I know most of you have been following the
updates on Facebook but I figured I’d go ahead and cap it all off right
now.
The surgery was a success. The inadequate parts of Elden’s
heart were mended in surgery over a period of four or five hours. He will attend yearly checkups for the rest of his life to monitor the condition. During our stay at the hospital, he was given a genetics
test and it was discovered that he has DiGeorge Syndrome, or 22q deletion.
At first, the new announcement seemed like
another blow to the jaw. As time
has passed, I found that my concern was selfish and quite petty as I compared
his circumstances to others that were present at Children’s. So rather than inundate my friends and
family with a barrage of updates on Elden’s progression, as it relates to his
congenital heart defect and 22q setbacks, we will, instead, celebrate his
victories and his life equally alongside our two daughters.
To put this 22q thing into a nutshell: Heather and I will have to detect
certain symptoms and respond accordingly.
By all accounts (from genetics Ph.D’s), his particular case appears to be
mild. Only time will tell. Check out the 22q page for more
info.
What does this really mean for us? Nothing. We are charged with rearing him just like any other normal
kid. Elden loves music. He can watch me play the guitar for an
hour straight and he smiles when I sing New Amsterdams songs. He loves playing with his sisters and
mommy makes him smile with the sound of her voice. He loves his squeaky toys and is mesmerized by Elmo. Derek and Emily discovered a sound that
he loved instantaneously.
Fortunately, Mary taught me how to make the sound a few years back so
now I can cheer him up within a matter of seconds.
What I love most of all is that he loves to
communicate. He is already
offering up squeaky, giggly responses to my ridiculous inquiries. I’ll ask him if he feels like joining me
for a Stella while we watch the Broncos beat down another rival. Every once in a while I’ll
see if he’d
like a piece of albacore nigiri.
And I know he’s always down for a burrito!
So ya’ got it in a nutshell. Elden will be playin’
ball and hating mathematics right next to your kids. Maybe he’ll be patrolling the city streets with your
friendly local law enforcement agency.
Or maybe he’ll
walk onto a stage with an instrument in front of a packed arena like his old
man used to do.
The kid is five months old and he’s
already hurdled an immeasurable obstacle.
God is on his side. We’ve
got his back. Nothing can stop
him.
Cheers.
The Press Family
Romans 5 v. 3-4 ....we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering
produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces
hope....
