School's OUT! Next year, K, 3, 6, 9 and 12! How's that for a fun year!

They're all done.  We left school a little after 10 or right at, went for some ice cream and took the youngest 4 to the movies to see Blended (their choice).  Next year's probably going to be tough with all 5 in school and Jaemin's adjustment, so I'm just going to enjoy this while I can.

Cole had gotten an award this year, Chase got an award this year and Chelsi got 3 awards this year.  5th & 6th grades do not give awards, so no awards for Kaelin, but I'm sure she would have.  Cole had no Cs this quarter!!  He did so much better and considering  the quarter started with his heart surgery he did awesome!  He may even keep his 3.0 for the semester since he brought this quarter's grades up so much (just 1 more final to be graded).  3rd quarter was really rough for him while he was getting more tired and stressed about the surgery, so it was a welcomed change.  Chase finished on the B honor roll for quarter and semester.  This quarter seemed a little more rough for him.  Hopefully freshman year will be great!  Kaelin finished this quarter on the B honor roll, but kept A honor roll for the semester.  Chelsi doesn't get grades yet, but had all pluses and 90%+ on things that did somewhat grade.  I'm looking forward and hopeful for a successful year next year for all and Cole will graduate!!

Big brother is fishing with friends since school is out, but we're having pizza outside tonight and hopefully the zoo tomorrow.  Came home to a get well card from Jaemin's nurse at the hospital and more Ninja Turtle stickers enclosed.  So sweet to think of him like that since it's his favorite ever.  You should have seen his face when they showed a preview for their movie before Blended today.  He yelled "It's a movie!".  

Jaemin took this.

Recuperation

This is what adenoid recuperation looks like.  He only took pain meds once yesterday.  My men are tough!

Jaemin's adenoids are out!

My baby did SO well. They were running 1 1/2 hours late on his surgery, so they didn't start until about 1:20. They was out and we were back with him about 25 minutes later. I was worried, about his reaction to our separation because of his issues so I had spoken with the hospital a couple of weeks ago. They were so great. They prepped all of the staff and brought us back to the point that we said goodbye in the room they would start putting him out before going to the OR. They said he said he was happy as he was going out. That's my boy! They came and got us before he had woken up even. They said usually they wait until they're awake, but they wanted to go with our wishes and make sure he awoke to us. He had his eyes closed when we walked in, but as soon as we started talking to each other he opened them like flipping a switch. His pretty little eyes just glanced at us and closed again. He didn't talk because the trach tube made his throat a bit sore, but as soon as he could whisper something he asked me where we were going to take him after we left the doctor (aka what can I eat?). Imagine that? Our kid worrying about food. We left shortly after since he was drinking juice just fine. We promised ice cream, so we left for Wendy's to get him a vanilla frosty and right as we were pulling in he started to cry and then got sick. It was all snot, so I think the anesthesia and the junk that cleared out with surgery had made him sick. He wanted a bath after that and asked for his Frosty in the tub. Yep....we gave in. He took a bath and then I fed him his Frosty in the tub. Jaemin requested macaroni and cheese for supper and said that no one else could eat it. It took awhile to convince him there was plenty for him and someone else. He didn't share much, but he did share. He's pretty much back to normal, running around and playing already tonight. He is now saying he is going to be a doctor and if you ask why he says "why not?". The hospital staff had put a mask and cap and his puppy, so he LOVED seeing Dr. Puppy when he woke up. But, now he is the one wearing the mask. EVERYWHERE HE GOES! Now, we're just hoping the snoring subsides when the swelling does.

Waiting.

Waiting some more and amazed the tv sound comes out of that remote.

Still waiting and getting hungry.  He did stay up until 11pm, but that's 12+ hours without eating.

Just waking up and trying to stick his tongue out for me.  He didn't have a smile for me yet.

My baby has a plan!

We didn't get an IEP, but we do have an IEP/504.

