Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A Little Heart Made New

I know this update is long overdue and people have emailed and messaged checking in and saying they are praying.  Thank you for lifting us and our sweet girl up.  The last 24 hours have been a bit of a wild ride. 

Our day began bright and early Tuesday morning as we walked into the hospital at 5:45am Tuesday morning.  We were feeling ready to put this behind us but at the same time our hearts were heavy with what was to come.  We knew it would be a long day of waiting.  


Miss Ellie was a trooper being woke up at 5:30 and given her bath with her special soap. Then we were escorted to her Pre-Op room and she got all gowned up. 


At 7:30 it was time to say goodbye to my precious girl.  I kissed her goodbye and as I watched her walk away in her daddy's arms tears began to fall.  I prayed through tears and I laid her in the hands of the one who created her, knowing there are no better arms to be in.  Thanking him for giving me the honor of being this precious little girls mom.   Eric was able to stay with her until she fell asleep.  


At 9:03 we got word that surgery had started and 2 1/2 hours later we were escorted down to meet with the surgeon.  He successfully patched her hole but also found a surprise out pouching that needed to be fixed as well.  She arrived in the ICU around 12:45 and we finally were able to see her about 2:15. As we walked into her room tears fell again, she looked so tiny in that little bed with all her tubes.  


It was a huge relief to see our sweet girl and kiss those cheeks.  



It was of course hard to see her with all her lines but she actually looked better than we expected.  She wasn't too swollen and looked like our sweet little princess! 



 For most of the afternoon they tried to keep her sedated since she was still intubated with a breathing tube.  She showed her little spicy side early as she tried to wake up and was ganging and biting on the tube.  She burned through quite a bit of sedation meds as they tried to keep her asleep.  


Dad was checking out all her new lines and her precious new beauty mark.  


While she was in surgery we met her nurse and once again felt like God continues to write this little girl's story.  Call it a coincidence, we call it a God thing and a huge blessing that Ellie's day nurse was adopted from Korea with her twin when she was 6 months old.  We saw instantly the love she had for our little girl.  We continue to stand in awe of how God is in all the details of this sweet little girl's life.


It was a huge blessing to hold our little princess again! 


At 4:15 they were able to remove the breathing tubes and had her come out of sedation.  Most of the evening was spent trying to manage her pain as she was pretty agitated.  She would go for an hour or so with no issues and then thrash around and cry for an hour or so.  It is such a helpless feeling to watch your child and really feel like you can do anything for them.  We spent a lot of time just trying to talk to her, rub her little head, snuggle in close and try what ever we could to get her to calm down.


At about 11 last night Eric and I had the biggest scare of our life.  Eric was giving Ellie a bottle and she stopped breathing and her eyes rolled back.  He quickly yelled, "somebody help me!" The nurse took one look at her and sounded the alarm. Before we knew 10 -12 people flew into her room with the code cart.  We were pushed out of her little glass room only to stand by with tears streaming down our faces and panic in our hearts.  It was by far the scariest thing we have every experienced.  The medical team went into "Go Mode" and did what they do and quickly got her stabilized. They began running tests and everything came back normal.  They think she potentially choked a little and didn't want to aspirate so held her breath. It could have also been she just struggled with the suck, swallow, breathe as she was coming out of sedation.  At any rate we were very thankful it wasn't heart related and that they were able to stabilize her quickly.  They sedated her and kept her calm for the rest of the night.  We feel so blessed by the care Ellie is getting and the way they are taking care of our sweet girl.   

This morning Ellie was in her true form, very agitated. My friend Diana said she would gladly pass on her daughter, Emme's title as the "Agitated Empress!" Ellie now has a name that proceeds her on the 5th floor among the doctors and nurses.  She is definitely leaving her mark. She is also wrapping herself around quite a few people's fingers on the 5th floor even in her spicy form. Eric and I are pretty sure we may be in for a rude awaking when this little is up and running at full strength. 



Today around noon they came in and took out her arterial line in her groin and her catheter. She has been a different girl and has pretty much crashed the whole afternoon.  Her poor little mind and body needed a break.  They have kept her in the ICU and will continue to take it a day at a time.  

Thank you for all your words of encouragement, messages, comments, phone calls, texts and emails. They have been a huge blessing to us. Most of all thank you for covering us in prayer.  We have felt them.  

We are praising God that Ellie's broken little heart has been made new.  A mighty physical and emotional healing is taking place in this precious little girl. To Him be the glory! 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is in our helplessness that His mighty strength is acknowledged. I know that helpless feeling all too well, and I also know His mighty touch on a child. You will never be the same person, spiritually, after having given your child over to God and watched Him at work as their ultimate physician.
We are praising the Lord for strength for Ellie, for both of you, and for the medical team.
May you all be refreshed and renewed each hour of the day. Thank you for sharing Ellie's journey with all of us!
Blessings, Mrs. Kristin Mulder

Jboo said...

