being able to be more active will help build those muscles to sit up better. He is not as small as we thought either. He is wearing the 12 months clothes, but some are little snug on him. I think we will be wearing some 18 month when we get home. He talks some gibberish, although it could be Chinese and we don't know it. I have caught him saying mama a few times and I like to think it is for me. He is still on formula and rice cereal but we have heard the orphanges do that because it is much easier for feeding. We have been giving him watermelon and bananas - which he loves and he loves his steamed rolls. He is certainly a texture person because there are some things like eggs and tofu that he doesn't want anything to do with. We keep trying new things everyday. The kid likes his food! He will shake his head when he doesn't want something. Although I think his favorite thing is goldfish crackers. He goes nuts over those. We are going to head to breakfast. Brian wants to try the preserved eggs (also known as 1000 year old eggs) and he wants to document it. The eggs are black. We will post the pictures. Then we are off to the pavillion. Love to all

Culture shock

2009-06-30T03:53:00.000-07:00

We are still in Nanchang waiting for Gabe's passport. Our next city is where the Chinese will tell you that the most exotic food is served. However, where we are now is quite an adjustment. The "fancy" restaurant we ate at in the hotel today was serving fish lips and duck tongues, among many other things. I had my staple bowl of noodles. They brought Brian the biggest bowl of rice that I have ever seen and told him, "Enjoy yourself." The staff at the hotel are very accommodating to all of the American families and their babies. However, the people on the streets are not fond of Americans. It was very different in Beijing, they were very curious and excited to see Americans. We ventured out into town today and when I saw "free range" chickens running in the sidewalks, I knew it was time to go. I am not even going to mention the smells. We are getting a little stir crazy living out of this room, but luckily we brought the portable DVD player, as we have ZERO channels in English. Even ad-libbing the Chinese soap operas has lost its appeal. We are having a great time with Gabe. Today we went to the playroom at the hotel. We met some other families there and Gabe had a blast playing with a ball. One of the hotel workers came up and tried to play with Gabe and he reached for Brian. I think he is starting to realize that we are mommy and daddy. Tomorrow we have a trip to a local pavillion. We may try to venture out and look for porcelain,as Nanchang is supposed to be one of the best places for that. We will check in tomorow.

Photos Now Available

2009-06-29T04:42:00.000-07:00

It is Official

2009-06-29T04:35:00.000-07:00

It is official

We got Gabe yesterday and he is such an angel. He came to mom right away and it didn't take long to warm up to dad. He didn't cry and he is a great sleeper. He doesn't like getting his hair washed and he certainly let us know. They still have him on formula, but we are starting to introduce solids. He loves watermelon and bananas. We went to the notary and registrar today and it is official. He is ours and it has been wonderful. Now we stay in Nanchang for a few days while we wait for his passport. Then it is off to Guangzhou to get his visa. We tried swimming today and he is NOT a fan. However, he likes the bath. Tomorrow is a free day and we are going to take him to a play ground in the hotel. There are several families from many agencies using this hotel. It is nice to see all of the babies and their parents. We know have internet in our room on our tv, so we will be sure to post daily. I am off to watch more Elmo!

Angela and Brian

ps from Papa Calliss: Angela and Brian sent photos also today, I am still trying to figure out how to post them on the blog - will do so just as soon as I figure it out.

United, At Last!!

2009-06-28T10:36:00.000-07:00

Phyllis and I talked to Angela and Brian at 9:00 AM this morning (that would be 10:00 PM in the Nanchang Province, where they are now staying). We wanted to check out how things went when they met and united with Gabe. By this time they had Gabe with them for about 6 hours.
Brian reported that Gabe went for Angela immediately and warmed up to him a little later. Angela says he looks beautiful and is very good (proud mother?...maybe). As it turns out, we woke them from a deep sleep (Gabe slept through the call); although they are fatigued from all the sightseeing and travel, both sounded good, otherwise. More organized activities (official governmental paper work for Gabe, along with more sightseeing) await them Monday through Thursday, after which, they will be leaving for Gaungzhou for the final organized activities.

Getting Ready to Meet Gabe

2009-06-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

I didn't think that I could find a place that would make me miss Beijing, but we found it. We arrived in Nanchang this morning and it isn't quite as nice as Beijing. Our hotel is good, but the area is questionable. We spent yesterday seeing sights in Beijing. We went to the Forbidden City, Tianamen Square and The Great Wall. We were passed out before 7 p.m. It was exhausting. Brian went a little further on the wall than I did. It is really impressive. I was a celebrity at Tiananmen Square. We had a little girl with red hair with us and many locals wanted their picture with her. Then, being a tall American woman, I was next. They took turns getting their picture. It was weird. Our blogspot is blocked in this province as well, so my dad will continue to post. As soon as we can get pictures up, we will. We have to run because we get Gabe in 3 hours and we have lots to do to prepare. We love you all and appreciate your continued support! We also look forward to reading your comments on the blog as soon as we can get to it.

Ang and Brian

We Have Arrived!