I had the meeting with the school (principal, a kindergarten teacher, the special needs coordinator and speech therapist) and after 3 years of speech, he's 80% where he should be, but they're going to keep him in so he can retain the IEP in kindergarten. He didn't qualify in the other areas for an IEP. He is gross and fine motor skill delayed, but not enough by the state to require IEP. He is low/average IQ, and language skills are low, but low enough based on his IQ level to qualify. However, the principal very much seems to be on my side when I explained that I think the IQ is a little false since he can read at the 2nd grade level, but the test doesn't reflect that, making his language further behind. His sensory isn't bad enough and since he doesn't have enough of a gross/fine motor delay they can't do an IEP by state standards. The coordinator thought his stimming was a habit because he didn't do it at all last May while in Korea, but I told her that my theory is that since he is sensory seeking being in a different country with all of the new sights, smells, etc. was filling his need he had no need to stim. The principal said she agreed with my theory. So, they decided he was delayed and does need help, so they worked out a 504 plan and he will get speech and physical therapy during kindergarten as a disability (just during naptime since he no longer takes them). It's so odd to be so happy, but I've seen the difference speech has made for him and not just in the speech area, so I know this will progress him even further. I really, really feel that his sensory disorder is a lot of the problem and if we can help him there, it will help him in the other areas. If only we could get him to color for more than 3-4 minutes.

Anyone who has known Jaemin since the day he came home knows how far he's come. He has surgery to get his adenoids out Monday and the hospital, though not a children's is being wonderfully sensitive to his needs. They actually called again tonight so they can be totally prepared for him to make this as great for him as possible. They said they would meet us when we got there and do everything he needs to be comfortable and not stressed. I love it when people understand the situation is unique and he is unique and special!

I love this kid!!!!

More Bills....ugh!

I got a letter in the mail last night for us setting up the payments for Cole's physicians.  The bill was $364, even after we've already paid some of them and now they're saying it's $2,436.54.  This is correct after going through the rest of our EOBs.  However, when I called to make the first $50 payment they told me we had to now make 10% payments which is $243/month.  YIKES!  Too much!  I asked if there was any discount for us to take money out of our emergency savings to pay this and she said we could write a settlement letter.  I had never heard of this.  Apparently, people write these when they've been turned into a collections agency and can pay off a portion in return for it being squared away with the creditor.  I got the fax number and simply asked if we can either continue paying $50/month or get a discount for taking money from our non HSA savings account.  It may not sound like much, but $243 to leave into our HSA will allow us to pay for dental and all of his bills, possibly, by the end of the year.  I'd rather owe myself than them, but if we don't get a discount it's not worth taking it out of my savings account and $243/month is a lot to expect a family of 7 to pay.  I haven't even had a car loan that high in 12+ years.  I can't afford it.  That's why!

So, I'm hoping this lady named Kim will consider either option.  I'd rather the 10% savings, but would take either because it would really, really help us.  Who knows what next year will bring and I'm sure our out-of-pocket max will be higher than the $6600 it is this year.  That's the trend....it only goes up!

Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday

We almost always celebrate Chase's birthday wrapped in with Mother's Day.  I certainly don't mind sharing  with such good company.  I'm very blessed to have these kids.  Everyone of them, though there are there downs, bring something wonderful to the table and our lives.  Cole is very special because he's our first born.  After the loss of our first daughter he was such a welcome to our world and was our world for 3 straight years.  I'm thankful for that time to focus only on him and his heart.  Then, came Chase.  Chase was brought home on Mother's Day, so he will always be my best Mother's Day gift ever!  Kaelin was our first daughter to have and hold.  She was so wanted and waited for in Korea.  Chelsi was the one I wasn't really sure we were going to have.  Brian was on the fence about a 4th, but Cole and I got him talked into just one more.  Jaemin was our surprise!  He wasn't a ooops baby or anything that people call their babies when they accidentally get pregnant.  He was a great surprise.  In the end, 4 were planned, 1 was not, but I wouldn't want life without any one of them.  They each have a gift for me and I love seeing life as we go through it together through them.  We've been through too much together and I hope they always love and appreciate each other for their individual gifts.

Chase is 14 (well tomorrow)!!  He was so excited yesterday to tell me he had grown.  The football coach measures them during weightlifting to track things and he had grown 2 inches.  He's now pushing just under 5' 9".  We were starting to wonder if he was ever going to grow.  He said he wants to be 6'7".  :)  Don't know that that's going to happen, but he says it's possible since the doctor said Cole's growth curve said 5'11" and he ended up being 6'2" and Chase's  growth curve was saying 6'4".  We'll see.  Chase will be a good young man.  He's sweet and kind and, well, nice looking.  Love my middle baby!

Happy Mother's Day to my mother, my grandmothers, my Korean children's foster mothers and their birth mothers.  Without all of these women, we would not be or be who we are.

It was Jaemin's last soccer game too.  He really did enjoy it and wants to play again next year.

