We are planning for Thomas to have surgery tomorrow, probably around noon. It will last 6-8 hours.
We are very anxious, but trying to trust that the Lord will carry Thomas through his surgery. The surgeons here are excellent, and we are confident in them.
Please pray for strength for Thomas.
Pray for wisdom, strength, steady hands, and clear minds for the doctors and surgeons caring for him.
Pray that Thomas won't feel pain.
Pray for protection for his brain and other organs as he is placed on heart-lung bypass.
Pray that the time of the operation is minimal (ie closer to 6 hrs)
Pray for no complications, no excessive bleeding
Pray that he is able to tolerate coming off of bypass as they thicken his blood, etc (it has to be thinned for him to go on bypass so that it won't clot.....and he is so small that they can't just give him a bunch of blood or clotting factors to thicken it back up like they would to an adult)
Pray for a sense of peace for us....peace that transcends all understanding (Phil 4:7) for today, tonight, and tomorrow......as these will likely be the longest days of our lives.
Pray for a miracle of healing for Thomas. Pray that the surgery will be easy and successful, and that he will exceed all of their expectations in the recovery period. Pray that he is feisty (like his Mama) and like he was during all of his prenatal ultrasounds :)
Eph 3:20- "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us"- we ask (BEG) these things in Jesus's name.
Here is another song by Matt Hammitt
"This is Grace"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcCQv_mzG5I&feature=related
Love,
Melissa, TJ, & Thomas
Showing posts with label egleston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label egleston. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Saturday, Nov 19th
Today was a quiet day, and we were able to spend a good amount of time with Thomas. My favorite place to be is right at his bedside, holding his hand with one of my hands, and resting my other hand on his little chest. I like to feel his heartbeat with my finger. His chest is so smooth and soft....and I know it will only look like that for a few more days so I'm trying to memorize it.
Thomas is still on the ventilator, and we expect him to be until he has surgery. He has been struggling today and yesterday with a metabolic acidosis.
Hopefully we will get to spend alot of time with him tomorrow. We know we need to rest, sleep, and eat.....but we don't want to be anywhere except with him.
Here are some specific prayer requests that we have for Thomas:
Please pray that he would increase in strength leading up to surgery
Pray that the doctors can correct his metabolic acidosis
Pray for protection for his brain, kidneys, intestines, and liver- some of the acidosis is caused by decreased perfusion to these organs (because his heart needs to be fixed!)
Pray for wisdom for the doctors caring for Thomas
Pray that our little guy will be ready to fight as he is prepared for surgery
I have a confession. I "showed out" (as TJ put it) in the CICU yesterday, and am probably being whispered about as the hysterical Mom in 2107. Don't worry, I didn't stomp my feet or snap my fingers......but I am ready to fight for my boy, and everybody knows it :)
Isaiah 43:1-4
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
I've called you by name. You're mine.
When you are in over your head; I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters; you will not go down.
When you are between a rock and a hard place,
It won't be a dead end-
Because I am God; your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you...!
That's how much you mean to me!
That's how much I love you!"
Thanks for all of your prayers!!!!!
Love,
Melissa & TJ (& Thomas!)
Thomas is still on the ventilator, and we expect him to be until he has surgery. He has been struggling today and yesterday with a metabolic acidosis.
Hopefully we will get to spend alot of time with him tomorrow. We know we need to rest, sleep, and eat.....but we don't want to be anywhere except with him.
Here are some specific prayer requests that we have for Thomas:
Please pray that he would increase in strength leading up to surgery
Pray that the doctors can correct his metabolic acidosis
Pray for protection for his brain, kidneys, intestines, and liver- some of the acidosis is caused by decreased perfusion to these organs (because his heart needs to be fixed!)
Pray for wisdom for the doctors caring for Thomas
Pray that our little guy will be ready to fight as he is prepared for surgery
I have a confession. I "showed out" (as TJ put it) in the CICU yesterday, and am probably being whispered about as the hysterical Mom in 2107. Don't worry, I didn't stomp my feet or snap my fingers......but I am ready to fight for my boy, and everybody knows it :)
Isaiah 43:1-4
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
I've called you by name. You're mine.
