Our precious Brea has been sick for almost a week with a cold and ear infection.  She was seen by her regular doctor on Monday, February 12th and was diagnosed with an ear infection and was started on antibiotics.  I took her back in on Friday, February 16th thinking that she needed a different antibiotic and while waiting to be seen noticed that her breathing was becoming very labored.  We were sent for an x-ray and admitted to the hospital through the ER.  The x-ray showed that her heart was enlarged and she was transferred to ICU.  She was diagnosed with Dialated Cardiomyopathy and is currently on a ventilator and is sedated to allow the machines to work for her instead of her little heart  working so hard.  The echocardiogram shows that basically the left side of her heart has shut down and is very enlarged.  Our regular pedatric cardiologist was on call and saw her Friday night and started her on some medicines that will hopefully help her regain function in the left side of her heart.  If these medications do not work she will be transferred to a cardiac transplant facility (probably Little Rock, AR).  One third of all children with this condition will recover with medication, one third will not respond to medication and will need a heart transplant or will not survive and one third will regain some function and will live on medications for the rest of their life.  We are praying that Brea is in the 1st one third of the equation. 

We need your prayers to help bring Brea through this ordeal.  Please pray for a full recovery and for the physicians and nurses treating her.  Pray that God will guide them and be with them as decisions are made and treatments and medications are administered.  She is a fighter and I believe with all my heart that God has BIG plans for this little girl.  She constantly amazes her physical and occupational therapist (as well as her mommy and daddy) with her spirit of determination and I just know that she is as determinded as ever to go home from this hospital and play with her big brother and sister. 

I am able to access the internet from the hospital so I will do my best to keep everyone updated through this site.  Afterall, I am just sitting here next to her little bed watching her sleep so the laptop offers some distraction for me.

On a final note...this condition has nothing at all to do with Brea's special need (VSD).  Our cardiologist explained that it is sort of like being hit by lightening.  She was "hit" with a virus of unknown origin that caused this.  It could happen to anyone at any time.  I am very thankful that this happened here in the USA instead of in China.  I would hate to think of what might have happened to her if this had happened there instead of here.  We have no regrets in adopting a special needs child.  It is what we were called to do and I know that God created this child to be part of this family.  She is exactly where He intended for her to be at this point in her life...here with her mommy and daddy.

Thank you for your prayers.  She is in God's hands...afterall, HE is the great physician!