JACOB RYAN ROTH

JACOB RYAN ROTH

Monday, March 7, 2011

A note from Dad

We don't hear alot from Heart Dad's out there so I thought I would post a little something my husband wrote last night.

03/08/11




I wish I could see the world the way my two year old son does. Always smiling, always happy, always looking for someone to play with. Last week after having his heart catherization for his upcoming surgery he didn’t want to leave the hospital. He enjoyed playing in his “Boy Cage” as he called it. It was actually his hospital bed that doubled as a crib and medical tent. He loved to have us lock him in it with the sides fully closed. He kept calling it his boy cage to the nurses who he constantly flirted with. One even made him a sign which read “Jacob’s Boy Cage” after his playful acts. While Jacob played in his boy cage still hooked to heart monitors and IV’s, he would occasionally ask doctors and nurses to sign his baseball. See when Jacob was born he got a baseball and display case. It was intended to put his date of birth and measurements on; however, It became much more than that. Jacob was a heart baby, born missing the right side of his little heart. He had his first open heart surgery at only 7lbs (19 days old) with his second at eight months old. Somewhere along the way his mother and I thought it would be neat to have the doctors sign his baseball, after all they would be responsible for him playing ball. By the time each procedure was over there was not enough room for one more initial. Jacob is now ready for his third and Lord willing final surgery. With this surgery comes a new baseball, only this time he’s proudly asking with his little golden voice, “Will you sign my baseball”?



We had a few days in between the heart cath and actual surgery so they let Jacob out of his “boy cage”. Believe it or not he didn’t want to go. After all the needles and test he didn’t want to leave. He loved all the toys. He loved the doctors and nurses. He loved his own TV in his room, and he loved watching the fish in a big tank just down the hall. He kept saying “I don’t want to go” as we checked out of the hospital. We assured him we would be back and he could play with the fish later.

This morning, later has arrived. We will stop and look at the fish..ies on the way to the surgery ward. Today, Jacob will have his third open heart surgery, only this time he’ll know what’s going on. By now his mother and I are taking the most painful walk of our life. We get to carry our son to the operating room doors where we kiss him goodbye for his 7:30am surgery. Doctors tell us this procedure will take 5-6 hours minimum, followed by several hours in recovery before we can see him. One even explained that it takes longer to cut through all the scar tissue from the past two procedures. That includes the wires that held his little rib cage together from the past two.

Relax; Jacob is a pro at this. He’s already had his little heart stopped twice. The first was when he crashed a few hours after his first surgery in the ICU as his mother and I watched. The second was on the table during surgery #2 when they removed parts of his heart and rearranged others before restarting his heart. Now it’s time for one more pitch. Remember, three strikes and we’re out of here. Good Luck Jacob. Don’t forget your baseball.



Love, Dad

1 comment:

  1. Dear Jacob, Michelle and Pete, It's 3am, March 8th. I am having trouble sleeping. Your precious Family has been on my heart. And that's ok....I have spent this time in prayer for all of you. I prayed for the Surgeon's hands...that our Great Physician will guide them, and will give the Doctors knowledge, the Anesthegiologist the wisdom to give little Jacob just the right amount of medication needed, not too much and not too little...just the right amount. I pray that the Nurses will be loving and caring. That all of the Medical Staff will be in prayer. We know that prayer is so powerful and I Thank God for this special little boy and his Mom and Dad....Michelle and Pete. I Thank God that He gave me the opportunity to get to know Jacob, my Heart Buddy. Much Love to Your Family, Miss Debi

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