Mr. Eli

We received this update from Michelle on Sunday about her sweet Eli:

Hi! We are still up here at the hospital...DAY 20!!! It has been almost 2 weeks since his surgery, but doctors say it was successful. He lost quite a bit of weight, but they are now letting him eat every 3 hours. Because of the respiratory tube down his nose, he has vocal chord paralysis. They are having to thicken his milk to make sure he doesn't get pneumonia. He lost his voice, but is slowly getting it back! They are also monitoring his blood pressure, which is still a little high. Besides all of that, he is doing really well. The doctors and nurses love him...they call him their little peanut. He has had quite a few firsts since this all happened...1st plane ride, on a tv show (The little couple on TLC)...one of his doctors has her own show and she works in the NICU where Eli was first taken. I think I know about half the people that work here now...Hopefully, we will get discharged sometime soon. Then, they still want us to stay in town for an extra week to have him close by.

The day all this began, Terrie and Kortni had just left my house from visiting Eli. He wouldn't eat, was sweating, and started to breathe irregularly. I called a nurse and she told me to take his temperature...he had a 93 temp. in his bottom. The nurse said, "Oh my God" and I started to freak out. I called 911 and they came and took us to College Station Med. They said it was either a virus or an infection. They worked for 3 hours to stabilize him. When I asked if he was going to be okay, they would just say “we are doing everything we can”. The doctors called TCH and they sent a plane over to take Eli to Houston. As we were boarding the plane, the doctor turned to me and said, " This could be a heart problem." My heart just sank because I knew how serious it was. They only had room for one parent on the plane, so I went. I remember being very scared on the ride over because I needed my family there to help me if he died while on the plane. The next morning, they told us what it was and that the surgery was 90% successful….but of course, I was stressing about the 10% chance. Surgery was a week later. I was pleased with his surgeon...he just looked so confident and intelligent! We stayed in the NICU for 6 days, the Cardiac floor for 6 days, and are now on the 15^th floor which is a recovery area for cardiac children). Even though this experience has been VERY traumatic , I am so grateful for every day that I have with Eli. I had a great 1^st mother’s day because I got to hold him for the first time in over 2 weeks. I cannot wait to be at home again!!! I haven’t been home since April 28^th, so Terrie- if my backyard isn’t mowed, tell me so I can get onto Jake for not doing it ( he said he did).

I hope that you are all doing well! I am sure that it is crazy right now because it is the end of the year! Say hello to everyone for me!!

Love,

Michelle and Eli = )

p.s. sent a few pics of him in the hospital after surgery. His hair is a light brown/reddish color and his eyes are dark blue (for now).

Further Update:
Yesterday afternoon (Monday) we got word that they are sending the Prukop family home. So, they are coming home tomorrow! Whoop! Eli is doing great! They wanted them to stay at the Ronald McDonald house but it is really full and has a lot of really sick kids. They do not want him to get a fever or a cold so they said it would probably be best if they just went home. They have to go back on Friday for his last check up.

Praise God!! I know that it will take some time for them to get adjusted to newborn life again, so please continue to pray for the Prukop's!!