Cale’s Story

Site created on June 25, 2019

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.


As most of you know Cale was adopted in June of 2015, and since the adoption we were able to keep him on SoonerCare which was helpful but posed its own set of issues.  We desperately wanted Cale to see our family doctor here in Woodward but couldn't because of insurance.  After a lengthy process we were able to get Cale on our own insurance as well as SoonerCare!  So he finally saw our doctor in January of 2018.   On his initial exam, Dr. Kirkendall detected a heart murmur and sent us to a pediatric cardiologist.  Dr. Baker diagnosed Cale with an Atrial Septal Defect.  She told us in April of 2018 it was about 14mm in size but she was confident it could be repaired easily with a catheter procedure.   She wanted to give his body a year to grow and asked us to come back in the following spring.  


We waited a year then returned to Dr. Baker in April of 2019.  Then we heard the crazy news.  The catheter procedure most likely wouldn't work.  The hole in Cale's heart was just not in a good place to hold the patch and he would have to go in for open heart surgery to repair the hole.  We waited a few weeks for her to present his case and get more definite answers.  She called us in May to tell us he would be having open heart surgery this summer.  I am not going to sugar coat it, that was scary.  I was more in shock at first because that is not what I expected.  But as we have talked about it at home, prayed about it, and just sat with the news we are fully confident that Jesus is not surprised by any of this and He will continue to walk this road with us.  


We go to OKC July 9th, lots of pre-op appts on the 10th and surgery on the 11th.  I wanted a place to update as many people as possible and came up with this option.  I hope to journal some of my thoughts as we walk this road.  We are so thankful for all the care, concern, and mostly prayers thus far!  We appreciate all of you!

Newest Update

4 months Post Op

Journal entry by kara reid —

We got to see Dr. Baker today!  We just love her so much.  She is caring, helpful, and just plain fun!  I could talk about all the ways the Lord got us to her but I won't bore you.  They did an EKG today but not an ECHO.  Cale was super thankful about that.  He hates the gel they use for the ECHO.  We had to remind him of what was to come with the EKG.  Lots of stickers on his chest but he quickly remembered.  The fact that my 6 year old knows what an EKG is and has had at least 6 of them is just mind blowing at times.  Regardless, that test looked great and she listed to his heart and said it sounded amazing.  Her med student was shocked that Cale had just had surgery a mere 4 months ago.  He is our little miracle.  I truly can't thank you each enough for all your prayers.  I was able to share with Dr. Baker again today how we were carried through by your prayers and the strength of Jesus!  Cale is doing so well and for that we are truly thankful!  Happy Thanksgiving!
Read More of the journal titled "4 months Post Op"
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