Your first Thanksgving

Well baby girl, today is my first Thanksgiving as a daddy.  You are still in the hospital in Houston, but mommy and daddy came to visit.  Mommy painted your hand brown and pressed it onto some paper to make "hand turkeys" for our family.  You watched the parade and dog show on t.v. and smiled and laughed.  You have your heart surgery set for Monday.  The doctors hope that you will get better and have you at least in a hospital near home, if not at home, by your first Christmas.  Daddy has to go back home Tuesday and Wednesday and will bring back the tree and ornaments just in case we are still here for Christmas.  You are so beautiful and precious I just want you back home, but your health is more important.  Don't worry though, we will have many happy holiday seasons to go as you grow up.  I will see you tomorrow, as I do almost everyday.  Love, daddy.

Week 3 in Houston

Well baby girl, you are you're own person for sure.  You got a big butterfly balloon for your 6 month birthday and loved it.  You stare at it for hours and smile and laugh.  Yesterday you were supposed to go in for the catheter procedure, but the anesthesiologist could not get you to go to sleep.  They tried giving you more medicine, but you stopped breathing.  They used a ventilator (breathing machine) and a special balloon to keep you breathing.  They decided you weren't ready so they will try again next week.  Mommy says that this is your new way of throwing a temper tantrum.  You also surprised us by making sounds.  You laughed and cried.  You have already learned how to push air past your trach tube to make sounds.  We are so happy.  Meanwhile, mommy and daddy are learning how to take care of your trach tube by keeping it clean and comfortable.  We practice every day.  We hope you will be able to have your test next week so the doctors can decide what and when they want to do to fix your heart.  The sooner the better so we can all get back home, but all in your own time.  I love you baby girl, Daddy.

Houston, a whole new world.

The doctors in Corpus Christi decided it was best to send you to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas.  The doctors here (in Houston) put a tube down your throat again to check things out.  These doctors were more specialized and had better tools though.  They decided you needed a Tracheostomy.  A surgery where they put a tube in your throat so you can breath easier.  Now they are going to put another tube up your leg to check your pressures again.  After that they will decide what to do with your heart.  This is a great hospital though, and even though we are so far away from home, we are always together as a family.  I will write more after the doctors let us know what is up next. 
Meanwhile, tomorrow you turn 6 months old.  Mommy and Daddy are so proud to have such a brave and strong daughter.  We never knew that such a little baby could make us stronger and happier.  We love you baby girl.  Daddy.

Back in Corpus Christi

We were only in your old room for one day when the doctors decided to send you back to Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, TX, where you went right after you were born.  This time you got to fly in an airplane and mommy got to go with you while daddy drove.  Mommy said that you liked to fly.  The day after you got here a surgeon put a tube up your leg vein to your heart to check your pressures.  They were too high.  A few days later another surgeon put a scope down your throat to see why you had so much trouble breathing.  It turned out that your throat below your below your vocal chords was really small, only about 3mm.  Tomorrow the doctors and surgeons will meet on what to do next and how soon.  Remember baby girl, it's alright, daddy's here.

WERE BACK

You were home for 4 days this time, then at your cardiologists office, you stopped breathing again.  They had to call 911 and you got another ambulance ride.  This time you went back to the hospital we all like and even got your old room back.  Let's hope you get better quick this time and we don't have to stay too long, but you are not coming home until they figure out why you keep coming back.  They do like you here, but it is a hospital and no one likes seeing you have to come back so much or stay so long.  Daddy is taking the first 3 nights this time though so mommy can get her rest, but she will come every day to see us.  I Love You Anita Rose Bushak,  Daddy.

Three days home and back

After you were home for 3 days you stopped breathing.  Mommy called 911 and the ambulance took you to a different hospital.  I don't think the doctor there liked me because I knew more about YOU than he did.  When he did listen to me, he did what I asked and you were home in only 2 days.  Nixia took care of you that weekend,and you were home for your 5 month birthday.  Your daddy always did and always will fight for you because you are so special.  I love you baby girl, never forget that.

Your coming back home tomorrow

After almost 8 weeks at home you got sick again.  You couldn't swallow.  You went into the PICU again.  The doctors performed a surgery that made it so you would not throw up and swallow it into your lungs.  The operation went well, but then you got an infection.  When it was almost gone, you had a pic-line (that is a tube to give medicine and get blood from) come out.  You had to have another surgery to get a more permanent blood line put in.  That operation went well too.  Now we get to take you home.  You have given us a few scares this time in the hospital, but mommy and daddy were always there.  You have been here for 3 weeks now and will be 21 weeks old tomorrow.  The doctors and nurses love you and have been wonderful.  They even helped save your life a few times.  Now we start a new chapter.  You are bigger, have new toys and medical equipment, and will get a new nurse, at least until you can get Nixia back, she loves you almost as much as your family.  We will be so glad to have the whole family under the same roof again tomorrow night.  I Love You Anita,  Daddy