40 Hours Post-Surgery

Vivian had a good night again overall. One concern about her is she has been collecting fluids in her periteneal cavity. That is the sac inside the body that contains the intestines and the stomach. Vivian bloated up quite a bit. Also, her kidneys have taken a hit from the extensive surgery. (We had arrived with the thought of a 6 hour surgery, maybe 8 tops but couldn't believe 12 hours).

This morning at 11am a tube was then added to help drain the fluids off the periteneal cavity and relieve the kidneys. The medical staff will evaluate tomorrow whether Vivian will need a kind of dialysis called renal replacement therapy, I think. So far though she is producing lots more urine, so as odd as it sounds, I am excited about that!

Also, Vivian had something called a strut placed in her chest to hold it open. Dr. Davis also removed that this morning at 11am. That is a step in the right direction for Vivian's chest getting closed.

It was interesting because Vivian's PICU room also can act as a mini operating room, so these procedures were done right here and took about an hour.

We ask for continued prayer specifically for Vivian's swelling to decrease in her chest cavity and for her kidneys to be able to heal and resume normal function.

Mom (Keri) is staying at the hospital, and Ken is commuting to also be with our boys. He did stay the first night after surgery. We are grateful to Grandma and Grandpa Van Zee for taking care of our boys during this time.

A Few Pictures

The day before surgery with Dr. Davis, the cardiac surgeon, and Tina Davenport, a nurse who was our primary communication during surgery.

Sitting with Mommy the morning of surgery, just before going to the O.R. Vivian was interested in the duck in the picture behind her.

Friday morning, the day after surgery. Lots of tubes and wires and monitors. They had to give Vivian a little extra sleepy medicine because she was being her normal, feisty self (wiggling her arms and legs, swiveling her hips).

2 Bumps in the Road, but a Good Night

Vivian was brought back to us, in the Pediatric ICU (PICU) at 9:00 last night. We already knew about the first bump in the road, which was that her VSD patch had to be reopened because the pressure in her right ventricle was too high. We talked with the surgeon and he said that he removed about half of the patch, because it would have taken longer to remove more and they wanted to get done as quickly as possible and have a very, very small chance of needing to put her on bypass a third time. Looking longer term, we now have to wait for months or even years to see how her body responds once the effects of the surgery (especially the bypass) wear off and whether the pressures in her heart will adapt and allow the VSD to be closed.

The second bump in the road is that when they closed her up the pressure in her chest was too high, due to being open for 11 hours and on the bypass machine for about 6 hours. They therefore left her chest open (which is not uncommon with infants or very small children like Vivian) and it will probably get closed in about 3 days. This means a longer stay in the PICU and probably a longer overall stay in the hospital.

Vivian did have a good night and has remained stable throughout. The medical staff is confident about her recovery from the surgery.

We are amazed by our little battler and praise God for placing her in our lives.

They Took The Bed...So Almost Done!!

8:25pm The nurses have left to go get Vivian from the O.R.! This is not a simple task, so they will probably be back up here around 9pm or so. And, I guess there will be an entire team of medical folks too. We'll be meeting with them when they arrive, so that's why I'm writing now.

Keep praying for her recovery please and our stamina!

Love,
Keri

The Twelfth Hour...

It has now been twelve hours since Vivian was taken back, and we are still waiting. Earlier this evening (5:55pm) tThe surgeon was bringing Vivian up off the heart-lung machine, and the pressure was getting too high in her right ventricle...so back onto the bypass machine she went. Dr. Davis had to go back in and put a hole in the patch between the ventricles to relieve the pressure. It's possible the patch could have to be removed altogether.

7:30pm Well, we just got the good new that Vivian is now off the heart-lung machine. Now they are monitoring Vivian for the oozing type bleeding to stop. They have currently told us Vivian will be back here with us in the PICU about 9pm. The nurses are referring to this as a "big case."

We are surprised by the length of the surgery and are anxious for the news updates we get periodically. And, we are a little tired...a long day.

Hope to post again soon about confirming that Vivian is done.

Love,
Keri

Still In Surgery

4:15pm We got a report that Vivian is still doing well, but it will probably still be a couple more hours. Dr. Davis is still stitching up the areas on the aorta where the vessels were removed. Then he will work on placing the valve. And, of course, he will monitor everything afterwards for a period of time.

If you are led, please include my (Keri's) dad in your prayers. He is struggling with extended illness and may need to be hospitalized. My dad Larry and Betty live in WY.

Love,
Keri

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.