Alicia holding Sebastian for the first time.

The anticipation was cut once Alicia was finally able to hold little Sebastian 9 days after he was born. You can't imagine the emotion she felt as a mother. Before this blessed moment, we were scarcely allowed to be with him for a few minutes at a time and were forbidden to hold him. As a new father, seeing Alicia so many times hovered over her little baby as he suffered, weeping yet not being able to hug him, made my heart grieve bitterly inside. Seeing her so happy with our son was the greatest gift of life I could ever ask for.

Thanks for all your prayers and support, you all show the goodness that is embedded in the human heart.

Simon & Alicia

Prayer that saved a life | This post precedes after “The agony of waiting” post

Sebastian's mother Alicia comforting him after his second surgery. 

These events took place late at night on September 13^th, 2013.

Prayer was a constant companion of little Sebastian and still shadows over him. Friends and family across the globe in a chain of prayer combined the best in surgeon skill with Gods mighty strength.

We were privileged to have my Mother Hazel here in Nicaragua while Sebastian was born. She had come down to be with us for three weeks for what we thought would be a “normal birth”. It was anything but that. However my mother has a special calmness about her which no doubt comes from the fact she has had 10 children of her own, in addition to being a devout believer in our Lord and savior.

Photo I took in one of the hospital's chapels. 

She was my only blood related family member that was in Nicaragua during Sebastian’s first two surgeries, however I must say Ernesto and Dona Alicia although are not blood relatives are as close to being my father as any.  She brought a peaceful trust in God demeanor throughout the entire ordeal.  In one instant after we learned Sebastian would have to go into his second emergency open heart operation in the same day. she noticed even the veteran surgeon was nervous. I mean, originally in his first surgery there was only a 15% mortality rate, but now with him not even recovered from the first open heart surgery, having a second surgery would certain make his chances exceedingly more slim. All we could do was pray, but we were also fortunate that all the doctors on the team were such strong believers in Gods power. My mother asked the Surgeon if she could pray for his hands before he went into the operating room. With a pleading face he complied, and they prayed together in the dim lit hallway adjacent to the operating room at 11:45pm. God was no doubt the chief of the operating team. He blessed our little warrior with the strength he needed, when it seams little Sebastian would have only a pint-sized portion left.

My beloved son 

We slowly retired back to our base camp (the room), which was packed full of  loving family members who wanted to pray for our little Sebastian during these wretched hours.

You hear this phrase many times used casually, “felt like my heart has been ripped out”, however I believe Alicia and I experienced just that. If we let our minds wonder into the dark road of negativity about the future of our beloved son, it would become too much to bear. Even with our minds on the Lord, there was a paralyzing sadness and pain that seamed to resonate through us, as if our very bones were gelatinized. We found comfort during these excruciating hours in God and the warm embrace of friends and families. 

Sebastians Grandmother finally holding him after he came home to recover

The road to the following day dragged onward in a haze. However the next morning when our little warriors heart beat on, joy was like a mist in the air; cooling the nostrils of our soul in a soothing euphoria.  God was with our son the entire time.

This is one of the poems I wrote for him while he was in surgery.

My heart is weary
My love is strong
Tears stream.....
My son be strong

You are so small, 

weak and meek,

But your fathers strength I bestow
Your mothers love lightens your hard tow

With you we are now
Forever to be
Loving you now,

our tiny member of the family.

Beat on through this challenging hour
Beat on through this breaking life
Beat on though your heart be weary
Breath strong and step into your life

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts

We have been overwhelmed by the care of everyone for little sebastian. Friends family all of you who have shown such human love and concern. Check out the art above which a friend Ivan made in Peru for Sebastian's cause. We love you all and are very grateful for all of your support.

Lots of love

Simon & Alicia

The Rise of the Frog

Little Sebastian is improving more each day. Here he is in his little frog swaddle, keen eyed and looking perhaps a bit hungry. He has been eating well and Alicia has been able to supply the little guy with a 100% mothers milk diet so far. Doctors say her milk is the best thing going for him and will improve his recovery time greatly! They say soon he will be off oxygen support. We are looking into the options for his next corrective heart surgery and thank everyone for your prayers. 

We send lots of love to your families. 

Grandfather Ernesto holds little Sebastian the first time

Ernesto can be classified "as good-as it gets" in terms of of earning his grandfather status. Ernesto has been instrumental in Sebastian's life from the minute he was born to the current minute he this photo was taken. I honor Ernesto today and thank him from one father to another for his care to Sebastian. Ernesto I love you like a father. Thank you 

The Agony of Waiting | Continued story after “The Longest Day”

These events took place September 14^th, 2013

I never knew the true meaning of the word “Wait” until I had to wait to see if my son would make it.

Prayers were streaming in from around the world as the doctors told us the first 12 hours were the most crucial. They said he would have to make it till 3pm then next day to be past his first step.

Little Sebastian the day after his surgeries. 

I woke early that morning after a restless 2 hours of sleep. But it seamed the prayers for strength I desperately prayed the day earlier were in effect. Strangely, a calm yet positive determination had come over me. My spirit was completely different today. “Tough little warrior I said, this guy is going to do it”. I mean, he made it through two back-to-back by-pass surgeries, and he was going to make it through his first marathon of his life; he will arrive a victor at 3pm. 

 

Alicia Comforting Sebastian

We consulted with the doctors, who much to our relief, told us his vitals were stabilized, although he is in critical condition and being administered a resparator. Ernesto and I were blown away, seriously, this little two day old warrior was showing us a lesson on perseverance and the fight for life.  He would not give up, even though every breath he took raised to a peak then sucked back with the force of a vacuum. It was agonizing seeing him fight for every breath as if it was his last, yet he kept beating, kept strong, kept moving towards his future. A future we wanted so desperately for him, and so passionately wanted to be a part of.

