Day 2 afternoon...

Right now it is 4:00. Brent and I went to eat lunch and when we came back they had done a chest x-ray and blood gas check and they were in the process of doing a heart echo (ultrasound). I immediately began to worry because I didn't know they were doing an echo but I just kept reciting Is 41:10 to myself until I knew what was going on. Thank goodness for God's word!
Her x-ray was the same as it was this morning which is a good and bad thing. Good because there is not more fluid but bad because the fluid is not draining. Because of this they added an extra med that will help drain excess fluid. We need this fluid to drain because it is around the lungs and she cannot leave the icu until this fluid is gone. If the meds don't work they will have to put a drainage tube in and it could have to stay in for a few days. The blood gas came back as all normal which is good. And the heart echo showed the heart looks great and is functioning just as it should! They had to call pain management in again because the pain meds are just not working. My sweet baby is very uncomfortable and they have had to move her around a few times and she just screams out in pain.

Basically, here are our pray requests for now...
1. That her pain meds would work and that she would be able to rest
2. The meds will help the excess fluid to drain and
3. That should would be able to eat (She hasn't eaten all day!)

I have to say I could never have imagined how hard this is! As I sit here looking at her, thinking about how much I love her I am reminded that God loves her even more than I ever could. I am so thankful that He loves her. But I also think about how much it hurts me to see her in so much pain and agony. I'm then reminded that God gave His Son to die on a cross.
John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

My Maddie's heart has been physically repaired but only God can heal heart heart spiritually and I'm praying He does that at an early age!

Here is a picture of Maddie in her socks...

Here are a few pics from today.

Maddie is holding on to the cord for her oxygen monitor and every time she wakes up, she pulls the cord so I got her bunny and gave it to her so she can hold on to that!



You can tell by this picture that Maddie's face is really swollen. She is getting some meds to help drain excess fluid. So hopefully this swelling will go down today.




Maddie holding her bunny...

Day 2 in the ICU

Last night, Brent and I decided we would stay in the parent room to try to get some sleep. We had gotten up at about 4:30am so we decided that would probably be best. We went to bed around midnight and slept off and on until about 6.
Maddie didn't have the greatest of nights. Her pain meds were not working so they switched her back to what she was on originally with a higher dose. Then around 4 they added a med that would help her heart recover from the bypass machine and start working a little better. She was a little cold to the touch and her circulation was not what it should have been, so this heart med was added. Her hemoglobin was low. It went from 13 (point something) to 6 (point something) so she was given some blood to help with this. She was also given a med that would help her urinate. She didn't eat anything all night so we are hoping this will pick up today.
She seems to be resting right now, so we are hoping that when she wakes up she will feel a little better. She still has all her lines and tubes that she had yesterday and because of the new heart med she has to stay in the icu for another day. I hate that she is still in the icu but she did just have open heart surgery and I'm glad they are monitoring her so closely. The staff here at Children's is so wonderful! They have been such a blessing and seem to care so much. They assign only one patient to each nurse so she is getting such individualized care and the nurse stays in the room.
Her plan for today is to have her catheter removed and a few other lines. She has to keep her chest tube in until tomorrow because there is an iv line that goes directly into her heart that is not being removed until tomorrow. When that iv tube is removed there is sometimes some bleeding. If the chest tube is still there, the excess bleeding can drain out that tube and the drs can see it.
We would ask that you continue to pray for Maddie's recovery today. Specifically that her body would process the excess fluids that she has retained. Also, pray for minimal pain. Pray that her hemoglobin count would come up. As they take her off of one of her medicines, her body will produce the right hormones to allow her to relax. Pray that as she comes off her oxygen that her body will handle that okay. She also really needs to eat. Please pray for her appetite (and her interest to eat). Thank you, thank you, thank you is all that we can say. We rest in knowing that we serve an awesome God! We pray that His will be done and that He continue to get all glory and all honor for He is the only one that actually deserves any of it!!!

My verse for today is...
Phil 4:19 "And my god shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Praise the Lord He takes care of our needs. I'm praying this for my baby girl today!

It's been a long day.

Well, today was the day we have been waiting for but dreading at the same time. Maddie could not have anything to eat after midnight. We were very nervous about this because Maddie has been eating every 3 hours even through the night. We gave her a bottle at midnight and she slept until we got her up at 5:15. We left our house at 5:30 and got to Children's at a little after 6. We were prepared for a long ride full of screaming but Maddie slept the entire way. I am so thankful that God provided Maddie what she needed and she was able to sleep. What a loving God we serve! We got checked in for Maddie's open heart surgery. Jeremy and Gerry came by and prayed with us and stayed until they took Maddie back. We walked her down, kissed her goodbye and headed to the waiting room. That is one of the hardest things I've ever experienced...to hand over my baby for what was about to take place!
Mom and Dad brought the girls down to the hospital so they could wait with us. Ronnie and Randy took Miles to Jennifer's to play with Caden and then they came down to wait also. As we were waiting my sweet, precious friend Tiffany Brown showed up. I had no idea she was coming and it was such a blessing to me. Words will never be able to express to her what that meant to me.
The doctors and nurses gave us updates ever hour and a half. That was nice to be kept in the loop. Maddie did great! They started surgery around 7:30 and were pretty much finished by 12:00. Dr. Galantowicz (Maddie's surgeon) came out to the waiting room to talk with us by 12:15. All I can say about what her Dr. said is GOD IS GOOD!!!! Maddie came off the breathing machine and heart machine with no problems. He repaired the large whole and actual stitched up another tiny hole. He was able to save her pulmonary valve (huge answered prayer request) and he shaved the muscle tissue that was blocking her valve. All in all Maddie did wonderfully. Once, Maddie was settled in ICU we were able to come back to see her.
Right now, we are in the icu just trying to keep Maddie relaxed and calm. I can't put to words how she looks, so I'll show you a picture...




