Posted by Viva Nashvegas on September 23, 2002 at 00:13:37:
I finally had a chance to sit down and do some emailing so here's the
latest.
The Begining:
Aimee went into labor at about 10:30 pm Friday night when her
water broke. We were at home at the time. We quickly packed up, loaded up
the car, packed up my 21month old daughter, Micah, and drove her over to a
friend's house nearby. We arrived at Baptist hospital around 11:30 or so and
the baby was born at 12:39 am. So all said, Aimee was in labor about 2 hours
(WOW). And this she did "a la natural..."
Stats:
Jael Sarai Guest
7 lbs, 3.25 oz
20.5 inches long
nice head of dark hair and a full set of chubby cheeks (on both ends...8)
We knew from about half way into the pregnancy when an ultrasound told us
that Jael had a birth defect. We were told at that time that the radius was
missing from her left forearm. Because of that we were scheduled another
ultrasound to take place at about 3/4's of the way into the pregnancy. At
neither ultrasound did they find anything else unusual or that required
concern. We began trying to adjust to what life life might be like raising a
child who only has the use of one arm. Yesterday she was born and we felt
pretty encouraged and ready to embrace life with her. It was so very
difficult to watch as the doctors and nurses began to have trouble keeping
her color up. They ended up rushing her to the nursery and then on to the
neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Within a couple of hours a doctor
approached us and informed us of a probable heart condition that was
preventing Jael from getting the oxygen she needed. We were allowed to see
her briefly but then the decision was made to transfer her over to
Vanderbilt's NICU so that a Pediatric Cardiologist could arrange her
supervision and surgery.
God's Blessing:
Since that time (she is just now almost two days old), she has been
stablized. We've learned that all babies have a couple of features that help
blood to flow from chamber to chamber within the heart while unborn that go
away the first few days/weeks after birth. These features in Jael seem to be
perfectly formed and generous enough so that with a little medicine to help
those features stay open and functioning, she has been taken off of her
oxygen as of this afternoon. We have also been informed that because of
these features and the fact that she is showing wonderful strength and
improvement... and because God has given her an otherwise healthy looking
heart, that the cardiologist predicted a 95% chance that she will make it
through the surgery. While there is always that 5% looming in the
background, we feel extremely encouraged by this hope.
Add to all of this the fact that we have been flooded with calls and notes
from people from all over. Friends who have told friends to pray for us.
Churches from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and elsewhere who have added us
to their prayer lists. Tonight a couple showed up with their 13 year old
son. (a strapping lad who could easily have taken me should he have
chosen to do so) just to tell me that they had been visiting my church this
morning for the first time and heard the announcement about us and just HAD
to come let us know that things can and will work out ok. Their son had had
the same condition my daughter now has. He, too, had undergone open heart
surgery at the age of less than a week old and was now 13 and in wonderful
health. Wow, what a blessing that was that they would take the time and
trouble to come up to the hospital, locate me, all to bring me that
simple message when they not only did not know
me but had never even been to my church before. We have been overwhelmed
and felt extremely loved by our friends and family over the past 48 hours
and Aimee and I appreciate it more than we can convey. Thank you to those of
you who are praying for us and for Jael.
What's Next:
Tomrrow (Monday) we should learn approximately when Jael will have her surgery.
Please continue to pray. This is open heart surgery and is extremely
dangerous for anyone, especially babies so young and fragile. Anything could
and still might happen that could change her condition for the worse. I'll
try to keep you guys posted on our progress. I'll also try to get a picture
or two up for anyone who'd like to see who they're praying for.
Thanks, Guys.
With love,
-matT