Heart Surgery - June 23, 2011

After too long of a break, we are back on the blog. Good intentions don't add up to communication, so we will have to catch you all up on the progress and milestones Vivian has accomplished this last year.

Right now as we speak our dear precious little girl is in the middle of a long surgery which will help her heart and lungs work more efficiently and let her get onto those more important things like running and jumping and playing like a toddler should enjoy!

Here is the "breakdown" of Vivian's day so far:
5:25am Pick up a little sleepyhead out of bed and slip her into the van, jammies and all!
6:15am Arrive at University of Iowa Children's Hospital and check in
7:15am Daddy carries his sweet girl in his arms right into the O.R. and holds her while she gets her "sleepy air."
7:15-9am Medical staff in O.R. prepare Vivian for the surgical portion. Lots of lines and tubes must be in place to help her body function and be monitored through this big surgery.
9am The cardiac surgeon Dr. Davis arrived in the O.R. to begin his work.
9am-12:30pm Dr. Davis meticulously located, sorted and separated Vivian's blood vessels to prepare the two arteries to be detached from the aorta and attached to the pulmonary artery. These vessels are actually behind her heart and are difficult to locate and work with.
12:30-12:45pm Vivian was now placed on the heart-lung bypass machine.
12:45-(currently 3pm) Dr. Davis has moved the arteries and removed the stent (that had been previously placed in her pulmonary artery 7/2010) and will now start to put in the VSD patch and an artificial valve between her right ventricle and pulmonary artery.

The medical staff has been very happy with how the surgery has been going. Vivian has been doing well and been very stable. When the surgery work is done, Dr. Davis and staff will sit a bit and monitor Vivian's body for awhile in the O.R. They believe she will be out of surgery between 4:30 and 5pm.

God is so good, and we are blessed beyond words to be parents to our daughter!

We so appreciate the many, many friends and family praying for us and thinking of us during this time. As you are led, I ask for prayers also for my (Keri's) dad in WY who is struggling with extended illness.