Survivor!

"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD." Psalm 150:6

First things first: Lilly survived the surgery!

Weight check = 5 lbs. 8 oz.

Today was Lilly's big day - she had the pulmonary artery band inserted into her heart.

She started her day with a bath and then posed for a final pre-surgery picture for mama. Doesn't it look like she's smiling?!

At 8:00 a.m. she was wheeled away to finish final preps for surgery. She looked so tiny on the bed as she was rolled away. It was exciting yet scary to let her go. It was downright strange to have her out of my sight. And thus began the waiting for my husband and I.

About 10:00 the nurse called me on my cell phone to say that Lilly had been cut open at 9:25. It would then take a couple hours before the surgery was finished.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

We felt mostly at peace yet too antsy to sit so we went outside for a walk. We ended up having a great time as we walked along the river and saw many things. We even saw dolphins!

Finally at 11:40 the surgeon himself came to tell us that the surgery was finished and Lilly was doing as well as could be expected. She was on a ventilator and was being given some blood. We would be allowed to see her shortly. He also said that Lilly did not have a thymus, which is actually pretty common in those with heart defects. The thymus is a lymphhoid organ just behind the sternum. The absence of it means that Lilly has an immune deficiency. (So don't be offended if I ask you to wash your hands before you touch her!)

I can't describe the relief and joy we felt after talking to the surgeon!

"I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1-2

We finally got to go into Lilly's room. She was hooked up to all sorts of things. Tubes and catheters were sticking out all over her body. Her chest had been glued along the incision! She had a chest drain which will be removed before long. The breathing tube was down her throat and she had a big tube in through her nose. But she looked good! Her color was great!

By mid-afternoon Lilly was moving her arms and legs around and was responding to mine and my husband's voices. She stayed busy chewing on the breathing tube for hours.

All went well except late this afternoon, Lilly got extremely agitated when her throat was suctioned out. The result was that her hands and feet got icy cold and started turning blue. The nurse called the surgeon on the phone to see what he wanted her to do and others came in to help. Lilly was given more pain management medication to relax her. After she calmed down and started getting back to normal we were told that they hadn't expected her to be moving around so quick. One doctor actually seemed rather pleased. He said "She's fiesty! She'll probably be off the breathing tube very soon!" In fact, tomorrow they are planning to try Lilly just on the oxygen under her nose rather that the ventilator.

One nurse told me to "get used to" the turning blue bit. If I understand this correctly, the band in her heart keeps the blood flow contracted. If there is too much demand (i.e. she's upset) then the blood can't keep up with the demand.

We're just so very grateful for the Lord sparing Lilly's life. And for making our wee girl "fiesty"!

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1