Awards and events

I was sad that I could not go to the visitation of a friend's father or the funeral.  We just had too much.  Cole had an appointment yesterday afternoon and then he actually got a school award last night and I did guilt trip him into going a little bit.  I would have given up and was, but I DID really want to go.  He's never gotten any award for anything, so it didn't matter, I really wanted to see it.  It was in Industrial Materials, but it's still an award.  This morning, I had the day off, Chelsi officially got her character trait award at school.  Hers was from September and it was for Respect.  They don't award them monthly for the parents, just the kids and then do the celebration at the end of the year for all of the kids.  There were four per grade since there are four classes per grade.  Then, the school provided donuts afterward.  That was at 8:15 this morning.  At 9 am I ran down to the middle school to watch Kaelin in the talent show.  It started at 8:30, but she asked to be pushed back so I could hopefully do both.  I did make it.  It was rough for her.  She's never done just two girls and I think she got nervous.  She forgot the words or was just afraid.  Her friend carried her through, but I could see the tops of her eyelids getting red.  I know she's getting ready to cry then.  She held it together and finished, but when she sat down she was crying a bit.  One of the teachers and counselor were pretty concerned.  They all really like her.  One of the girls in Chase's class was trying to make her feel better.  I took her out to the cafeteria for a second to remind her that it didn't matter how well she did.  She was brave enough to try in front of the whole middle school.  She should be proud of herself no matter what.  She seemed fine then.  Plus it was Hallelujah.  That's a difficult song!  We didn't get home until 10:30 and Jaemin was tired, so he just played play-doh for the afternoon.  I do have to say they had some pretty talented singers.  One had a really amazing voice singing Love Story.  Her friend was good too, but not quite as good.  What I loved the most was that even though Kaelin kinda choked a bit, her friends loudly cheered her on in the stands and the whole crowd still cheered her on their feet!

My Jaejae

The ENT called today and said the xray showed the swelling on Jaemin's adenoids were 'moderate'.  He said xrays tend to underestimate the swelling, so it's more severe.  He said no doubt Jaemin needs it out.  Not a big deal surgery at all.  It's really kinda like kids getting tubes in their ears.  However, I'm pretty protective over my boy and after the last time he went under anesthesia I have to be.  It was so traumatic for both of us when he woke up.  Enough so that they came and got me much sooner than they had planned because he was so upset.  They said because of his sensory disorder they couldn't or wouldn't do it in their surgery clinic and wanted him to be in a hospital setting. I spent some time calling to find out what each hospital's protocol was on letting parents go back post op.  They all have policy of that the child has to be awake, etc. before a parent can come back.  I explained his hard transition and attachment to us.  I explained his sensory disorder and I explained how important it is that he knows I haven't left him and when you wake up after anesthesia you're so disoriented and scared and that's just everybody.  For him, it's even more of a traumatic experience.  I ended up talking to a lady who said she was over it all and would make an exception to get us back as soon as the tubes were out from surgery.  They're also going to try to allow us to spend as much time with him as possible before they put him out....maybe even until he's out.  I asked her for her name and told her I would hold her to her promise.  She gave me her direct line and said just to call with the date of the surgery and she will make sure to hold to her promises.  I called the doctor back and told them okay and apparently they had been on the phone with the hospital voicing my concerns as well.

I felt so much better.  Jaemin's not very happy he has to go to the doctor, but I've been trying to explain that they will fix his snoring, make his breathing easier and make him feel so much better.  He's a little scared even though he doesn't really understand.  I'm glad it's in less than 2 weeks.  Get it over with.  A couple of days and he'll feel so much better.

I LOVE this boy!

Making Arrangements

We've always been very fortunate to have really good insurance.  But, my government employer, like all other employers, have sent benefits by the wayside.  My insurance being one of them.  Several years ago that benefit began to decline and  the only real alternative for a family this large where they charge by the child was to go into a high deductible plan.  It's better than no insurance.  When the day came and they offered this new plan while it still means quite a bit more out of my paycheck monthly, it also meant if we didn't go to the doctor and max things out (which does happen sometimes).  Most years just hitting your high deductible and saving the max in the HSA is enough to have money left in your HSA for dental, etc. since we have no dental or vision insurance.  However, maxing it out is a big difference.  Years ago it just wasn't like this.  Even Brian's accident didn't cost this much.  He spent 1 1/2 weeks inpatient and then another few weeks inpatient rehab.  We came nowhere near what this surgery cost for Cole.  I miss the days of $600, maybe $1500 for the year.  We expect at least $2000 every year in medical expenses.  An EKG and echo along with the cost of the cardiologist are approximately $1500/year just for Cole if he doesn't have a stress test and MRI.  We did ask if we could come back in October this year since we're maxed out and won't be responsible for more.  One more heart check before he goes back to full-on wrestling would make me feel so much better.

