At four weeks old, Ethan's heart rate dropped once again, and he was flown to St. Joseph's Children's in early April. There he was stabilized, and again, they waited for him to reach four pounds. During this time, Misty and Mike had the fright of their lives when the doctors found something in a head scan that they couldn't diagnose. They were told that 25 neurologists had seen the scan and none of them recognized what eventually turned out to be a cyst.

In late April, Ethan had his first of three corrective heart surgeries. He was six weeks old and weighed 4 lbs 10 oz. Although the surgery was expected to last one and half hours, it lasted nearly six hours, a lifetime for the family as they waited for news of the baby. Although the surgery was successful, Ethan's chest had swelled during the operation and they were unable to close his chest. This was a shock for his parents, who could hardly bear to look at the baby they no longer recognized. He was black and blue from head to toe, with tubes everywhere and his chest gaping open. Misty quickly turned away and ran out of the room. Mike was pale and shaken as he returned to the waiting room to tell his mother-in-law Bonnie about their little boy.

Misty and Bonnie are staying at the Tampa Ronald McDonald House while Mike continues to work in Orlando and visit on the weekends. They cannot visit for long because Ethan recognizes his mother's voice and his heart rate rises. Keeping him stable is the most important thing now. A teary-eyed Misty says that she feels horrible because she should know her baby by now. She wants to know what every cry and every look means. She wants to feel the joy of being a first-time mom. She's ready to be happy! Misty has only heard Ethan cry once, when they briefly took him off the ventilator, and it was a very weak cry.

This is a very tough time, but Misty knows that one day this will all be behind her. In the meantime, she and Bonnie are very thankful for the Ronald McDonald House. It provides a place of calm and relaxation in the midst of their stress. They like that they can be themselves because the other families in the house are also going through difficult times. In Orlando, they live in a huge house with nine people, and the RMH is a quiet change of pace. Misty says that they could never afford hotels and meals for this length of time. One of the best things, she says, is talking to other moms in the house. Only other moms with sick children can imagine what she's going through.

Misty is also extremely thankful that her family moved to Florida from New York two years ago. She knows that her baby is getting the best care in the world at St. Joseph's Children's and their world-class cardiac unit. She has very high praise for the nurses and doctors who are caring for her son.

In honor of every Mom who has nursed a sick child, we hope you will consider making a donation this Mother’s Day to the Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay. You may donate online and select the Mother’s Day option, or you may download our Mother’s Day donation form. We will send you gift cards and Forget-Me-Not flower seeds that you can give to your loved one in lieu of a gift. If you nurture the seeds, beautiful flowers will grow; just like a child blooms with a mother's love.

Editor's Note: Our plans to share this story with you came to a halt when Ethan Vossler passed away suddenly on May 1. Misty Vossler has asked that we share her son's story in tribute to his memory. Our hearts go out to the Vossler family in this sad time.