Monday, June 28, 2010

Biopsy 6 tomorrow & Mason's Native Heart

(Kaitlin and Mason when we visited the beautiful
Stanford campus 2 weeks ago with our family)



*** TOMORROW MASON HAS HIS 6TH BIOPSY. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT BIOPSY. THIS WILL BE THE MAJOR DECIDING FACTOR ON HOW SOON WE GET TO GO HOME TO UTAH!!! PLEASE JOIN OUR FAMILY IN PRAYER THAT MASON'S RESULTS WILL BE A "ZERO" (FOR ZERO REJECTION)! WE FEEL SO BLESSED THAT MASON HAS A HEALTHY NEW HEART AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO ISSUES W/ HIS LEFT LUNG WHICH IS AFFECTED BY PULMONARY VEIN STENOSIS! WE FEEL SO BLESSED THAT HE IS DOING AS WELL AS HE IS, ONLY 12 WEEKS POST TRANSPLANT! AND NOW WE WANT TO REUNITE BACK HOME WITH OUR FAMILY AGAIN......HOPEFULLY SOON!!!!




___________________________________________________
Mason's Native Heart



While our whole family was here (2 weeks ago), we had the
opportunity to see Mason's native (born with) heart. We met
with the pathologist who had dissected and ran lab work on
Mason's very sick heart post the transplantation of his new
healthy angel heart. It of course was not pink/red any longer,
and didn't look like what you imagine a heart would look like
but.....it truly was Mason's heart. It seemed very surreal.




Here is the a dissected view. On the bottom left is where
Mason's left ventricle was very under developed.





Usually your heart should be about the size of your fist.
Mason's heart was so sick that his heart was very enlarged
and swollen. His heart was about the size of Kaitlin's fist.
Thus, it was the size of an 11 year old's heart not that of a
2 year old! Who did it fit?! No wonder he didn't feel well!




As soon as the pathologist pulled out the blue gloves
for all of us to put on, prior to seeing the heart, Mason
began to completely freak out! Poor little man thought
we were all going to give him "owies". Blue gloves to him
mean blood draw or some kind of "owie"! He was so
upset that I finally took him out and missed holding or
even touching his native heart myself. Little stinker!!




Preston, Kailtin, and Braiden teach got to hold Mason's
old heart. They were very fascinated! You might say
it was a very "hands on" science lesson!! Mark(Daddy), and
Sammi (nanny) also held Mason's heart, but Mason, Ammon and I
left to go for a little walk so they could hear what the Pathologist
was saying. What an awesome "once in a lifetime" experience!!!






*** I will post hopefully by Wednesday night with Biopsy 6 results. Also, just to keep you updated with our mailing address, we are returning back to the Ronald McDonald House this week. A big THANK YOU to the Brand family for allowing Mason and I to stay in their Mother In-law apartment since March. You have been more than wonderful to us!!!


% Mason Strickland
Ronald McDonald House at Stanford
520 Sand Hill Road,
Palo Alto, CA 94304-2001


8 comments:

Moffitt Fam said...

That is so amazing!

Bob and Joan said...

Our focus has been on July and we have watched eagerly as it edged closer. We knew that this was your target month to reunite your family. We will pray for the good number that Mason needs to make this possible.

Allison said...

Praying today for a big fat ZERO so you can get home soon!!!

Jennifer said...

That is a real once in a lifetime experince....holding your family members heart in your hand! AMAZING!

Hoping Mason's test comes back a big fat ZERO!

The Simmons Family said...

Summer.. I hope you get to go home soon!!! Our prayers are with you all the time and we will continue to pray for "zero" rejection this week!!

I think it's so great that you all got to see the heart. I'm fascinated to see Owen's one day because it totally takes up the majority of his chest cavity on a chest xray.

How is Mason doing otherwise? Have you seen a difference in his energy? I'll email you because I am so curious! :)

Kristi said...

So amazing! SO glad you went to see it!!!!

Gabriella's heart was almost the size of MY fist! Doesn't it make you curious to see the size of the new heart for comparison? LOL... it does me!

PRAYING PRAYING for a big goose egg ZERO!!!!!

PRAY4CALLIE said...

Will be praying for "ZERO" rejection, so you guys can join your family back home!!!! WOW, very interesting seeing the heart. Not at all what I would have imagined!!! Glad Mason is doing so well:) Keep up the good work, Mason, your a ROCKSTAR!!!!

Angies Support Team said...

Wow! That is so crazy to think that you are just hold his heart in your hands! That is so insane! God is so neat that He has given man the ability to perform miricles like that! WOW!