Surgery date

I know many have been waiting and asking about Lucy's next surgery and we got the call last Wednesday.  Her catherization was what they expected and it was time to go ahead and schedule.

The big date.....April 20th.

We will head down to the hospital April 17th for all her pre-op tests to ensure she is healthy for surgery.  I will do my best to make sure that happens!  If you can't recall her last surgery we did pre-op the morning of surgery and that was dreadful.  Lesson learned.

It's amazing the impact that setting the date can have.  My eyes tear up as I write.  It's not because I am not confident in her team.  Advocate has an amazing team of surgeons, doctors, nurses and care technicians.  As much as we have been hospital free for almost 2 years, setting the date brings me right back to day one.  The memories flood in (not all of them bad)

-standing by her NICU bed waiting for her to get big enough 

- entering the PSHU for the first time 

- meeting Dr. Nater after surgery discussing Lucy's body 

-The hallway packed with doctors after Lucy coded

-Sandy waiting for me with open arms as I sobbed on her shoulder, giving me updates as she could.

-The daily routine of hospital life

-Talking with Jen about her wedding to give my mind a break

-The news we would stay impatient until her next surgery

-The phone call at 9 pm to tell us we needed to be back at the hospital

-Dr. Van Burgen doing CPR as Lucy's heart rate plummeted

-all the set backs

-Graduating to Floor 2 only if we moved into the hospital

-my evening chats with Maureen 

-Dr. Penk telling me I need to try again after the first failed attempt of NG tube placement

-Sitting with Dr. Van Burgen the night before discharge going over our checklist

-going home for the first time after 96 days in the hospital

-All our friends (known and unknown) that prayed with us each step of the way

April 20th we will get up and head to the hospital.  The Fontan procedure will connect the blood vessel (inferior vena cava) that drains deoxygenated blood from the lower part of the body into the heart, to the pulmonary artery by creating a channel through or just outside the heart to direct blood to the pulmonary artery.  At this stage, all deoxygenated blood flows passively through the lungs.  After this surgery Lucy's saturation's will be closer to normal in the high 90's.  The average stay is seven to ten days.  I know it will be different this time.  We are all stronger.  As strong as we have become, sometimes I wish we didn't have to do it.  That I could wave a wand and it would all go away.  But I can't, so we put our faith and trust in God knowing he will carry us through.