1/21 6:00 pm

This is Ethan SITTING!!!!!

The most glorious thing happened today!  OT came to stretch and move Ethan. Then OT and Ethan’s nurse started whispering and talking quietly. Then OT disappeared and returned with one of the doctors.  The doctor came in the room saying “It’s ok with me if it’s ok with Mom.” Nope. Not falling for this one. I am going to need to know what I am agreeing to. “What are we talking about?” 

“We are thinking about sitting Ethan up on the edge of the bed.” What?!?!? “It’s ok with me as long as it is safe.”

The RT came in. His nurse, his OT and the doctor were in the room.  Ethan was briefed on what was going to happen. He nodded to indicate he understood. His rules were that he couldn’t pull anything and he had to let us know what he was done. They also let him know how he would feel during and after. All things that Ethan needs.

Before it started, Ethan’s doctor said “Ethan you are going to need a catch phrase like.....” he paused to come up with something “like you can do it.”

“His catch phrase is....Let’s kick some ass.” He started laughing. I guess that language isn’t used much in the cardiac PICU.

With the help of his nurse and OT they slowly guided him into a sitting position. Then there were cheers, hoots and hollars. His critical care doctor walked by and was so happy and surprised to see him sitting up. She squealed with joy for him. He gave her a thumbs up. It caused more people to come and cheer him on. It was truly amazing. He gave his doctor a fist bump!  And there he sat, like a king, for over 4 glorious minutes of sitting up and being cheered on. As he should be.

I had tears of joy. I was filming him for his YouTube channel as well as catching it on my phone. He laid back down and was exhausted.  He took a deep nap after that work out.

I felt proud. I felt happy. I had sunshine swirling in my bloodstream. The kind of warm sunshine you feel in your soul as you are sunbathing on a beach. I think he his going to keep up this momentum and truly “kick some ass” to get out of here.

He also got a new bed today. It is supposed to help with pressure wounds. We inquired last Thursday about it and it finally arrived.  When it arrived, Janice broke down AGAIN and Thursday’s are “line change day” so all the pumps and lines had to be changed over. His nurse was like an amazing tornado and was able to get it all done. Did I mention she was my favorite?

What a crazy dance it was to get Ethan into his new bed. They needed a big, white body board, that looked similar to a stretcher board, and a bunch of people to move him carefully, with all his cords and tubes to the next bed.

There were more weaning on the pumps today. Ethan’s nurse is one of our favorites and we have her for a few more days! She always pushes him the correct amount, advocates for him and loves him as if he is her own.

Too many bright spots to list today. ❤️