We've got a plan! The cardio team here met and decided that Penelope needs to have her PDA closed tomorrow morning at 7:30. It will be the same bedside surgery that Lydia had, the only difference is that they will have an OR waiting just in case the closing of the PDA causes complications with her possible coarctation. If they close the PDA and see that her aorta is narrowing (by checking bloodpressures as well as an immediate echo) they will whisk her away to the OR and do the coarct repair surgery (resection with end to end anastomosis) despite her size. Right now, the complications she's having because of the PDA are such that they cannot wait until she reaches the ideal size for the coarct surgery. The risks are higher for such a small baby but the risks of delaying the surgery are even greater. So, this is the plan.
Jonathan and I are, understandably, pretty nervous about this. It will be a loooong hour's wait while they do the PDA surgery to see if she'll need the coarct repair or not. They say that time flies when you're having fun, maybe time will fly while we're praying our booties off! We would like to ask you to be praying your booties off too! Please pray for Drs Goldberg and Knott-Craig (the surgeons), Andrea (his nurse), and the rest of the OR team that will be doing the surgery. Also, pray for Robin and Amy (the girl's nurses), the neonatalogist, and the NICU staff that will be caring for her after the surgery. Finally, pray for our sweet Penny to have comfort and strength, to only have the PDA and no coarctation, and if she does have to have the coarct repaired pray that the Lord would protect her from any complications of the surgery.
On a personal note, she's been put on NPO (no food in her tummy) until a few days after the surgery. This means she'll be hungry and MAD about it like Lydia was. Please pray that I'll handle it well. It's actually a good sign if she gets hungry and mad, rather than lethargic. It just makes it very difficult for us to watch her and not be able to help.
Thank you so much for your prayers as we face this next section of the NICU roller coaster.
Love, The Chus
First day back on the vent. Haven't seen her face like this in a week!
Daddy Daughter time
Getting a little hand holding time with my girl
“As for me, I would seek God,
and to God would I commit my cause,
who does great things and unsearchable,
marvelous things without number:
he gives rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
he sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
(Job 5:8-11 ESV)
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