What would you call it???

I don't toss around the word "miracle" lightly...

But when we first got here to CHOP for our pre-VEPTR testing, the docs reviewed the results of a recent sleep study Henry had on Oct. 3 showing severe sleep apnea and multiple desaturations under 90% oxygenation, about 10-15 times a night....

They wanted to put him on a c-pap to deliver oxygen and help get the CO2 out of his lungs the first night we were here...

I fought to not have that happen... because while our sleep that first night documented the multiple desaturations, Henry would rouse or move and a minute or two later his numbers would go back up...

but coming out of general anesthesia (GA) has always been a different experience... all 3 GA procedures in 2012 have required extra meds and/or oxygen to get Henry back to his "baseline"...

In other words, Henry NOT needing oxygen after GA has never happened...

Ever.

Even if the GA was only for an hour for an MRI.

But now...

after 2 days on a ventilator...

after a HUGE 5 hour surgery splitting open his back to insert 2 titanium rods....

Henry has ONLY been on room air...

needing no extra breathing help at all...

always keeping his oxygen saturation over 95%, even while sleeping and even while on pain meds which often
suppress breathing!!!

This is huge!!!

And unexpected.

The docs told me before the surgery that initial VEPTR rod placement usually affects the child's breathing negatively... As the pressures and blood flow in his chest cavity are now SO different...and that children ages 2-7 usually have improved pulmonary profiles post-VEPTR but such gains only come after MONTHS...

Sometimes years...

How to explain my Henry???

I can't.

So I will just thank the Divine Physician.

For yet another extravagant blessing....

like Henry himself.