Children under 12 are not allowed in the ICU except if patients are doing ok they let siblings come back. So, Emma and Molly were able to come back and see Maddie for a few minutes. This was very hard for them but they really wanted to see her.
Once everyone had their visit, my mom and dad took the girls to Claire's (at the mall) to have some happy time. That is one of the girls' favorite things...going to Claire's with Pop and Gigi! Ronnie and Randy headed out to pick up Miles.

As for Maddie...
She has already had a bottle of pedialyte and formula. She kept that down and so they are happy with that. The first 12 hours are crucial and after the first 24 hours we will be able to relax a little. They did have to switch her pain meds b/c the first one was not working. We are continuing to pray for her comfort and healing and a good night's rest.

Isaiah 41:10 says "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

This has been my verse from the day I found out that Maddie had tetralogy of fallot. I never dreamed when I was pregnant that I would be walking this road but for some reason God chose to create Maddie's heart exactly the way He did and I am thankful. I am thankful because God has taught me so much through this journey and I'm continuing to learn more about Him every day. I am reminded that I am nothing with out Him. I know that God is going to use this experience to bring glory to Himself and we would want it no other way. I'm excited to see how Maddie will be able to use this experience to tell people about Jesus...and I know she will.

I am so thankful for all the many prayers being lifted to our Heavenly Father for Maddie. What a blessing!!! Brent and I will never be able to express our gratitude to all of you who have and are praying!!! So, to those of you praying....THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! and WE LOVE YOU!!!

She's here!

My neice, that is. Janelle got here on Saturday afternoon and the kids are beside themselves with excitment. She will be here all week. This is the first time she has seen Maddie.



Brent and the older 3 kids picked her up at the airport and Maddie and I met them at Macaroni grill for dinner. It was an hour and half wait for a table for 6 so we cozied up at a table for 4! We enjoyed our dinner and then headed home for bed.
Sunday was a great day worshipping with our family at Living Hope. It is always such a blessing to be there. Sunday night we started a new study in our small group called Balanced (by Andy Stanley). I'm looking forward to seeing what he has to share about balancing your finances based on God's word.
Today, the girls had school so I asked Miles what we should do with Nellie. He suggested we take her to Target because she might want a new toy and a cherry icey! Hmmm, wonder who wants a new toy and cherry icey! So, we got dressed, met Brent for lunch at White Castle (Janelle's choice) and then headed to Target where Miles got his icey and a few little things.

Maddie has been really fussy these past few days, so I took her to the dr this afternoon to make sure her ear infections had cleared up. She weighed 12 pounds 11 ounces. What a big girl! She had a great doctor's visit and he could not find anything wrong. Which is a great blessing! So, basically, my sweet baby girl is spoiled! I'm going to work on that! :) Tonight Maddie tried cereal for the first time. I don't think she cared for it much. She cried and kept spitting it out. I guess we will try again tomorrow. Here are a few pics of Maddie trying to eat her cereal!




I decided that I was going to work on getting her to go to sleep on her own in her own bed. I got her ready for bed, put her pacifier in, and put her in her bed. She cried for a few minutes, a few different times, but I kept putting her pacifier in her mouth. She went to sleep on her own!!!! Yay, Maddie! Hopefully, she will get some good sleep.
Today was beautiful day outside and we are predicted to have another one tomorrow. We are going to the zoo and chick-fil-a for lunch.
Here are a few more pictures from the past few days...

Miles "shaking his booty!"

A little bit of time!

A little bit of time is all I need to update my blog but it is so hard to find! I like to update at night after the kids go to bed so that I can take my time and think about what I want to post. Especially since I'm not blogging every day. Well, this past week and a half Maddie has been a little clingy. She doesn't want to sleep in her bed. So that means, at night I'm holding her. It is a little hard to hold a baby and blog at the same time! :)
Well, this morning for some reason Maddie decided that when I tried to put her in her bed for a nap, she would cooperate! Yay for answered prayers! I'm so thankful that God hears my prayers, even the tiniest little prayer about my baby's sleep habits!
Last Thursday, Brent and I took Maddie to Children's Hospital to meet her surgeon. We were really pleased with him and were thankful for all the time he spent with us. I'm going to use my blog to keep everyone udated when she has her surgery. I think that will be the best way to keep everyone informed!
We have had a pretty good week and seem to be on the mend from all of our ear infections! I started back to our Ladies' Bible study this week. We are studying John 15 through Denise Glenn's Freedom for Mothers Bible study. I've already done this study before but I"m so excited to be doing it again! God is already teaching me new things and reminding me of things I already know. Funny how He knows of the things we need to be reminded of, right when we need to be reminded!
Tomorrow my niece is coming in town for a week. We are all looking forward to the time we get to spend with her! She is a precious young lady and my kids just love her!
Well, I hear my sweet baby calling me from her bed so I better run! Here are a few pictures from this past week...

Maddie and I went to the mall. I think she is a great shopper!...



The kids at our small group Sunday night. We ate dinner together since it was our week off.



Maddie is 4 months old!




Brent is helping the girls paint their toenails because they couldn't wait until I finished feeding Maddie! What a great dad!!!