Thank you so much for praying. It's hard to deal with life, especially the tuff stuff, without prayer.
Here is what we know:
The baby has hypoplastic left heart syndrome. What this means is the left side of the heart is too small - 1/2 the size it should be. The valve from the left atrium is not functioning correctly, and a hole has developed between the left & right ventricle. In addition, there is a blockage in the aorta arch. 1% of babies have heart defects & 10% of those are this syndrome. It can present itself in various ways so not all children diagnosed exhibit the same symptoms.
Deidre was presented with 3 options:
Do nothing....this will result in death.
Heart transplant....this is very risky with newborns and a sentence of subsequent heart transplants would follow. He would need a new one approximately every 15 years.
Surgery....the goal will be for the right ventricle to act as both the right & left ventricle. The right ventricle pumps to the lungs & the left to the rest of the body. It will require numerous surgeries with the first one preformed at birth.
This was existing at conception & there was nothing she could have done to prevent it & earlier detection would be no different than the present. When things go wrong it's our nature to want to blame something, it's how we process that which we cannot explain. Job's friends as loyal & fine as they were eventually resorted to this too :) Deidre cannot talk about this so any questions should be directed at me. I am VERY proud of her. She is distraught; every parent wants only what we perceive as the best for their children, so this is stretching her, but she is doing OK.
The baby will have to be born @ Children's in DC with a team of cardiologists & surgeons. Her due date is August 31. Providing she goes to term a date will be set for delivery; if she goes earlier then she will be transported from here to DC in an ambulance. The first surgery will happen immediately after birth. Right now he is doing just fine because his mommy's body is doing a great job taking care of him. He will be in ICU following surgery. Deidre has planned to nurse so this presents a problem. She will have to pump until he is able to eat on his own.
I'm believing God for a miracle. I hope that's complete healing but if not then everything & anything else we need.
"He's got the whole world in His hands, He's got the little bitty baby in His hands, He's got you & me brother in His hands, He's got the whole world in His hands."
hugs,
Gay
-- For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well. Psalm 139: 13-14
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