Ian is home!

Wednesday December 13th at 4:00am we received the long awaited call. Linda, from Cedars Sinai Hospital informed us that there was a heart for Ian. We threw on our clothes and rushed to Beverly Hills. Due to an infant that needed immediate surgery we spent a long day waiting. At 3:oopm that afternoon a team of doctors flew from LAX to Stanford Medical Center in the Bay Area to harvest the heart. The young male donor was kept on life support until the doctors arrived. By 6:30 that evening Ian was wheeled into pre-op. He left the 6th floor, which had been his home for the past month and a half, amid cheering nurses and doctors. The heart arrived sometime before 8:00 that evening and by midnight Ian was in recovery. What a miracle! We are so very thankful for the many prayers, phone calls, notes, and kind gestures. What wonderful friends you are. We felt as though we were being carried through this ordeal on the wings of angels. The doctor, Dr. Trento (the father of one of Zachary's friends) said that the surgery was perfect. The heart started beating on its own without any prompting. To this point Ian has had no signs of rejection. His hospital stay was only eleven days total this time, which is quite short. He was home for Christmas. His immune system is suppressed at this time to aid his body in accepting the new heart. He may have visitors for short periods of time as long as they are healthy. We go in tomorrow (Thursday) for his first biopsy. Hopefully there will be no rejection. Again, we are so very thankful for all the love and concern you have shown us. You are all a part of Ian second chance at life. We love you. Vickie