Mason Gregory Garka

I think it is official... Summer has ended. This week we have seen our first (of many to come) wind storms and the temperatures have surely dropped. I guess I should also add that we have also seen what else a lot of rain!!!! This weekend as a family we closed out summer with a bang. We spent a long weekend in Disneyland! Of course as I got home I was anxious to download all of the GREAT photos and when I did that I came across some other fun photos so I wanted to share some of our summer fun activities... Of course we should start with our DISNEYLAND ADVENTURE... And yes I wore the ears - Anything to for my son! Auntie showing off her popcorn catching skills... WE MISS BEN AND DREW! Mason talks about them often. This is a picture of their last day with us. SUN LAKES WITH THE FAMILY! A FUN DAY AT THE BEACH We surely enjoyed the sun and hope you did while it lasted... Onto a new seaon...

We have a lot to share as a family. News story #1: We have a date set for Mason's Fontan Surgery.... Tuesday, NOVEMBER 8th is the big day. Of course this news comes with some bitter sweet feelings but we are trying to stay focused on the sweet. This is the last major chapter in this story. We owe Mason's life to everyone at children's hospitial. Especially the Surgeons. So I thought today it would be appropriate if we finally introduced you to our hero's: Dr. McMullan: He is the main surgeon who has completed Mason's Norwood, Glenn and will also complete his Fontan surgery. Since the surgeries are major and complicated there is always two surgeons present in the operating room. The second Surgeon who will be with Mason is Dr. Permut: We would also like to introduce you to Dr. Cohen. He is the head of Cadiac Surgery for Seattle's Hospital. These are the men who take care of Mason in the operating room along with other doctors and nurses. We a

It was time to start collecting all of the information needed to schedule and prepare for Mason’s Fontan Surgery. So last Friday – Mason went in for his Cardiac Catheterization. (Defined below) Cardiac Catheterization (Heart Cath) is the insertation of a catheter into a chamber or Vessel of the heart. This is done for both investigational and intervention purposes. Subsets of this technique are mainly coronary catheterization, involving the catheterization of coronary arteries, and catheterization of cardiac cambers and valves. (Did you get all of that?!?!?) When we arrived at Seattle Children’s Hospital– Greg was busy checking us in and I sat with Mason in the Surgery Center waiting area. Mason and I talked, I kissed him, I played with him… I pulled out all the stops so that he would not remember that he hadn’t eaten in 12 hours and that he was at his least favorite place – Children’s Hospital. During some point of my “operation distract Mason” I noticed you staring at us from acr