When you are in over your head; I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters; you will not go down.
When you are between a rock and a hard place,
It won't be a dead end-
Because I am God; your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you...!
That's how much you mean to me!
That's how much I love you!"
Thanks for all of your prayers!!!!!
Love,
Melissa & TJ (& Thomas!)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Friday Update
Thursday was a very busy day!
We got packed up to leave the hospital, and Thomas got transferred to Egleston just before lunch time. We went over there to meet him, but didn't get to see him much because he was busy getting admitted- all of the doctors were seeing him, he was getting labwork, lines put in, ekg's, echocardiograms, etc.
His nurse yesterday was Amanda, and she was great! She will have Thomas throughout the weekend and we are thankful.
Thomas is on some oxygen now and seems a little more comfortable. His work of breathing really picked up yesterday, so I'm happy to see him resting. He is also on a medication called milrinone to help prevent pulmonary overcirculation (which will happen until his surgery)
He is jaundiced and on bili lights as well.
We are both physically and emotionally exhausted after this entire week, so sorry for the lack of updates yesterday. It was very overwhelming. We are looking forward to a quiet weekend and spending as much time as we can with our boy. He was so busy yesterday with all of the admission process that we had to leave him alone too so he could rest from all of the action.
Please continue to pray for Thomas:
That he will continue to grow and be strong for surgery
For wisdom for the doctors caring for Thomas
That they will see him as our precious baby, not as a complicated heart defect who barely weighs enough for surgery (minimum is 2kg, he is 2.2kg)
Please pray that Thomas will know how much we love him even though we can't hold him or be with him all the time.
Please pray for quick healing for me from the c-section
Please pray for TJ and me to be strong, and please pray for us to have sense of peace through all of this
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Matt 11:28
Love,
Melissa
We got packed up to leave the hospital, and Thomas got transferred to Egleston just before lunch time. We went over there to meet him, but didn't get to see him much because he was busy getting admitted- all of the doctors were seeing him, he was getting labwork, lines put in, ekg's, echocardiograms, etc.
His nurse yesterday was Amanda, and she was great! She will have Thomas throughout the weekend and we are thankful.
Thomas is on some oxygen now and seems a little more comfortable. His work of breathing really picked up yesterday, so I'm happy to see him resting. He is also on a medication called milrinone to help prevent pulmonary overcirculation (which will happen until his surgery)
He is jaundiced and on bili lights as well.
We are both physically and emotionally exhausted after this entire week, so sorry for the lack of updates yesterday. It was very overwhelming. We are looking forward to a quiet weekend and spending as much time as we can with our boy. He was so busy yesterday with all of the admission process that we had to leave him alone too so he could rest from all of the action.
Please continue to pray for Thomas:
That he will continue to grow and be strong for surgery
For wisdom for the doctors caring for Thomas
That they will see him as our precious baby, not as a complicated heart defect who barely weighs enough for surgery (minimum is 2kg, he is 2.2kg)
Please pray that Thomas will know how much we love him even though we can't hold him or be with him all the time.
Please pray for quick healing for me from the c-section
Please pray for TJ and me to be strong, and please pray for us to have sense of peace through all of this
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Matt 11:28
Love,
Melissa
Transfer Day
Today was action packed! We transferred from Northside Hospital to Egleston. Here are a couple pictures of Thomas and his team leaving Northside.
Getting ready to go!
Thomas's massive ride! This thing is basically a NICU on wheels.
Here is getting into the ambulance.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Moving on Up
We spoke with the cardiologist today, and they are planning to transfer Thomas to Egleston tomorrow morning! Once there they will continue to evaluate him, and he will probably have surgery early next week.
