We're Still Here...

Hi all! Sorry it has been so long since my last post. It seems like we never have time to sit down long enough to write. We have been busy busy busy between doctors, nurses, specialists, and visitors. We are still waiting for more information from the doctors about their plan for surgery. The plan has already changed about 4 times since my last post. 

I will spare you all the details but tell you the most important information. On my birthday Mac began having some problems with arhythmia. He was started on a new medication to help keep his heart rhythms normal. This medication is working perfectly so far.

Last week they began to discuss placing a more permanent feeding tube in his side so that we could begin to look at going home. This was evidently exactly what Mac needed to hear. From the day the doctor mentioned this surgery his oral intake began to increase. We are continuing to see increases in the amount of food he is taking orally. This means that we may not have to have the G-tube. The doctor said this morning that if we continue to see this we might take out the nasal g-tube and see how he does with three hour feedings. If he takes in enough orally we could cancel his procedure! 

He is also doing much better at keeping his bottles down. 

While the continued good feedings looked like we could potentially begin to plan a homecoming, we received the news that his heart is changing those plans. He had another echo on Thursday that showed increased pressure again on the upper VSD. This is the hole that is allowing blood flow from the left to the right side of the heart. This VSD is the one that the doctors are planning to use to do the repair surgery. If this hole is closing up, then we will be forced to do something in the near future.

The doctors are telling us that either the surgeons will plan a staged surgery and do something to keep that hole open temporarily until he grows, or they may decide that it is better to go ahead and do the full repair. The good thing about the staged surgery is that it buys us time for him to grow. The good thing about doing the full repair now is that we only have to have him on the heart/lung machine one time instead of multiple times. Either way, we are looking at a surgery in the near future according to the cardiologist. 

Please pray that his oral feeds will continue to increase, and that he will continue to gain weight.  Please pray for wisdom for the doctors as they make decisions for our next steps.  Also, please continue to pray for our family as we continue to be separated throughout this time.