Grayson Crisman

The day I will never forget!!


On January 19, 2017 is the day I will never forget! My wife and I had a big day ahead of us it was the day that she was to be induced to give birth to our heart warrior! We arrived at the hospital at 6 o'clock a.m. We were in the room as we waited so anxiously for a baby boy to become another member of our family of four now! The clock struck 3:30pm and our baby boy was into the world out of his mommy's tummy! The room was filled with relief, joy, also chills as many as 12 doctors and nurses were in the room. The relief was what we waited 39 weeks for! The joy came from seeing my son briefly and putting a name with the face, before he was rushed to the Nicu! I looked at my wife and said he is absolutely a Grayson!! As I walked along side of him as he was being pushed in plexi-glass box, 21 1/2 inches long 7lbs and 7 ounces of the most amazing boy!

My wife and I would continue to wait until night fall before we could go visit him. We spent a lot of time with him. Mom was not discharged after giving birth to our son for 5 days! As we stand over top of our son you could not see a thing wrong him! He would breathe fast but needed no oxygen or help breathing! As Grayson's 5th day out of his mommy's tummy but still in the hospital he would have a major open heart surgery called the Norwood procedure that would be performed by a surgeon named dr. Bichell and his team.

As we waited hours and hours in a waiting room with plenty of support from family members emotions were getting stronger! As 12 hours flew by we finally were allowed to see our beautiful boy! We were told before operation most babies have to have there chest left open for swelling as I knew there was no way we could prepare ourselves for that! Luckily he was able to close the chest! As my wife and I enter the room it was one of the most frighting things to see as a parent our Grayson was twice his size had countless drain tubes and I.v. Attachments! He had a very dusky and gray color to him! This did not look like my son!

As days slowly went by he began to open his eyes get his color back. As weeks went by Grayson still needed to be intubated on the ventilator. He remained on some form of oxygen in the pcicu for 55 days! It wasn't until he was a month old I was able to hold my son for the first time! The feeling of my hand placed under his head holding him for the first time felt so great words cannot explain the feelings! I was never giving up on my son I promised him the day he was born 3 promises one of which I would always be there for him! As the days got longer harder to deal with as we also have a 19 month old at home 2 hours away from the hospital! Child care was becoming impossible with both of us not working full time jobs! Grayson was moved to the 7th floor so no more Ronald McDonald house! Our son Gannon obviously couldn't sleep in Grayson's room with us.

It became harder and harder to make it to the hospital as we have no sitter no money so we would have to go back to work! Then 3 days ago me and Gannon were on the way to see his happy smiling brother Grayson when on my way I received a phone call saying that Grayson would get his second open heart surgery!! I was distorted I could not believe it he was only 3 months and 13 days old and only spent 3 days out of the hospital before he was readmitted! As I was already on my way to see him I would be giving dr. Bichell consent to do Grayson's other procedure called the Glenn! On my way there it was the day after I had received my truck back from my dad and brother as we use it for work also the motor blew up 10 miles away from the hospital!

Grayson had his Glenn yesterday May 5th. On such short notice it was hard to prepare myself! Dr Bichell said the chest would be closed as it was with his first procedure and recovery time for this surgery would only be 8 to 10 days! My wife and I were here all day yesterday and kissed my smiling baby before he went in to surgery. It was 12 hours before we got to see him at 9 last night! After my wife was on her way picking up our other son why I would stay here! As I see his oxygen saturation levels dropping nurses rush into the room telling me that I need to kiss him and go to the family waiting area! I could not feel my legs I wanted to collapse! I see all kind of major equipment being brought in the room with even more doctors and nurses as my whole heart races for my sons half heart! I called my wife she turned around rushed here I could hardly speak! Then I catch a doctor as tears begin to fill my eyes again asking him if my son is alright! As he walks me out of the unit he assures me dr. Bichell is on his way and Grayson will be fine! I did not sleep at all last night as my heart was heavy! My throats anytime I would try to talk felt like I swallowed a tennis ball! As the longest 30 minutes of my life I finally received a phone call saying that Grayson was stable and they put him on the ecmo machine (basically bypass machine) so as of now Grayson is resting peacefully as I can not for my worry of my beautiful heart warrior