Thursday was a LONG and HARD day for Brea. We had to be at the hospital in the morning but it was 4:00 PM before they began to sedate her to take her to the cath lab. Needless to say, she was upset and hungry. She hadn't had anything to eat since the night before. She asked me over and over for milk (Pediasure) and I couldn't give it to her. She looked at me with such a confused look and it broke my heart. I promised her when we were in China that she would never be hungry again (she was VERY malnourished when we got her) and here I was telling her no when she asked for her milk. Thankfully there were two little ride on toys and she was the only child in the cathe cath lab so we were able to distract her.
I must say that it never gets easier letting your child be taken in for a procedure or surgery. Even though Brea has had two major open heart surgeries (the Berlin and the transplant) and severl biopsies, my heart still sank as the doors closed behind them and my baby was out of my sight. If the results of this biopsy are negative for rejection she will not have to have another one for nine months and then each year thereafter unless there is a problem. This will always be part of Brea's life and I can't imagine it getting any easier as she gets older. I am so grateful for the peace that I find in knowing that God is holding her in the palm of His mighty hand when I can not be there to hold her.
They did end up having to have two points of access. They went through her neck to get to her heart for the biopsy and then through her groin to look at her coronary arteries. When she made it to recovery they had her leg strapped to a board to keep it straight and she was not happy about it. They wanted her to drink clear luquids but she refused and wanted nothing to do with the apple juice they offered her. After enough crying and pleading (from me and Brea) the nurse gave in and let her have her milk. She drank almost 5 ounces (which is unusual for our little peanut) and then she was ready to go. She started pulling off any and everything that she could including the oxygen moniter, blood pressure cuff and even the bandage over her IV. When the nurse came in to check on her she decided that if she didn't take everything off Brea was going to do it for her so she got busy unhooking every thing! We made it home about late last night and she went right to sleep and slept all night.
We may not have the results until Monday. There is a possibilty that they could get them sooner and if they do they will call us but most likely it will be Monday before we hear anything. They did tell us that "no news is good news" because if they see rejection they will contact us immediately. So, pray for no news until Monday unless it is an early "zero rejection" result that comes in late today!
While Brea was in the cath lab I was able to visit with another adoptive mother who has a little girl from China in the PICU at Duke. She has multiple congenital heart defects and is having a really hard time. As I stepped off the elevator to meet her mom I recognized the exhaustion and worry in her eyes. We only had a few minutes to talk before I was paged by the cath lab but I shared with her my one liner that the doctors and nurses at ACH came to know. "MY GOD IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN SCIENCE" She is a Godly woman but it never hurts to be reminded (or remind those caring for our children) that God is the creator and great physician and His will shall be done regardless of what science says the odds are! Please continue to pray for little Claire and her family.
Here are a few photos from Brea's LONG day in the cath lab. PLEASE pray for zero rejection and little Claire and I will post the results as soon as I have them. Thank you, thank you to everyone who prays for Brea and our family. We are truly blessed to have so many faithful prayer warriors on our side!
