April 2008
100 posts
Before we left tonight, Lucy’s bleeding was beginning to taper off. The doctors tell us she is doing well.
Still, nothing can prepare you for the sight of your four-day-old daughter lying sedated with a gaping wound on chest.
March 2008
29 posts
Out of surgery
Dr. Kogon just came out to tell us the surgery is complete! Lu’s anatomy was a little abnormal, which made moving the coronaries difficult. They had to use a portion of the pericardium to make the connection to the aorta, which means more stitches than we’d hoped for. He said the heart function now looks good, but they did have to leave the chest open (which we knew was a...
Surgery update #6
Lucy has come off the bypass machine now and is breathing on her own!! There is some bleeding, but our OR nurse Gretchen said it’s not more than is to be expected.
We should get another update in an hour or when they’re finished with the surgery, whichever comes first. An hour or so after that, she’ll go to the CICU, and we’ll be able to see her again!!!
Surgery update #5
Dr. Kogon has finished Lucy’s repair! We’re not out of the woods yet—she is still coming off of the bypass machine. As her heart and lungs take over, they’ll be looking for bleeding at the repair sites and any kinking in the coronary arteries (which they had to move, and which are only 1mm in diameter).
Pray she transitions off of the bypass machine easily and quickly.
Surgery update #4
The OR nurse came out and talked to Sarah’s parents while we were eating lunch. They’re halfway through the surgery now and everything is going excellently. Hopefully we’ll be able to see her in a few more hours.
Surgery Update #3
Lu is now on the heart/lung bypass machine. She’s taken well to the machine. Now they start taking her heart apart and putting it back together.
Surgery update #2
Lucy is in surgery now. They had trouble getting her central IV line in, so it’s in her chest instead of her neck.
So far, so good. Pray for Dr. Kogon and his team.
Meals
You all have blessed us beyond measure with your generous offers to bring us meals. Because we have so many of you from so many places who want to help, I’ve asked my friend Rachel to coordinate meals for us. We’ll need meals most once we bring Lu home, which of course right now means we can’t say exactly when.
Anyway, if you want to bring meals, call Rachel at 404-509-6558.
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Surgery update #2
The OR nurse called. Lucy is asleep now. They haven’t started surgery yet, as they’re putting in some additional IV lines.
We just walked Lucy back to surgery.
Here we go...
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I just got home from signing the consent forms for Lucy’s surgery (called an “arterial switch”). Now I have to try to get some rest before the alarm goes off at 4:30am.
Tomorrow is the big day. I have a peace about the outcome, but I am anxious about getting through the day.
Surgery tomorrow
We just heard that Lucy will go up for surgery at 7:30 in the morning. I won’t get to meet with her surgeon, Dr. Cogen, until tomorrow morning, but I will have to come back tonight to talk with a cardiac fellow and to give consent for surgery.
We’ll have to leave the house tomorrow at 5:15 AM to get down here on time.
Thanks
I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has written us or commented on this blog. Knowing that so many are thinking of us and love us has moved us to tears many times.
Your notes encourage us and lend us strength when we’re feeling especially tired and empty. Please keep them coming.
Will & Sarah
PS-Remember big sister Sophia in your prayers, too. She is doing amazingly well,...