2009-06-25T09:03:00.001-07:00

Hi, I am Angela's Dad and she has asked me to stand-in for her in posting to the blog because she is unable to access it from her hotel in Beijing. She has access to email and has emailed a note for me to post. That is what I will do for her until she is able to post from China.

Her note from the arrival is as follows:

We are finally in China. I have always hated flying, but that was until I flew business class. It was terrific. Big news...no quarantine.....yet...... Beijing looks pretty nice so far. We will spend tonight resting and then we will sightsee tomorrow. We are just about to have dinner, we are a little afraid of the cuisine we have seen so far. Yikes! Tomorrow we will be seeing Chinese acrobats, among some other things. We are unable to get to our blog (at least at this location) so we will continue to post via my dad. We may not get pictures up, but we will sure try. Stay tuned....we will have more tomorrow.

Ang and Brian

Almost there!

2009-06-23T07:09:00.000-07:00

Brian and I are still trying to get everything together, as we leave tomorrow morning. Many people have checked out the blog and several have mentioned that they had a hard time leaving a message. Blogging is relatively new to me, so I apologize if I picked a difficult format. I think you actually have to register for a google account to be able to leave a message. It is kind of a pain, but we will really appreciate seeing the postings from friends and family when we are so far away. We will post as soon as we can when we arrive. If it takes a week or so, you will know that someone was sick and we were quarantined. Right now, they have told everyone to be prepared for a possible week long quarantine. I packed the cards and many books just in case. It is a little surreal to think that we will be parents in just a few days! Thanks again for all your love and support. We will make sure to get pictures of Gabe up here when we are in China just as soon as we can.

Getting closer....

2009-06-20T02:47:00.000-07:00

Here we are, only 4 more days. I am starting to stress about the details, which is why I am up in the middle of the night. Wednesday will be here before we know it. There really isn't much to report, except that we are finally almost there. Assuming that our travel schedule continues as planned, we won't blob, (haha) I mean blog again until we get to China. Thanks again for all of the well wishes and support.

Brian and Ang

Counting the days

2009-06-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

11 days and counting....getting very excited. We are starting to pack this weekend. We found out that we can bring 4 total bags at 70 pounds each = 280 pounds total to China. No problem....until.... We found out that our flights in China are limiting us to 2 total bags at 44 pounds each. Our suitcases alone weigh 12 pounds each. Do the math....we will have to get very creative. Most of what we will need will be for Gabe, so I am going to see if I can get packed for him today. Someone told me that for parents, pack the least you can get by on and then cut that in half. Yikes!

Other than that, we are just trying to get the house ready. We appreciate all of the support and prayers from everyone. We will keep checking in as we prepare.

Even better news....

2009-06-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

Not only do we now have tickets for our trip, we have updates. He is currently 17.5 pounds and 74 cm tall. We also have updated pictures that we have posted. He certainly has changed from the last pictures! He looks very happy and healthy. We are so excited to meet him. China doesn't seem to buy into the whole pink is for girls thing. I think he wears it well. Only 19 more days!

Good news!

2009-06-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

After our agency told us yesterday that our trip was put off until July, we were pretty upset. Luckily, we got another email this morning telling us to book our flight for June 24. I just got off the phone with the airline. We are set to leave in less than three weeks. Let the countdown begin!!!!

A Bump In the Road

2009-05-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Our tentative travel date (June 4) has been changed, most likely due to the swine flu. Our next possible travel date is set for June 25. Please pray that we are able to go in June. We will keep all posted.

About Gabe

2009-05-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

We got the call about Yuan Jian on March 9, after we had all but given up on an adoption in China. We had just started looking into a domestic adoption and a week later, they called about our little guy.

Gabriel Allan was born on December 18, 2007 and has been living in the Social Welfare Institute of Nancheng County in Jiangxi Province for a little over a year. He was surrendered to the facility at 3 months of age with only a note stating his date of birth. We suspect that his birth mother surrendered him because he was not well.

Gabe has pulmonary atresia, which means that he is missing a pulmonary valve. He will require some heart surgery very soon after we return. Fortunately, Brian works in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the OSF Children's Hospital. He works with kids with cardiac issues on a regular basis, so he has some experience that will help us tremendously. He also has access to some of the best doctors in the area and we have already consulted with them on a plan for Gabe. With the uncertainty of his health condition, we welcome all of the prayers and support for our family.

We are so eager to bring Gabe home and start our life as a family. Our tentative date to travel is June 4. We will be spending about 2 weeks in China and plan to come back June 18. We will keep everyone posted during the journey.

Just the beginning....

2009-04-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

It has been a long 3+ years, but we are finally going to China. We wanted to set this up to stay in touch with everyone along the journey. We are supposed to travel in June, probably early in the month. We will likely be in China for a couple weeks. We are so excited to get Gabe and bring him home.

We don't have much to report at this time, except that we are so excited! We will keep everyone posted now that we know how to blog. Keep us in your prayers.

Ang and Brian (and very soon....Gabe too)