I wrote this midday. 

My little warrior

Your first meal you did take
Your fight for life you did make 

Proud I am of your fight
You have endured with might

But not by might found on this earth
But from above in you first birth

You have touched hearts abroad
Yet stayed here as you shod
Your spiritual armor tougher then those
Who would offend and tried to propose.
Offend they did, but won did not
As your special shield shone so hot

With God on your side they fight vain
With Gods awesome powers you sustain.

Mind you, at this point Sebastian had not had one drop of sweet milk from his mother, but rather had supped on the roadway of IV drips and medicine that pulsated through his tiny veins; his heart pounded hard.

Loved ones, friends, family, acquaintances called us to transmit their concern and bestow their prayers. The force-field was strong with this one; he received strength from above and it was showing.

3pm crept into reality. If the clock I was looking at could sound, it would have been the loudest bell. 3pm September the 14^th will forever be the most joyful day of my life, as I witnessed little Sebastian’s heart beat on, and on and on…..

 Thanks to all of you for your prayers and love for little Sebastian 

Stuffing his Face | Little Sebastian is eating so well!

Our little Sebastian is eating so well now, I have him swaddled and he is so happy and comfortable to be with his mommy and daddy. We love him so much. He still got a tough journey ahead Thank you for your continued prayers !

He's back!

After 9 days in the hospital, our little angel was allowed to come home. 

Still under oxygen and a nurses watchful eye, we now can hold our son for the first time. We thank everyone so much for the love and continued prayers. 

Longest day, Sebastian’s surgery | September 13th, 2013

Sebastian's Last photo before the Surgery

The morning broke to a series of events. Alicia, was checking out of the Metropolitano to come join us at  the “Base Camp”Ernesto and I had set up in hospital Integrate.

"Sebastian’s open heart 

surgery was to start at 11:30."

While I waited for my love Alicia to arrive, I could not help the feeling of helplessness a father feels when there a nothing he can do physically, so I prayed.

I stumbled over to the little chapel, kneelt on my knees and started to pray,  I wept bitterly as I prayed for the Lords will, and that the Lord would let my son stay with us so we can love and raise him. I prayed for strength for his loving mother Alicia, and that I would be strong enough to comfort her no mater the outcome.

Once Alicia arrived, we embraced then went up to see our little precious son before the big operation.  Alicia’s Mother and my mother were by her side and giving us comforting support and aid.

I remember writing this when he was about to be rolled into the operating room. I could hardly see out of my eyes because they were swelling with tears.  

Today We Fly

Your little body torn
Scars on you will adorn

My son I pray
with me will stay

But if be better
go back to his maker

My love will always for ever
Shadow him, On earth I guide him

But if conditions send him above
He will guide me with Gods tender love.

Your so precious to us I say
A gift of God, on this blessed day

The Time for the surgery came and went, as we watched the Little Sebastian disappear with our hearts behind the operation room doors.

Friends and Family around the world were praying for him non-stop. From as far away as New Zealand, where my mothers sister resides.

My brother James sent us this beautiful artwork, to signify the prayers and concern world-wide.

James Cox my brother's artwork signifying world wide prayer 

Hours crept by, and five hours later around 5pm we were told little Sebastian survived the surgery. Joy cannot be measured when these words hit our ears. He was out, but in critical condition. His oxygen levels had increased and his tiny heart, which had just underwent so much, was pumping more blood throughout his body.

The doctors monitored him intensely for six hours after the surgery. They were incredible, so concerned in caring for our little son, as the whole team stood by him.  We put Alicia back in the room to rest and Ernesto and I waited, waited and waited.

Doctors monitoring Sebastian after Surgery

Horror struck my mind when the doctors came out of the room with stark faces. They explained they suspect a “Clot” in the bypass tube from the surgery. Clots in the heart can lead to cardiac failure. They said they strongly recommend he goes back into the surgery room and that the operation is repeated.

The hardest choice of my life transpired in seconds. This was life or death, I asked the doctors if his chances were better in re-surgery then waiting to see if indeed he had a clot. They said “absolutely”, they recommend immediate re-surgery. I consulted with Ernesto for a second and then looked at the doctors and said, “where do I sign”, this was not a time to linger on indecision.

Prep work began instantly for the second surgery.

Little Sebastian so tiny, yet so strong and only a day old, went into his second open-heart surgery with arms raised fists clenched like he was a mini Rocky.

The second surgery was much shorter then the first, but seamed like days. Finally he came out, surrounded by doctors shuttling him into ICU. The beep of his pulse, was like something out of a fictional movie. Time seamed to pause, and I did not realize I was holding my breath as I watched him be secured.

The second surgery was a success, we took a deep breath as a doctor came out and explained it went well.  But they proceeded to tell us there was a time when we almost lost him. His heart started to decline but they brought it back to normal pulse and that he was stable.

We were so overjoyed our sweet little son was still with us. Now we waited in prayer and anticipation for our baby boy to recover.

Mother and Sebastian, after second open heart surgery

The happiest dad in the world!

The recovery was a journey in it’s self.

To be continued.

Thanks for reading this post, tomorrow I will write the next part of this story which transpired over the last several days. Once the blog gets up to date, I will write daily updates.

Please sign up to little Sebastian’s Email form above for his weekly Newsletter. Lots of love to you all and God Bless.