We've been getting all of the bills in more and more and I've been having to go through, match them up by EOB and pay them.  At least 2-3 times for this surgery alone the bills have been incorrect and I've had to call and remind them they cannot bill for certain things and turn around and wait for a revised bill.  Always wait for the correct bill.  They cannot bill for things the insurance says are outside the agreement, but if they get the accounts mixed up they can do it easily, but it is wrong.  I got one bill today that was revised down to $73 from almost $300 after explaining their mix-up.  Then, since it was the facility again I asked for the 15% pay upfront discount.  So I ended up paying $62.  The other bill I got was almost $400 for a couple of the doctors while he was in the hospital.  Apparently, the physicians do not offer a pay upfront discount, so I told them, for the first time in my lucky life, to set up a payment plan.  They agreed to $50/month so I would have enough to pay what I have to as the year rolls on and more bills come in.  I figured this way we could possibly go to the dentist later this year and when my HSA hopefully catches up to all of this I can pay the physicians off at the end of the year.  There are plenty more physicians bills coming in.  Those were just the smaller ones. It feels weird to have medical payments since we never have, but thankfully, I pull so much out of my paycheck that we should be able to pay them off at the end of the year.

There's always worse and prayerfully, this is the last year of maxing out for awhile!

Said goodbye

to a really great person today.  It's sad that you don't see people often enough and it takes losing one before you make any efforts to get together.  Cathy was a beautiful person, inside and out.  She was an awesome mom and incredibly vivacious person.  Her laugh will be with me forever.  After the graveside ceremony her kids, nieces, nephews, etc. released balloons with their messages on them as her song, by Elton John, played.  And they asked us to give a round of applause for her after the song.  It was how she would have wanted it.  She wouldn't have wanted everyone to be so sad. She would have wanted everyone to 'rock on'.
She will very much be missed and I will never forget how much she made me think as these years with cancer progressed.  Her outlook was never less than amazing!

Cell Phone Photos

I asked Jaemin to finish unloading the dryer tonight. We're trying to start him in on some small chores, so I unload most, but leave a handful of clothes for him to unload. I did mine, asked him to unload his and went to the bedroom to fold clothes. He was taking FOREVER. He finally comes running in telling me that he found his soccer socks, complete with shin guards, in the dryer and they're warm. Yep.....he had them on. He was in the laundry room putting them on. It might help to stay warm if you would ever wear a shirt around the house. Not Jaemin. If he's at home he does not want to wear a shirt.


So, I had to take a picture of him with his socks on. I figured my phone was faster, but I rarely use it to take pictures. He asked to see his picture in true kid fashion and I scroll over to find other pictures. I had forgotten I took a picture of him at my grandma's on Easter in his bunny glasses. Then, I found several selfies I'm pretty sure Kaelin took on Easter. The bedspread looks like my grandma's, so I guess her and her cousin were bored? Girls, girls!

April is over!

The month pretty much flew by.  Started it out staying at home with Cole after his surgery, then shuttling him around until he could drive.  He's now driving on his own and back in school for a couple of full weeks.  And, though, he's again not driving because his car's in the shop, he will get it back soon.  Hopefully.  A guy we knew thought he could fix it fairly cheap.   Brian and his dad took the head apart and found a rocker arm  shaft stripped, so the rocker arm was hitting the top of the cylinder head and making all that racket.  Luckily they found it without driving it around so we hopefully didn't make things worse.  We may know tomorrow or Friday if it's just what we thought.  I can do $200.  Not happily after all the other things in that car, but better than $1000+ for a new head in a $2000 car.  But, really do you fix  the car or replace it?  We've put so much into it that if we found another one for what we could afford we'd probably end up putting at least what we have back into that one too.  Maybe we won't have to find out.

The school year is winding down and I'm praying Cole can keep his grades up.  He's been enjoying his freedoms with his friends, but they will come to a screaching halt if a C creeps back in.  He knows the rules and hopefully that taste of running and fun will encourage him.  We'll see.

