Well, we've known this day would come since the first day we laid eyes on our sweet little Emma, just over six months ago. Tomorrow she will have open-heart surgery to repair her Tetralogy of Fallot, a congential heart defect. Her surgery is scheduled for Tuesday May 5th at 8:00 am, and is expected to last about six hours. We will be updating this blog periodically throughout the surgery as updates are made available to us, and throughout the day.
As you can imagine, this is one of the most difficult things we have ever had to face, and we have appreciated all of the prayers and well-wishes on our behalf from our many friends and family. Here is the jist of what we have been told to expect
We will arrive at the hospital at 6:30, and it is our understanding they will take her back at 8:00 am. Once sedated, Emma will have a trans-esophageal echocardiogram (to get images of her heart from a probe inserted down a tube in her throat). Medical staff will then have to break open her sternum, place her on a heart/lung bypass machine, and stop her heart so it can rest while they fix it. One very big concern to us is whether or not the surgeons will be able to save her pulmonary valve. If they don't have to cut across the valve, then this one surgery very likely will repair her TOF permanantly. Otherwise, if a patch or replacement valve is required, she will have to have additional surgeries every five years or so until she is full-grown.
Once the repairs to the heart have been successfully completed, they will take Emma off bypass, and her heart should jump back into action. She will be in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) for two to four days, during which adult visitors are welcome, assuming they are healthy, and I believe they limit the number of people that can go in to see her at any one time. After Emma is moved to a regular room, the rules become much less restrictive.
Again, we appreciate the love and concern that has been shown to Emma and our family.
Love,
Dave and Amy
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3 comments:
Amy, my prayers and thoughts will be with you all day tomorrow and until Emma is safe and home with you. I wish you a very peaceful night tonight and lots of success tomorrow. I can not even begin to imagine how hard this must be for you. However, know that you have love, hope and faith coming from all directions! Love,Darci
I hated the night before the surgery... the wondering and waiting. I don't think I really slept that night. I hated being in the waiting room with all of the other parents who were chit chatting about ear tubes or having tonsils taken out and sitting for HOURS beyond what they were.
That being said, I think the waiting was more difficult than actually dealing with seeing Nathan after the surgery. I wanted so badly to hold him but with all of the chest drain tubes it wasn't possible till 4 days later. Emma is going to be in the best of hands and you have alot of people praying for your family.
Nathan will need a new pulmonary valve but hopefully by the time that happens it will be done by going through the groin area instead of another open heart surgery.
Emma is precious! Good luck with everything.
P.S. Dr. Hawkins gave us the extra portion of the patch that wasn't used for the VSD so we could see how big the hole in Nathan's heart was. You should ask for it from the surgeon. People love to see it and its something that you'll be able to show her when she's older.
-Stephanie (Nathan's Mom ToF)
Good luck today. I know the wait is so hard and updates seem too far apart, but she is in good hands. Please know that I will be thinking of and praying for your sweet family today!
Hugs & Prayers,
Christina from IHH
Jacob's Momma
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