June 1st, 2004 8:00am ... Mikey's temperature returned to normal last night. His blood pressure and oxygen saturation is good. They had to stick him 3 times to get blood this morning, which isn't any fun, but he is doing very well, and looking forward to a visit from his buddy.. Pastor Don, today.

June 1st, 2004 9:00am... Mikey got a few more wires removed from his chest. We did another 15 laps, then he got a heart echo, and xray is coming for him now.

Super Miracle Mikey's next update may be from home at this rate... They're talking discharge... already made us a clinic appt to come back to Little Rock Friday... and gave us equipment for his pediatrician to remove staples with next week!!!!

June 4th, 2004 9:30pm ... Mikey needs urgent prayer. God has blessed us, and satan is attacking from every side. Our site has been down, and we have not been able to tell you that we have been back in Little Rock. Mikey's heart rate is high, and more importantly, his LEFT LUNG IS PARTIALLY COLLAPSED AND FILLING WITH FLUID. He is WEAK AND HIS BREATHING IS LABORED. We were allowed to come back home and pack suitcases. Mikey is guarded and fragile and may have to be rushed to surgery at any time to insert tubes to drain fluid from his lungs. Powerful diuretics were started today. They must work quickly. Please pray that these medicines work quickly.

June 5th, 2004 7:30am ... Mikey looks and sounds a wee bit better. He got some sleep, and appears to have maybe lost a half pound to a pound of fluid. He is deep breathing and using a spirometer to exercise his lungs with a fervor to avoid having the chest tubes re-inserted. Mikey still has 35 staples to be removed. None of these are from the main incision. Some are from his groin. Mikey has so much scar tissue, that they had to go into his groin to do his heart-lung bypass.

June 5th, 2004 10:45pm ... Mikey will be guarded closely tonight. After speaking to Mikey's cardiologist late this evening, they feel that Mikey will be safe through the night. The hospital will do chest xrays tomorrow morning at 10:45am to look at the fluid build-up on his lungs. Sissy, Mister Ed, and Rachel will be with us for the xrays and a decision may be made at that time to re-insert the chest tubes to drain the fluid. They will also check an incision that may have an infection.

June 6th, 2004 6:00am ... No change as of 5:00am. Mikey is still sleeping. I will update sometime late this afternoon or early evening, after the xrays are read.

June 6th, 2004 3:00pm ... I can feel a great burden lifting. Mikey's lungs were xrayed and look better to me. Mikey himself looks MUCH better to me. Praise God! I cannot speak for the doctors, but I CAN pray and believe that they will NOT re-insert chest tubes to drain Mikey's lungs. I will update again sometime tomorrow.

June 7th, 2004 4:30pm ... Mikey had 35 staples removed from 3 different incisions today. He was brave, and.. tough! He held still and bit his lip, one at a time, 35 times, until each one was pulled out. The stitches were too deep where the drainage tubes were. They will have to be removed by a surgeon. His cardiologist will get an xray in the morning to check the fluid on his left lung, and the surgeon will remove the stitches from those drainage tube incisions. Mikey is doing well... Our biggest concern now, is still the fluid in his lungs. It'll be another long day in Little Rock. We'll update again, sometime LATE tomorrow night.

June 8th, 2004 6:30pm ... Victory! After a long day, we're.. coming home again! There were actually 4 drainage tube incisions, with 7 deep stitches, but they were taken out today. 2 heart echoes were done, as the first one indicated fluid in the bottom of the heart, but he's alright. We'll be fitting him with a Holter monitor sometime yet this week. Friday he will get more xrays and a cardiologist visit will follow. Mikey still has fluid on his left lung, but we are doing everything we can to eliminate that and they let us come home. Next update Friday afternoon, after xrays.

June 11th, 2004 6:00pm ... Xrays still show fluid on Mikey's left lung, but not as much. We believe the diuretics ARE working. Mikey is doing well and he has a lot of energy. God is good. We're very happy with Mikey's progress after this surgery. Thanks SO much for all your prayers. We think it's safe to go back to a weekly update.. every Sunday morning!

Mikey's faith is strong. And OUR faith is strong.

EVERYONE THAT WILL, PLEASE REMEMBER MIKEY IN PRAYER!!!

T.G.I.S. .. Thank God It's SONday, and we get to go to church today!
God is Good