I've been fighting Kaelin lately.  Usually it's Brian fighting her on clothes and I take her side, but not on this.  I just do not agree with girls wearing leggings when their rear ends aren't covered up.  Leave something to the imagination.  Why would a guy be interested in something every other guy can see just right out there in the open.  She went as far this time as to just put her jeans on over them after I told her her shirt was too short and to change.  She apparently thinks I'm that stupid.  I now have all of her leggings and big brother is watching her at school for me.  If she gets caught in her lies, she'll realize she really can't hide things.

Jaemin had his OT And ST evaluation after speech yesterday.  He will most likely not qualify to stay in speech the entire year.  We redid a sensory eval too since it's been 3 years.  The school is not required to provide support for sensory disorder, but the OT said they've begun to do it on their own for kids with more severe sensory.  She thinks there's a chance he may qualify between some of his delays and this.  That would be great for when he enters Kindergarten and maybe I won't have so many fears and reservations about him going.  Jaemin is SO, SO smart.  He reads so well and quickly.  He just needs emotional/social help.

Busy Weekend

Chelsi had 1st Communion for church this weekend and Chase graduates from 8th Grade this year, so we combined their parties like we did Cole and Kaelin.  We lucked out and decided to do their parties the day before 1st Communion instead of after because Jaemin was supposed to have a soccer game (canceled now with all the rain).  It couldn't have worked out better.  The weather was perfect.  We could have everyone in the garage for eating and the kids ran crazy outside.  I shredded up 4 beef roasts and then we made a dish of orange and yellow peppers, onions, jalepenos and sauted cabbage to top the barbeque shredded beef.  It was very good.  We had tons of desserts by the time great grandma and grandma brought some along with the cake and peanutbutter bars we made.  I was stressed running all day yesterday and most of Friday night, but it was really good and the two kids had a great time.

The good weekend ended after today with Cole's car breaking down and Brian listened to it and said the noise is bad and we think it's basically done at 108,000 miles.  That stinks.  We really don't need to be spending money on a car when we have all these medical bills.  But, Cole can't get a job without a car.  No transit here.

Pictures from Chelsi's day.  She was beautiful. See my grandma kinda photobombing right behind her.  :)

Easter 2014

We got to church this morning just in time to actually get a seat even if our family was divided into two benches.  Better than standing.  Jaemin wasn't too bad through either.  Yesterday, Kaelin and I ran to the bakery to get special donuts for everyone.  That's our Easter treat.  We don't normally do that sort of thing.  We dropped off a gift card to Subway for the family of a friend who is gravely ill.   We got quite a lot done yesterday.  After all that we went to my mom's for a really quick Easter hunt for the kids, then to Brian's mom's for dinner and hunt.  Today was church and then my grandma's for lunch and hunt.  It's always nice to see my aunts, uncles and cousins that I don't see all that often.  It's fun to see my cousins' kids playing with my kids and they really have fun together.  The oldest doesn't allow pictures anymore, so there are very few.  I wish he would let me do more.  The youngest four don't mind so much.  Here's all the great pictures.

Flippin Fun

Not much time to post, but have to sow what my baby girl did last night.  She's in her fifth year at gymnastics, but because we only have time for and can afford one session a year, it's really only her fifth session.  I was chatting with a girl ay work and looked down and realized that just like that she got it.  She did a round off into a back handspring with only spotting.  She had no idea she was doing it on her own until I showed her the video.  My little premie.  She's smart and talented.

Soccer

We signed Jaemin up for soccer.  He's never done an organized sport and in our town, it's pretty laid back.  This was perfect.  We needed him to just learn to be part of a team.  He does try, I said try, to listen to his coach.  He's very literal when he does listen, which is good.  He tried for awhile and then just got bored.  I'm hoping he'll build on it each week.  He does love seeing himself kick in a picture I got, so I'm hoping that incentive for him to not quit half way through next week's game.  :)

We shall see.

Jaemin resting as usual.

The bills are rolling in

My husband is so funny.  But, on the flipside, if I didn't work where I do or be the one to pay all of the bills maybe  I would have thought the same.  I told him what the bill for the hospital was and he thought it wasn't too bad because he thought it was for the hospital, doctors everything.  I laughed.  I explained to him it was $107,000 for 4 days to use the hospital.  Of course, this includes his meds, xrays, tests, etc.  And to be honest, I didn't really think it was that bad since his bill in 1997 was $108,000 for just a few days longer, so about double in 16 years.

