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9 APR 2000
Today she was alert, and seemed happy to see us, she had many visitors today. Jennifer and I met with the pediatric cardiologist. He has ruled out Noonan Syndrome, Praise the LORD!!! On a more somber note she is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday 12 April. A band will be placed on the pulmonary artery, not the aorta as I had believed. They plan to cut under her arm. This is not open heart surgery. That is planned for 6 months later. This will take place in Atlanta about 35 miles away.

10 APR 2000
We spoke with the neo natologist today and signed consent forms for her to be transfered to Atlanta tomorrow. She is out of the ICU bed and in a regular bassinette, she is still in NICU. Rebecca is wearing baby clothes now.
10 APR 2000
Rebecca is resting very quietly this evening, we wanted to hold her but did not want to wake her. She is leaving at 9 AM for Atlanta. She will be assessed and another echo cardiogram will be done. We are watching prayerfully.
11 APR 2000
This evening we fought the rush hour and went to Eggleston Children's Hospital. Rebecca is in the CICU, lieing in a steel crib, she looked so very small. We spoke with the cardiac surgeon, he explained the procedure and told us it had a 95 to 97% survival rate. She is scheduled for 9 AM, 12 April. They will cut under arm and place a band around the pulmonary artery. In a few months the heart will grow and it will be too tight, it will either be removed or a new one put on. Between 6 months and a year they will want to do open heart surgery to close holes, unless God closes them first.

12 APR 2000
Today Rebecca had her surgery, she awoke briefly around 3:30 PM, because of pain she was given more morphine. The surgical anesthetic paralyzed her breathing muscles, so she is on vent. She should be breathng on her own by morning. There is a catheter in her right shoulder taking blood pressure, and a chest tube in the incision drawing off fluid from the heart. There is not much fluid which is good. She is asleep pretty much, and she is ALIVE. Please say a prayer for Dr. Tam, God has guided his hands.
13&14 APR 2000
We weren't able to see her for very long yesterday, after an hour and some minutes driving we were allowed to see her for 10 minutes and then had to wait 1 1/2 hours to see her again. Today she was transported back to Gwinnett, only 7 miles from home. She is on the ventilator still. But she has been breathing over it some. She did have to be bagged for a few minutes today. The Lord God has His hand upon her, His Hand is not shortened.
15 APR 2000
Rebecca was taken off the ventilator today. This lasted about 40 minutes. She had to be reintubated. The surgery was supposed to keep fluid from building up in the lungs, it doesn't seem to be working very well. She was actually better before surgery. So we watch and wait. The ventilator is breathing for her at 10 bpm, she breathes over that, very shallowly, but at about 3 to 4 times that rate. She has gained since surgery 500 grams!!!! (a little over a pound) to supplement that we feed her Bread, a very large portion of Psalm 119. I don't think there are any small portions of that one

:-)


16 APR 2000
We visited after church today, she was not breathing, the ventilator was doing all the work. They had sedated her. When she is active she pulls at her central line and makes it bleed. The fluids she is recieving require this kind of IV. If she pulls it she will have to get another, which is very painful, so she has to be sedated, at least for another day or two. The sedation does not allow her to breath on her own. I finished reading Psalm 119, and launched into a couple more, she did grab my finger and moved her arms a bit. She was most definitely not awake today. But there is no pain.
17 APR 2000
Rebecca has been off of sedation since 10 am today. She is still on the vent but her rate has been decreased to 15 bpm. She was resting comfortably but started coughing, which you can not do with a vent. She had to be suctioned a little and fought it all the way. She seems much stronger. We place our hands over her to keep her calm, since she cannot be wrapped up tight like babies like to be. She was pushing us away and pulling at her vent, she is ready to have it out! I read some Psalms to her and she quieted right down. She looks terrible, but we are very encouraged.

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1244 Ridge Road
Lawrenceville GA 30043-1244
770-338-7379