Whirlwinds Never End

Things are never dull around here.  I would have updated my blog on a daily basis when we landed back in the hospital last week, but I couldn't get safari to work on my macbook while there and quite frankly didn't have the patience to trouble shoot either.  So call me lazy, but here are my Facebook updates from my phone.

December 15th

Well the party is over... we are going back to CHLA tonight for admitting. With speaking to our HLHS clinic and cardio today about some more desats and low heart rates (not often just occurring occasionally) it has been decided to go ahead with the heart cath tomorrow as long as she is well. There is a question as to whether she could have a cold or if it is just stuffiness, which we both have, and this could be causing the desats. So, I am quite a mess right now and just not ready for this. We could you all the good thoughts that she is healthy and can get through this cath with out a hitch and we will are home lickety split. Typically they are monitored six to twelve hours post cath.

December 16th

Zoe after oral sedation :(

We just walked Zoe to her heart cath. It was so hard handing her over. Poor baby was given an oral sedation and she kept looking at me so sad. We don't anticipate going home until tomorrow as long as cath results are all good. We need positive thoughts as we are not any where near being prepared for the next stage surgery. We won't see her for about two to three hours. :( sad mama

Watching Finding Nemo morning after cath

And we are back in Zoe's room. Whew. What an eventful, tiring, emotional day but Zoe is looking better then ever. She did really well during her cath but to the cardiology team they found slight narrowing in her aorta which most likely was scar tissue. They ballooned the area and it looks perfect now. All her functions and pressures are perfect, better then ever and she is in top shape for the Glenn. They had some issues with getting her pulse strong in her leg (they go through the groin with the cath probe) but after some warming it is back in full force. Her hematocrit levels were a bit low and she did need a small blood transfusion which we are quietly finishing up right now. They will monitor her all night and as long as she behaves we expect to discharge tomorrow morning. She is sleeping after getting some good milk after a long day of no food. Happy tummy = happy sleeping baby = mommy finally able to breathe and relax and daddy picking up our favorite Italian up here. So next up is our surgical consult with the amazing Dr Starnes and The Glenn the first half of January. We have decided to face this full steam and get it over with. So the next few weeks will be spent preparing ourselves and lots and lots of cuddle time. Thank you for all the support. It is so needed in times like these. But... Zoe's little buddy who also has HLHS and had surgery at the same time needs a bit of cheering on. She had her routine cath today in prepping for surgery in January too. Her cath went great but her recovery was not good. She is now in the intensive care and needs lots of good thoughts.

Going home smiles with daddy

December 17th

It is so nice to be back home! We are relaxing in our own bed recovering from the hospital exhaustion. B and I are so thankful for all of the support through these challenging days.

********* end of FB posts thanks for bearing through that copy and paste *********

Now for some mommy bragging....

We did have a highlight moment at the hospital. Zoe rolled over for the first time ever!  After weeks and weeks of me hoping she'd do it, she chooses the hospital.  Go figure!

Want to swoon?  

While waiting for B to pull the car up to CHLA entrance I saw Patrick Dempsey walk in and sit in the lounge.  After much gawking and pleading to the husband - we walked over and introduced ourselves to him.  He was so genuine and took a real interest in Zoe's condition.  He even asked several times about how we were holding up through all of this.  What I loved most about this is that he was taking time out on a Saturday afternoon to visit with the sick children at CHLA.  And here is a picture of McDreamy and us (please excuse the horribleness of me - but what do you expect after sleeping three on a tiny couch for two nights with hardly a shower)