We don't know exactly when the transfer will take place because we are at the mercy of the Transport Team. Adults are transferred in regular ambulances.....Thomas will be transferred in the enormous NICU-on-wheels type ambulance that they use for babies :)
I am excited because I will be discharged tomorrow too! We have already told our nurse the plan so that the OB can get us out of here first thing in the morning. We will be moving into the Ronald McDonald house at Egleston and will stay there while Thomas is in the hospital. Several people have asked for our address here in Atlanta, so I will be able to let you know after tomorrow!
Thanks for your continued prayers and support. Please continue to pray for Thomas, his doctors and nurses, and for us as we head into this next step of the journey. We are excited to be moving forward but very nervous as well.
Deut 31:8
"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Love,
Melissa & TJ (& Thomas!)
We don't know exactly when the transfer will take place because we are at the mercy of the Transport Team. Adults are transferred in regular ambulances.....Thomas will be transferred in the enormous NICU-on-wheels type ambulance that they use for babies :)
I am excited because I will be discharged tomorrow too! We have already told our nurse the plan so that the OB can get us out of here first thing in the morning. We will be moving into the Ronald McDonald house at Egleston and will stay there while Thomas is in the hospital. Several people have asked for our address here in Atlanta, so I will be able to let you know after tomorrow!
Thanks for your continued prayers and support. Please continue to pray for Thomas, his doctors and nurses, and for us as we head into this next step of the journey. We are excited to be moving forward but very nervous as well.
Deut 31:8
"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Love,
Melissa & TJ (& Thomas!)
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The Plan
"The Plan" (in quotes because who knows if this baby has his own plan!!) is for us to travel to Atlanta in time for Thomas's delivery, which will be some time around 39 weeks.
He will be born at Northside Hospital, stabilized, and then will be transferred to Egleston Children's Hospital.
He will be in the Cardiac ICU at Egleston, where they will study him from head to toe as they prepare him for surgery.
He will have three surgeries....
the Norwood, performed within the first week of life
the Glenn, performed at 3-6months,
and the Fontan, which is done between 2-4 years of age.
The Norwood is by far the scariest procedure, and the most dangerous. He will be very fragile even after he recovers until he has the Glenn procedure.
We will be in Atlanta for several weeks with Thomas (average hospital stay is 3-4 weeks)
We will use this blog to keep everyone updated as frequently as we can, and we are so thankful for everyone's love and support!
We will do our best to respond to emails, texts, and calls, but we will be pretty preoccupied with our little boy! (and you can't use your phone in the ICU!)
In the CICU he will be very fragile, and is only allowed two visitors at a time.
We will probably be exhausted, stressed, and learning a crash course in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac physiology. Because of this, it is really not a good time for visitors. We will let you know when things stabilize and that changes!
We can't tell you how much we appreciate all of the offers to come visit while we are in Atlanta!
We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family, and we are so thankful for your support and prayers!
Love, Mel & TJ
He will be born at Northside Hospital, stabilized, and then will be transferred to Egleston Children's Hospital.
He will be in the Cardiac ICU at Egleston, where they will study him from head to toe as they prepare him for surgery.
He will have three surgeries....
the Norwood, performed within the first week of life
the Glenn, performed at 3-6months,
and the Fontan, which is done between 2-4 years of age.
The Norwood is by far the scariest procedure, and the most dangerous. He will be very fragile even after he recovers until he has the Glenn procedure.
We will be in Atlanta for several weeks with Thomas (average hospital stay is 3-4 weeks)
We will use this blog to keep everyone updated as frequently as we can, and we are so thankful for everyone's love and support!
We will do our best to respond to emails, texts, and calls, but we will be pretty preoccupied with our little boy! (and you can't use your phone in the ICU!)
In the CICU he will be very fragile, and is only allowed two visitors at a time.
We will probably be exhausted, stressed, and learning a crash course in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac physiology. Because of this, it is really not a good time for visitors. We will let you know when things stabilize and that changes!
We can't tell you how much we appreciate all of the offers to come visit while we are in Atlanta!
We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family, and we are so thankful for your support and prayers!
Love, Mel & TJ
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