After the last 15 months of praying and expecting, surgery day came... yesterday! We have been a little crazy trying to prepare for Christmas and then found out surgery (which was originally planned for the 29th) had been moved to the 22nd. Everything went as planned, according to the doctors, with ear tubes put in at 7 am and then the craniofacial team started at about 7:30. Surgery was done in about 3 hours and we met with the doctor to discuss her recovery. He was taking her Pierre Robin (respiratory syndrome) very seriously with the swelling in her mouth restricting her airway. She is on a ventilator, and feeding tube. She also has a "trumpet" in her nose and a stitch in her tongue as a precautionary/emergency method to relieve her airway. We are thankful for the doctor's extreme caution with her and she is the only patient on the PICU floor that has a nurse stationed outside of our glass doorway at all times!! Here are some pictures of her. Please don't be sad... we know that this is all for good and we trust the Lord with her :) We are so thankful to live in a country where this is possible and close to one of the best children's hospital in the state.
Please pray for swelling to continue to go down, for her to be comfortable and still while the ventilator is in. She is not happy with being on her back right now. She's trying out her acrobatics in the hospital bed... which is not good for the ventilator.
Aubryn, Keirah and Leif were at home with Nick's parent's, Hunny and Biggie while we were in surgery. They came up around 4:30 pm to see us and little sis. At this hospital, they have an amazing program where a specialist helps siblings understand what is happening and prepare for what they will see. We felt that it was important for the older kids to be apart of this experience too. I want them to remember what Emry looked like and know that a week from now, when Emry's fussy, that she has a reason to be :)) They did GREAT and all seemed to be very interested but not upset. There is also a playroom down the hall for us just for siblings!! They loved it!! We are thankful for all of this, and thankful that the kids had a good experience yesterday.
I will update more soon on the timeframe for taking the ventilator out. There was discussion about doing it this morning, but Dr. Kelley (surgeon) just ruled that out. They will be trying to flush her body and get some of the swelling down and maybe take it out this afternoon. If not today, it will be tomorrow. When they do take it out... it might be pretty hard on her. She can not be sedated or on any pain meds until she proves she is breathing well on her own. Please pray for this to go as well as possible.
Thank you for praying!! We know that God is taking care of her better than anyone on earth could ever care for her.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits... who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good .... As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows are frame; he remembers that we are dust." excepts from Psalm 103
