10:48 am

Not much has changed today, and in a journey like this, sometimes no news is a good thing.

Eric is still on ECMO, but around 11am today, the team will be doing a clamp trial—a test where they briefly stop ECMO to see how well his beautiful heart and lungs can function on their own. The most encouraging part? He’s on minimal support, and his heart is already doing a lot of the work. That gives us so much hope.

They’re also placing a nasogastric (NG) tube today so he can start receiving nutrition and medications directly to his stomach. Every time Eric wakes up, he tells me in his own way—with his eyes, by nodding, or moving his mouth—that he’s hungry. He’s thirsty. He tries to sit up, signaling with his hands and mouth that he wants to get up to pee. I remind him gently about the Foley catheter. He doesn’t love that answer, so they’ve had to help him rest again for his safety. They’ve placed restraints to keep him from accidentally pulling out any lines or hurting himself—but he’s so aware and determined, it’s hard for him to stay still.

Even now, he nods his head when we talk, shifts to help the nurses, and moves over to avoid bed sores. That’s Eric—so thoughtful, so kind, even while fighting through all of this. He’s still very much him.

They aren’t closing his chest just yet—there’s still some excess fluid they need to monitor. Once that comes down, we’ll talk about closure and what comes next.

Right now, we’re in the waiting and preparing stage—making sure his body is ready for the next step forward.

To all of you who’ve been reaching out: I see your messages. I read every single one. Your love, your prayers, your words—they give me strength on the hardest days. I carry your kindness with me.

Thank you for holding us in your hearts. We’re not alone on this journey—and that means everything

 6:59pm

Eric went back to the OR today. During his ECMO clamp trial, he did amazing! His heart is pumping so well, and we’re so proud of how strong he’s been through all of this.

However, he did have some bleeding that took a while to control. Dr. Reyes came in to assess the situation, listened to everything that was going on, and made the decision to take him back to the OR to officially come off ECMO.

Now we’re back in the room—Rafa arrived from work just as we returned. The room feels so much bigger now… it’s just Eric and the PLEX (plasma exchange) machine. For those unfamiliar, PLEX is a procedure where his blood plasma is removed and replaced to help reduce inflammation and remove harmful substances. He’ll be doing this five times total—we’re now on day 2.

He’s stable. He’s strong. And he’s fighting with everything he’s got. We’re in awe of him every single day. Thank you all for continuing to keep Eric in your thoughts and prayers. Your love and support carrying us.