Post Surgery

Bing was released from UW Medical Center on June 30th, just one day after his surgery. Since our flight home was not until July 4th, we returned home with his mom and dad, and spent a few days in Astoria recovering.

We were also able to spend a day in Grays Harbor, where Bing grew up (although, I don't think he will ever truly "grow up"). We had a wonderful visit with Great Uncle Burch and Bebe, time with his sister and most of her family, Tiffany, Nick and Danica, and a dinner without Maddox. Thanks Sis! We also drove by their old cranberry farm which now looks like a dumpy old field. The new owners apparently aren't into cranberries or the appearance of their property, too bad. The tide was low and we could see the oysters, however, they aren't easy to get to, so we looked from afar.

Mama Marcia drove us back to Seattle on the 3rd and we stayed one more night with our sweet little angel, Kathy. Our friends Bobby and Jaime and their little girl Ashley came down to visit with us for the evening. They treated us to some amazing sushi and then we walked around the Space Needle, sipped on Starbucks, ate ice cream and called it a night. Sorry we didn't get a picture with Jaime in it!

Although the circumstances were terrible, it was so nice to be able to spend time with people we love. We got to spend a week and a half with Bing's mom, and big chunks with his dad, sisters, and all of his good friends that came to visit. Thank you: Perrines, Randich family, Brody, Buster, Dan, Steven, Mikey, Bobby and Jaime.

Bing is healing nicely, but won't be able to work for another 3 weeks. Even then he will be on restricted, light duty work for another 6 months. We are exploring the idea of him going back to school and pursuing a new career. Right now, I am working full-time to make up for Bing not working. People have been very generous with us, which has helped us cover our bills thus far. There are two benefits in the works to help even further, one in Billings and one on the Harbor. So far, we have only received the bill for his ambulance rides totalling..... $3,000. Pretty exciting right?

Yippee....Summer!

Fridays are for Ladies who Lunch. Sometimes we meet at a restaurant with a patio, and sometimes we picnic at the park. Today was a picnic kinda day and it was so wonderful to sit in the sun, play on the playground and then cool off in the free kiddie pool. My mom and aunt Gail are geniuses for coming up with Friday lunches, and are sweet ladies for sharing it with their daughters!

I laid Maddox in his stroller in just his shorts and he fell asleep on the stroll home. Since he was sleeping, I walked an extra mile or two and picked up an iced coffee on my way home. I got a nice little tank-top-tan, exercise, and caffeine, what could be better!?

Surgery

Ok, here is the rundown of our (Bing's) day, yesterday.
5:20 am they woke Bing up to get showered and ready for the Electro Physiology test.
6:00 am I arrived to smooch on, cuddle with and pray over Bing before he was wheeled off.
6:30 am came and left
7:30 am came and left
8:15 they finally came to get him. Mind you, they told us to be at this place at 6:30 but no one showed up to the office, or answered the phone until 8 am.

Bing had to be awake for the procedure so that they could get an accurate portrayal of how his electrical system works. If he is sedated his heart rate drops and everything is generally skewed.

They inserted several catheters through his groin and up into his heart. They then mapped his heart with electrical impulses. They were able to stimulate an arrhythmia that sent his heart beat up to 300. Unaware that he was still conscious, but unable to speak, they shocked him to regulate his heart. Bing describes this procedure as Japanese torture. He was awake and helpless while they poked, prodded and shocked his heart... I can't even imagine.

About two hours later, they determined that a valve was not yet necessary and that we would go ahead with the defibrillator. They promptly wheeled him back down and began the surgery.

He was awake for this procedure too, although much more comfortable, I believe he described it as going to the spa in comparison to the first procedure. They made an incision just below his left collar bone and manually stretched his tissue into a pocket that could house his new hardware. They gave him the "good" unit that has two leads into his heart, rather than one. The two leads mean that he has less chance of being shocked inappropriately, we like this.

We escaped open heart surgery, and valve replacement, this time around. Eventually, Bing will need his valve replaced but the longer you wait, as long as it is safe, the better. Technology only gets better with time, and replacement valves degrade at a faster rate than your original equipment. So, we are praying for miraculous leaps and bounds in research and development of heart valves.

I have lots more that I could write on the subject of Bing's heart but I'll save some for later.

We thank God for the amazing network of friends and family that have been praying for us and supporting us through this week. We are exhausted and broken but we are also hopeful and on the road to recovery. We love you all and are so very thankful for everything you have done for us.

Here we go

Thanks everybody for all of your support, prayers, and well-wishes. I love and miss you all. - Bing

It is the morning of Bing's Electro Physiology test. The kind nurses woke him up at 5:20 this morning, I got here a bit before 6:00.

Mom and Dad Myers are on their way over from Spokane and are picking up Piper on the way. Marcia is back at the condo with Maddox and the phone calls have started. I brought my charger with me, knowing full well the amount of texts and calls that will be exchanged today :)

Bing's older sister, Tiffany (aka Sissy), took Maddox back to the harbor on Friday and brought him back yesterday. Their whole family seems to have really enjoyed the visitor, despite several MASSIVE blowouts. I sent a jar of prunes for Maddox and as it turns out, he only needs a spoonful every couple of weeks. He ate the prunes on Friday and is still having amazing "movements" three days later.

Apparently, Maddox had poo in his neck rolls, armpits and all over his legs. Sissy had poo all over her arms and legs and a nice spot on her carpet :) Better you than me Sis!

Maddox slept with Sissy and her husband Nick, and according to the stories I heard was not a very peaceful sleeper. He slapped, kicked and wiggled and at one point fell asleep with a handful of Nick's chest hair. What a little sweetheart.

Cousins, Adara and Danica, spoiled him with unending affection and playtime and even shared a Popsicle and an apple, only to pull it away with mass quantities of baby slobber all over!

I forgot to pack my camera cable, so I am unable to post pictures, but the second I am able I will share every single one of them.

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On another note. One of Bing's doctors graduated with my Cousin, Jarred Freese, some of you might know him. He is kind of a big deal. Anyway, Amanda Shepherd says hello to the Freese Family. She is super sassy and she gets my humor. Smart cookie too, she is only 26!

Amanda is in the front row on the far left.