They say it takes a village…

Well, the village is making themselves known. A mixture of fundraiser ideas as well as checks directly to us have left us speechless. To articulate the amount of thanks we have for our friends and family would be impossible. This is the hardest thing we have ever been through, but the support from everyone is making being optimistic easier and easier with each day. The good news we’ve received from doctors has us in a very good place right now. Rhett is already loved by so many. So again and a million times over. Thank you.

Rhett is moving all over the place in momma’s belly! Every movement shows how strong he already is and I think he’s ready for all of the hugs and kisses that are inevitably coming. Amanda is doing great and mostly only cries happy tears lately. We are so looking forward to the visit to the cardiologist June 2nd! Please keep Rhett in your prayers that by a miracle we will get there and they’ll say nothing is wrong, but if a secondary prayer request that in the event something is wrong that only heart surgery will be necessary and then Rhett can live a completely normal life.

Talon is so ready for Rhett to come out and play. He said he’s gonna scare him outta there!

I think Talon scared him…

Before bed one night we asked him if he was excited and he said he was going to teach him to do flips. We asked what else he was going to teach him and he walked around the room looking at all of his toys. He grabbed his toy gun and pointed at the deer and said “shoot deer”, then he pointed to his tennis ball and said “play catch”, he said a few other things and it was one of the most precious moments and a memory I’ll never forget. He is so excited and seems to totally understand what is going on (minus the medical stuff). He knows his name and he knows he’s having a baby brother. The other night after we tucked him in he called Amanda back over, lifted her shirt and gave her belly a hug and a kiss and said “Goodnight Rhett”. Memory I’ll never forget number 2. I can’t wait to watch them grow up together. I mean…look at this guy, he’s ready!

We talked to insurance yesterday and things are looking up on that front too. What we originally were told was a $1200 bill for the cardiologist visit has turned into about $300 based on the different things hitting the insurance plan and Amanda hitting her deductible. (Thank God). My plan starts over July 1st, so we’ll have to start the deductible and max out of pocket cycle over again.

I was reading some message boards of people who’s infants have had open heart surgery a few days after being born and followed by about a 2-3 week stay in the hospital and without insurance it would be in the $150k – $250k range. Thank God for insurance plans our maximum out of pocket is $10k at most from July thru June of 2016. So hopefully if worst case scenario happens and Rhett needs surgery that the first one will be enough to set him up for life and will limit future years to check ups and general little boy bumps and bruises!

So now the real task begins…. picking out bedding and getting his room ready for when we bring him home. Not to mention registering for baby showers, and making sure Amanda has khaki maternity pants.. khaki.

Spirits are high in the Spangler house and so much of it is because of all of you reading along. Writing this blog has been a great emotional tool for me and thank you all so much for the love you’ve shown my baby boy and someday when he’s older and I can show him all of these posts I know his heart will be full, even if it isn’t right now.

Again and again and again from the bottom of Amanda’s and my heart.

Thank you.