The echocardiogram on Friday was not the news we had prayed for but we are thankful that the team here is being proactive and working on a plan to give Brea's heart the help it needs to make it until a donor heart is available. Her shortening fraction was 11% but now the upper left chamber is enlarged and her valve is leaking more. So, a Berlin heart is being ordered from Germany and will be installed sometime this week. The Berlin heart will be connected to her heart and will have tubes coming out of her chest that will be connected to a pump that will take the work load off of her heart and will do the pumping for her. We will actually be able to see the blood flowing in and out of the pump and swirling inside the pump. Hopefully this will give Brea a chance to get off the ventilator and she will be able to sit up in her bed and play for a while. This will also insure that her other organs stay supplied with blood to prevent damage to them. This is not an FDA approved device so on Monday the doctors will be working with the FDA to get Brea into the study that will allow them to use this device. A doctor from Germany will come in for the surgery and the few days afterwards to assist.
We continue to pray for a miracle but also realize that miracles come in many forms and fashions. The Berlin heart will be a bridge for Brea until she can receive a donor heart. We are praying that the donor heart will arrive before the Berlin heart so she doesn't have to go through open heart surgery twice.
In talking with the doctors and nurses I've learned that holidays are when most organs are donated due to the increase of traffic on the roads. Most organs donated for children are from accident victims where the child was not properly restrained and as a result has a brain injury. PLEASE buckle up your child or put them in an age appropriate car seat. Easter and Spring Break are just around the corner and it has been on my heart all week to share this information with you. No child should have to die because they were not in a carseat or seatbelt. Seatbelts/Carseats really do save lives and loved ones!
As you can imagine, this week has been a very difficult week for us. We've known this was a possibility but to actually be told that it is in the works is quite overwhelming. The surgery is not without risk and therefore I would like to ask for your continued prayers for our sweet girl, the doctors, nurses, staff, the FDA officials who will approve the device, the doctor coming from Germany and of course the families of those faced with the decision to donate their loved ones organs.
I'd like to ask for prayers for two little friends. The first is a friend's daughter named India. She is diabetic and having a tough time right now. The second is a little friend named Judah who is a patient here in CVICU. We've come to know his parents and they have been a real blessing to us with prayer and encouragement (Daniel is a pastor). They have been here almost three months and little Judah is having a tough time. Please pray for complete healing for both of these precious children (sorry India but to your Mommy you are still her baby :0) ).
My faith remains strong and the verse that keeps me going is...He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
I plan to take this baby girl home in her CARSEAT so keep praying for that donor heart to come!
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