So happy to read this update! Praying for you all as she gains strength and recovers. I know you are feeling the power of so many prayers coming your way.


janet

Paige said...

I've been waiting for this:) So thankful all is going well. If Emme is any indication of your little empress you are one lucky Mama!!! We have been praying for you all, thank you for sharing this part of your journey with us. She is one special little girl. I can just see her bossing everyone around like my Janie does!

meg said...

oh my goodness......tears flowing.....so glad she stabilized and is progressing.....my heart aches for you guys.....your words of trusting the One who made her----oh so true!! thank you for the update. I wish I was there to wait with you... Praying....Much love

familyof8 said...

So thankful to read this update. I have been praying for Ellie and Ivy Joy all day. Two heart babies brought home to be healed and loved forever and forever! I have to ask is your husband a physician? Mine is and your photos remind me so much of my own husband when our adopted daughter was in the hospital. He looked so comfortable and so comforting. I will continue to pray and trust that God is working to restore her to perfect health.
Blessings,
Christine
thefahys@gmail.com

likeschocolate said...

Those moments are so crazy. I remember when our son was in the ICU and a little boy two babies over crashed. They escorted all the families out until they were able to stablize him. We were all so scared not just for him, but realize it could be our children. Your daughter is one tough cookie! I can't believe she came out of sedation so quickly. Thank you for letting us know she is OK! I have been thinking of you and your family all day.

Paula said...

What a gem little Ellie is! Thank you so much for the update. Thrilled to hear she is on the road to recovery. Will continue to keep you and Ellie in my thoughts and prayers during this time of healing. Hugs.

Kathy said...

I'm so looking forward to catching up with you when you get home and have the time/energy....the photos of you and Eric with Ellie are beautiful. What a moving post. I am definitely praising God for a new heart today, and can't wait for the changes this brings in Ellie's life.

Take care, my friend.

Mary Gene Atwood said...

Oh I'm so blown away by this post! I can't even begin to imagine the fear when she stopped breathing. Still praying for your sweet girl and you and Eric. Stay strong.

Andrea O. said...

The first hours after heart surgery can be full of uncertainty and anxiety. I am so relieved that she is healing well and that the removal of her lines has begun. It sounds like she is making excellent progress, even as her tiny body is working to regain its strength. Peace be with you during this time!

Best wishes,
Andrea Olson

Sharon said...

Thankful for such a wonderful update! God is good!

Troy and Diane Sturgeon said...

I cried as I read this. Such an emotional roller coaster. We will continue to cover you in prayer. We cannot wait to see that beautiful little one again -- heart healed!!

Mark & Marne Dekkers said...

Continuing to pray... for Ellie, for you, and for the kids back home as well. As someone who has watched her son go through multiple surgeries, procedures, and tests in his short little life, I know how heartbreaking and overwhelming it can all be. But as you are seeing too, God takes care of even the tiniest of details (like who she gets for a nurse!). Watching God at work in the life of your child is an amazing experience. What a journey you are on! Praying for healing for Ellie and continued strength for both of you.

Cindy said...

Thank you for updating....The first thing I did when I got home from work was check to see how Ellie was doing...Thank God everything went well.

Still Praying
Cindy in Ohio

Melanie said...

Wonderful to get your update. I take in and learn from every post because my own sweet heart baby will have to have another OHS in the next couple of years. We were not with her for the first as it was done in China. So handing my sweet girl over for surgery will be tough just as I see it was for you. Thank you for sharing your emotions during this difficult time. God is so good and we are so lucky He has chosen us to care for these amazing heart babies. We will continue to pray for Ellie's recovery.

Melanie in AZ

quilt'n-mama said...

praying for you and your sweet little one.

Anonymous said...

Thank you soooooooooooooo much for this update!! keeping Ellie,the drs. and nurses and you family in prayer as I am doing with Ivy Joy!! Cathy in Illinois11

Fannie said...

That little girl of yours melts my heart!! She is so precious!! I am absolutely amazed that you guys take the moment to photograph all these moments. What an incredible gift for Ellie when she is all grown up.

Praying for your whole family,
The kiddos back home missing ya & that little cutie that is recovering. God bless you all!!

Alison @ Notyetwhatweshallbe.wordpress.com said...

Beautiful :) Praying for you and your little girl!

Kristi said...

What a beautiful little girl! How wonderful that her surgery was successful.

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