Holden's Journey Continues Tomorrow

Family and Friends,

Late yesterday Nicole and I received a phone call from Holden's cardiologist regarding his future. By all accounts the little man is doing very well. However, they want to move forward with the next step in this process. As a result, Holden will be having his first surgical procedure tomorrow morning.

It's tough. It was sprung on us very quickly, an answer needed in about an hour's time. Being understanding to our needs, the doctors did gave us an option of doing it at a later date to allow us to mentally prepare. The problem was, if we pushed it off, and Holden came down anything like a simple cold, it would all be delayed several weeks. By then his health could change. It's not a risk worth taking.

To lay out the procedure, it's the banding of an artery located by his heart. It will help slow the blood flow to his lungs and delay the second operation (known as the Glen) until we can get some more meat on his bones. (The poor kid is really trying to gain weight, I promise. He's got the metabolism of an Olympic sprinter!)

Of course we're scared beyond all meaning of the word, but we know it is something that has to be done. There is no alternative.

As parents, we've asked ourselves numerous times, "Will Holden ever be able to live a normal life?" The answer is yes. We're blessed with Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital  and one of the nation's top Pediatric Cardiology departments. The doctors have been fantastic to date and will do everything over the next few years to make sure we get his ticker on the right track. After spending the day there, and speaking with the surgeon we have no concerns about the care. Holden is in the right hands.

I was scouring the internet Tuesday and ran across a YouTube video. As I watched it, I broke down for the first time since learning of Holden's heart defect back in June. It wasn't grief, or pity, it was joy. The video is the story of a very strong girl named Anna went through the same procedures that await Holden. I came away from the video beaming with the same confidence she expressed. It is simply amazing!



As always, we thank you for your support. I don't think Nicole, I or Holden (who right now is nowhere near as scared as his parents) could get through this without any of you.

TEAM TIN MAN UNITE!

Trey, Nicole, and Holden Flynn