I'm hoping and praying insurance will adjust that bill out first so that our portion will go to the facility and maybe I can work out a deal with them.  After that we'll be maxed out at the $6,600 allowed.  It's such a big deal that of that $6,600 I can get as many deals as I can because I'm only allowed to save about $6,500 in my HSA and we have no dental or vision insurance (because it's too much), so out of the $6,500 I have taken out of my paychecks annually, some of that needs to pay for these areas too.  As anyone can figure $6,550 to pay for $6,600 in medical bills and $? in dental bills for 7 is not enough.  I will need these discounts.  And while some may think that's a lot to have $6,500 taken out of my checks annually, you should always max out your HSA because you never know when you'll need the money and it's tax deferred this way.  Not to mention, we have yet in the 2 years I've been in this plan and maxing it out to have anything left over.  Annual ekgs and echos are expensive. This year was just the max.

I did get a bill from Cole's February MRI for $1480.00.  I was able to ask them if they had discounts to pay off totally and they finally, after a lot of other not so great options, offered a 15% discount.  I happily took it.  That's $222 towards our dental visits we'll get later in the year.

I know it will all work out, but I will be a little tense until it all pans out.  Needless to say, everyone will be getting every medication and doctor's visit they need this year since we will not be responsible for anything over the $6,600.  I hope one day to have money left in our HSA, but with 5 kids, it's not likely.  Cole alone uses up more than 1/2 our deductible every year.

Still a little mad

Cole did go back to school part time.  This meant I returned to work part time.  A lot of coworkers were checking in to see how he was doing, etc.  They asked about the surgery etc.  I was telling one of my friends about the Saturday Brian came home.  Like I posted that day, Cole was in a really sour mood.  He was in a ton of pain and they were still trying to regulate pain on a kid that size when they're not that used to it.  He had had a bad time of it and didn't want to see anyone, so I had called Brian at the hotel and told him to tell his parents not to come to the hospital before going home and why.  I went to the lobby to watch the kids so he could go tell Cole goodbye and sure enough my mother-in-law showed up anyways.  I just don't know why she can't respect anything I ask of her.  This is MY kid.  I was doing what he wished.  I told her that he didn't even want me there and the only reason Brian was coming in was because he was leaving to take the kids home and we didn't know exactly how long we'd be there.  

I wish just once.  Just once.  She would look at her son and say 'I know you have this.  You're a good dad and I'm proud of you'.  Instead we hear how much she needs to help us and even when we say we don't she pushes her way in.  She even told him that 5 kids were a lot to manage the first night we were going to be there before the surgery.  He did actually tell her, or should I say remind her, that we've been doing the 5 kid thing for 5 years now.  We know what it takes.  

I never mind offers for help.  I've taken some up on their offers.  But, I will most likely push back and refuse all help from you if you continue to push when we say no.  We will take it if we need it, but we try to do what we can and over the years with all of the stuff we've been through we've learned what limits we have.  That's when we will take someone up on an offer.  It's something I've had to work on, but I have worked on it and gotten better at it.

However, with my mother-in-law I just can't let her help because of the way she behaves.  I'm so irritated that if she ever steps up to me again I may just let her hear it because I don't think I can do this any longer.  I mean her son specifically told her Cole did NOT want to see anyone.  He was not feeling good.  RESPECT our wishes.  RESPECT his wishes.  She just ticks me off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   And, yeah.  I'm still a little bitter because it's happened so much, but this one was icing on the cake, I'm done!

Time to move back

into normal.

Cole is just 11 days post op and he wants to try to go back to school part time.  First we have to work some things out with the school and then if things go well, he'll go ahead to 4 hours of school tomorrow.  Then, next week he'll go back full time, towards the middle of the week.

I'm really happy for how well it's gone, but a little nervous about him trying to go back to normal.  The doctor let us know how important it will be that if he gets cut or needs stitches we get antibiotics right away.  An infection could more easily go to his heart and reject the valve causing another open heart surgery.  It wouldn't even be a cath at that point because the infected one would have to be removed.  This threat is for 6-8 months and then we should be able to really breath.

I'm ready to really breath and very thankful it's not more than all of this.  He even said he rode 6 miles on the exercise bike last night after he went for a walk outside.  The fluid is off his lungs and the doctor said it all looked good.