Two Boys Leave Hospital On Back-To-Back Days After Both Receiving New Hearts

Teddy, who spent almost a year on the transplant list, had a rare form of degenerative heart muscle disease, which would cause his heart to stop beating completely if left untreated.

Aidyn was born with a dilated cardiomyopathy which caused one side of his heart to grow faster than the other, posing the serious risk of cardiac arrest. When he was admitted to the hospital, Aidyn's heart was only functioning at 15 percent.

"Almost 11 months and it just feels unbelievable because we've been here for so long," his mom, Amie Hastings said in a video posted to the hospital's Facebook page.

Of the staff at Riley, she added, "I feel like they're losing their baby. I feel like I have to share him with everybody!"

"It's so exciting, overwhelming," she said of Aidyn's discharge. "It's bittersweet, we're gonna miss everyone around here."

Prior to his transplant, Aidyn suffered a terrifying near-death experience wherein the family found him unconscious and not breathing. But since receiving his new heart, Cassie says her son is "like a brand new kid".

"We have a really hard job, especially on our floor, we see a lot of really, really sick kids," heart center nurse Elise Strohl said in the video. "Getting to see these kids go home is the most rewarding part of our job."

"You get attached to them especially when they're here for so long," she added. "You really do just get to know them really well."

In the video he revealed that he is most excited to "play with [his] cats and not have to eat bland food all day."

For Aidyn's family, they're most looking forward to going home with their son and hopefully regaining some sense of normalcy.

h/t: People, Facebook | Riley Children's Health