Goodbye Summer. Hello Fall. We are officially in the full swing of ALL the Little Boys' FAVORITE season! Duck Hunting and Bow Hunting have consumed our weekends, as well as truck drives for grouse. 



Henry had a pretty boring summer being stuck home with an adult every day for most of the summer. By the time we were comfortable with how he was healing, Henry was begging to go back to daycare with his friends. Bless his daycare provider. When Henry went back to daycare in August, he was still on his low-fat diet. She worked with us and Henry providing him meals for his low-fat diet, while monitoring to protein, etc in his diet. 



We met with Dr. Horner at the beginning of August. Henry had a full work-up on this day - EKG, Echocardiogram, Chest X-Ray. All of his tests looked good. Dr. Horner encouraged us to slowly re-introduce higher fat foods. We made the decision to allow lunch to be his 'free meal' where he got to eat the same as his friends at daycare. Kyle and I still managed his low-fat diet at home for a few weeks. We slowly began to wean Henry off his diuretics or as Henry says his "pee medicine." While weaning Henry off of his meds, we were monitoring him for excessive weight gain, as well as a protruding belly - which would be signs of his lungs filling with fluid. We slowly diminished his low-fat diet, He began to eat all the foods he loves again! At the beginning of September, we were finished with his diuretics, and had an x-ray scheduled for a final view of his lungs. Dr. Horner informed us that the x-ray looked GREAT and Henry could carry on as he was. However, if we feel like there is an issue, we are encouraged to get him in for an x-ray.



Henry has been feeling great! Throughout the summer, we often heard "he looks great" or “never guessed he just had his third heart surgery.” And just like that, summer was over and Henry started Kindergarten. Kyle and I were anxious about that first day as we remembered how last year went. Boy, were mornings a struggle for all of us. We are now 20+ days into the school year. Henry has been adjusting well. We are grateful for his teacher who has taken the time to accommodate Henry's anxiousness. Thankfully, at this point, there is no need for any physical accommodations for Henry when it comes to phy ed or recess. Dr. Horner just mentioned how we should allow him breaks in those times of physical strain but continue to encourage him to be a normal 5 year old boy. At this time, Henry will be able to stay as physically active as his peers. As the years go by, his ability to stay physically caught up with his peers will begin to lag behind. 



As is the case for many children with medical conditions, throughout the past few months, we have been helping Henry with his needs outside of the medical realm. We are Henry's biggest advocates when it comes to what he needs to be successful. This journey has been full of appointments and honest conversations but in the end, it is what is best for Henry. 
 
We are truly grateful for those who hold us in their hearts! We are blessed with the greatest support system from Henry's Heroes.
Kyle, Emilee, Wesley, Henry & Lincoln