Yoo Hallooo

I'm trying to get myself organized here and the main reason I wanted to start this blog was to keep those interested up to date on Avery. I'm a little late, but c'est la vie. :)

Avery looked soooo good on Saturday and Sunday. The first few days she was still puffy and red and her chest was moving up and down and then would reverse like crazy. After worrying and praying, the next morning she did a 180 and has been looking great since.

I love sitting with Avery and holding her hand. She moves around a little and stretches her legs now and then. I like to sit with her at night when there aren't as many people running around and talk to her and just be with her. I haven't held her yet, but tomorrow morning I will get to before she goes in. Eric got to after she was born. :) Avery is so sweet. She is sedated to keep her calm with a breathing tube down her throat. Her eyes are closed, but I did see them open right after she was born.

Avery is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning at 7:30. The surgery they're doing is called the "Norwood Procedure" related to single ventricle heart anomoly (if you want to know what they'll be doing, just google all that). The surgery should last 4 hours, then another hour to get her in bed, to her room and hooked up, before we can see her. She is so beautiful and looks so peaceful (most of the time). I hate that she has to go through such an ordeal tomorrow, but she can't live with tubes, it gets in your way when you walk. :) I feel that she is being strengthened and that she has guardian angels watching over her. I have and can feel the love and effect of prayers from others, which I appreciate more than I can say (more that we can say).

They won't sew her chest up after surgery, and allow the swelling to go down first to close. That will be hard to see.

Avery has great nurses and the pediatric heart surgeons here are well known for their excellent work and the Ronald McDonald house if full of other parents whose children are here for heart defects as well. Dr. Hersch will be doing the surgery. Dr. Bove', who is the head surgeon and reason we wanted to come here, is out of town (durn it), but he is confident Dr. Hersch is very capable.

Yes, I did get into the "Ron Mac" as they call it. I didn't know for sure if I would get in, but in perfect timing, the social worker knocked on my door Friday morning and said I got in!!! I was so relieved. It is nice to be close to the hospital, have all the amenities of home here and dinners are brought in each night by people in the community. Support your local Ronald McDonald house. They are huge blessings to those staying there.

My sister in law, Somer Christensen, is a pro at all of this. They have a daughter, Maisy who went through (and goes through) much more than any of this. First of all, they are wonderful people, and Somer burned a cd of lullaby music for Avery. I put a little cd player in her bed with a mini speaker and play the music when I'm there. I'm not sure if the nurses play it when I'm gone, hmmm. Avery seems to like it, I know I do and other nurses have said how wonderful it is to have nice music playing (and not just hear the beeping of machines). Thank you Evan and Somer for the cd!

Avery is in the NICU and there are 5 other babies in the same room, so nurses can watch 2 at a time. Most are premies and weigh less than 2 lbs., so Avery is the big girl in town right now. After her surgery, she'll go to another floor to recover, the cardio thoracic pediatric area (pod A) as their calling it, on the 5th floor at Mott Hospital of Univerisity of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I thought you needed all that info. :)

This is a lot of writing and I could say a lot more, but I'll do it later. My ankles are sooo swollen and they look like a grandma's ankles. Pain meds are working well, but sometimes they make me dizzy (no comment).

I can't put photos on from here, but my husband should be able to sometime. Thank you for all your emails, phone calls, visits, gifts, thoughts and prayers--they are much appreciated!

Ate manha. Until tomorrow.