Updates

Again, I am so sorry for never posting anything. Things are going so well. A couple of weeks again Landen all the sudden decided to eat. He is eating baby food a couple of times a day and we are ecstatic. I was getting to the point that I thought we would never be able to get rid of the g-tube and then he decided to eat. His favorite food in pureed potato and corn soup. This week he has also decided to start drinking from a sippy cup. Again, we are so excited. Things are just going so great. We are so lucky. Landen has changed our lives and we couldn't be more thankful. He is an amazing little boy with his bright blue eyes and his smile. Thanks everyone for your continued prayers and support. We look forward to a great Christmas. I think a New Year resolution for me is to start blogging more. Life is so wonderful I should be sharing it with others.

Sorry

I was just reading my friend Chrissy's blog. Chrissy and I met at the hospital months ago at transplant clinic. It turns out that her little boy who is KoKo's age got his transplant just 2 weeks after us. She has been an amazing friend and support for me. Anyhow, I was reading her blog and I realized what a bad job I do on keeping up with our blog. Landen is doing very well. I actually feel like today might be a turning point. This is the first day since transplant, over 6 months ago, that Landen did not throw up. Whatever the reason, I hope it continues to work. Again, he is doing very well and we are so happy. I think with transplant the worry will never end, but if we remember the good days and the little accomplishments we can get through it. I don't know if I have mentioned this, but I can upon this song and the words mean more to me than they ever have before. It says "I believe in Christ, so come what may." We never know what life is going to bring us or why, but it will all work out in the end. Thanks for all your support and prayers; we couldn't have made it without them.

The Quilt

While Landen was in the NICU before we knew anything about a transplant, I decided I wanted to make a quilt and have the doctors, nurses, etc. sign it. It would a quilt to remember all the people that helped save our son's life. Well, when I first was planning this quilt I thought it would be a baby size quilt, but the quilt seem to grow and grow. I think I drove people nuts with my bag of quilting squares, but this quilt turned out amazing. I love reading each square and thinking about each person that contributed so much to save our child's life. We have had the most amazing doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff. All of which contributed in saving our son's life. THANK YOU!!!!

The Letter

Last week we received another great gift. We received a beautiful letter from the most wonderful family-Landen's donor family. "Donor Family" is what they are called at this time, but they are more than that. They are the family that gave my son life. We know that without a doubt that this was Landen's heart. It was scary to accept it, but we knew that it was our only chance. And for some reason, this was Landen's perfect heart. This family had the most difficult decision ever to make and in a horrible circumstance, but we thank them each night for their gift. And asked that they are somehow comforted. The letter explained that the little lamb they sent was in the crib with their baby until they took her to surgery. That make that gift even more special to us. We were even able to see a picture with the little angle holding the lamb.

Alomst 5 Months Post Transplant

THought we would add some photos since its been a while. Landen is doing well. He's fighting a little rejection right now, but the doctors said it isn't too bad, in fact they said that if he were further out post transplant they probably wouldn't even treat for it. He along with our other 3 children are such blessings in our life. Landen is always smiling, and so happy, even though he's gone through so much. Thanks to all our friends and family who continue to love and support us.

Love Joe Tam and Fam, Especially the Lion!!

Its been way too long since our last post!!

Hello everyone!

Landen is doing so well! Two weeks ago the doctors put in a stomach tube. He had the nose tube, and it was just making him gag and not be able to keep his food down. I don’t blame the kid! I wouldn't want a tube down my throat 24/7 either!! The doctors said that it was going to be some time before he was able to take all his nutrition by mouth and that the stomach tube would really benefit him. Its a little more work than before but sooooo worth it. His nutrition intake has gone way up, and he’s able to keep down much more of his food! He loves working with his therapists and they are working very hard on range of motions and motor development, and for the most part he is doing excellent. His cardio follow ups have gone from twice a week down to one time a week. Eventually they'll be quarterly. He is such a happy little guy, and he is such a blessing in our home! Like I've always said if he can fight and smile through all this, so can we!! Thanks for all the love and support!

Joe Tam & Fam... Especially the Lion!!

2nd Week at Home

We'll its been a while since we've posted. We're trying to get used to the new routine... a new normal. Lion is doing so well. Hes down to about 14 meds and only 22 doses instead of the 18 meds and 30 doses!! So he gets meds at 8am, 10am, 4pm, and 8pm. Thats a breeze compared to the round the clock every 3 hour schedule we were on pre-transplant!! He has a great group of helpers that come to visit and work with him from PT and OT. They work on movement and stretching, and he seems to enjoy it. We have follow up appointments up in Salt Lake twice a week to check his anti rejection medication levels in his blood, and then adjust according to how things are looking to the doctors. Landen's brother and sisters are also so happy to have him home and smuther him with Loves all the time! We got to go up to the hospital on Saturday night and help with KSL's Telethon for Primary Children's hospital and that was a lot of fun. Tomorrow Brayden Madisen and Koelle get to go to a "Heart Camp" Its a special camp just for kids with heart problems and for their siblings. Going to be great fun for them. We feel so blessed to have Landen home and for all the love and support of our families, friends, and even people we dont know who have helped out in some way. Thank you all!!

ksl.com - Lehi infant receives hospital's first incompatible heart transplant

ksl.com - Lehi infant receives hospital's first incompatible heart transplant

Our Little Smiley Boy

Landen is doing so well today. He is giving us the BIGGEST smiles I have ever seen. He is just doing so well, we are so grateful.

Another Visit with Lion

The kids could not wait to see their little brother again. He is doing so well, he should be coming home in a couple of days. We are all so excited. We will be bringing our little boy home and this time he is staying home! Landen-beware you will be smothered by your siblings, but who would blame them...you are so cute, I mean handsome.

Lion's TV Debut

Channel 5 in Utah called the hospital because they had heard that there was a new type of heart transplant done here at Primary's that has not been done here before and wanted to do a news clip about it (thanks Darren for letter the news know about our little lion). So, on Friday the news reporter and his camera man came to tape Landen and also interview us and his doctor. It was fun to tell everyone how strong our little lion is and about the wonderful gift we were given two weeks ago. The news clip will air on Tuesday on KSL, channel 5. We will let you know of the time when we hear.

Visiting Lion

Since Landen is looking so well and nobody has a cough anymore, the kids were able to come and visit him at the hospital. It had almost been two weeks since the kids had seen there little brother and they had not seen him since he had received his new heart. We had them were masks, which KoKo did not enjoy, but they did love seeing there brother. KoKo has been walking around saying "Lando" and "Baby." We are so glad that our little baby is doing so well.

LION FEEDING

So yesterday and today they let Lion take a little feeding by mouth. It's gonna take a little while to get him back to where he needs to be, but at least he's started! He seems to be in a little better place with his meds and feeding so we're looking forward towards getting him home next week!

Out of the ICU!!

So Landen moved out of the ICU yesterday. One step closer buddy! He only has 1 IV left and its only being kept in for emergencies as all meds are going down his feeding tube or hes taking them by mouth. So now we need to get his feeds up to an acceptabl level for a lion... and get his meds to where they need to be. It's a work in progress as they adjust levels according to blood screens taken every day. He is doing so well! He is a bit fussy at times, but who wouldn't be with what he's gone through in the past 10 days. Thanks everyone for the continued love, support, and prayers!