Wednesday, March 7th:
Early in the morning, Dr. Baird came in to tell us they were ready to do the surgery today! We were a bit shocked that this was going to happen so soon and it was becoming more apparent this was reality and not the bad dream we had hoped. By 12:30 PM, the anesthesiologist came in and went over his role in administering the medication to make Caroline sleep. After he left, both Dr. Baird and Dr. Watts came in to go over their procedure and ask if we had any questions. They stated they would be evaluating the size of the Mitral Valve and correcting the Coarctation in the Aorta in addition to some merging of arteries and veins inside Caroline’s heart. After several questions, the transport team arrived to move Caroline from NIKU to Pre-Op. They allowed both Tanner and I to follow them up and spend a few more minutes with Caroline prior to going into hours of surgery. At 2:50 PM, we received a call from the nurse in the Operating Room that the doctors had made the incision and surgery had begun. We were told the surgery would last until around midnight and we would be updated every hour and a half. Upon hanging up the phone and telling everyone the surgery had begun, it seemed as if seconds became minutes and minutes became hours. As promised, we received brief updates on schedule and all consisted of “she’s doing well but has a long ways to go.” As little of an update as this was, it was enough to give us the optimism that all was progressing as planned and that GOD was in that O.R with the surgeons and Caroline. Around 12:00 AM and 8 1/2 hours of surgery, Dr. Watts came to brief us on the operation and what they had found and done. All the news was positive with the exception of the Mitral Valve. It was determined this valve, 4 times smaller than normal, was not repairable. However, the doctors had performed an experimental procedure that would allow the Mitral Valve to continue to receive blood in hopes continued use would enable it to grow. At 1:00 AM, we were able to visit Caroline in the Cardiovascular Recovery Unit (CVRU).   
                           

As you can imagine, our initial reaction was of shock to see our precious Caroline with all of the machines and tubing hooked up to her. Her tiny body was swollen up like a balloon and her mouth looked chapped and dry and her chest was still open from the surgery. Beyond the physical appearance, both Dr. Baird and Dr. Watts were pleased with her condition and vital signs.  They were very thorough in explaining the procedure, what they found and our next steps. Even with their positive attitude and outlook it was still hard to see our baby girl in this condition. By now, she was totally in the Lord's hands and he was breathing the breath of life into her broken heart. Then next morning, Thursday, mommy and I were by her bed side bright and early. Visitation in the CVRU is limited to every even hour for 15 minutes for 2 people then at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM we were allowed to have 4 visitors in the unit and NO PICTURES! So as you can imagine we had to juggle who and when we could have people visit Caroline. Our Nurse on duty for Wednesday was Ricardo. He was amazing in his explanation of how Caroline was doing, what each tube and line meant, how to read the monitors and very detailed in his explanation of how her heart was working. We were comforted by his care and concern for Caroline and felt she was in great hands with his care. We talked to Caroline and rubbed her hands and head to let her know how much we loved her…even though she was sedated, we felt she could hear our voices and feel our touch and that would give her comfort she was not alone in this journey. Over the next few days, Caroline’s vitals remained stable and she was being weaned off some of the meds. Her swelling was dissipating and her urine was starting to be processed by the kidneys. This was one of the major prayer focuses and God provided! The doctor’s still feel very optimistic of her vitals and progress, each day of stabilization is progress to strength and recovery. Fortunately, on Sunday we were able to take some photos of Caroline after she was removed from the paralytic and her eyes were opening. 

                     

                 

                 
                        


Monday, March 12th:
The doctors performed another procedure to "tighten" the Atrial Septum which will force blood flow into the left Atrium then through the Mitral Valve and then into the left Ventricle.  The goal of this procedure is to allow continued blood flow through the left side of the heart in hopes that it will strengthen and grow the Mitral Valve to a size that can accomodate full blood flow to the left side of the heart.  This would then enable Caroline to have a Double Ventrical heart like you and me.

Tuesday, March 13th:
Today was a day of rest for Caroline, she was given TPN (milky substance with lots of nutrients) for the first time.  She continued to have good urine flow and is starting to be weened off of some meds.  We are hoping to close her chest soon but it all depends on what the ECO reveals from Monday's procedure and if the swelling has gone down enough to close the chest.

Wednesday March 14th, we learned the doctors were coming in to do another exloration of her heart as well as another ECO.  Around 12:30, we receive a call from Ricardo that the doctors were begining the procedure.  Once the procedure was done, we were able to see Caroline and speak to Dr. Baird.  He indicated the pressures in the left Mitral Valve looked good (should range between 10 - 20 on the LA reading) and that they decided to go ahead and close her chest.  This was a huge step forward!  The next few days are crucial to how well the Mitral Valve responds to the added blood flow.  Only time will tell if the valve can sustain the blood flow.

Wednesday, March 14th:
Theme for the day: Continued prayer for normal blood pressure in the left atrium of Caroline’s heart, continued urine output, reduction in swelling, and scar tissue healing! Her chest is closed!!

Yes it’s true, after 7 days they closed Caroline’s chest. This was a huge step in her journey to healing and recovery. The doctor’s say Caroline is a strong and resilient baby. Her strength and will to thrive are apparent in what she has already endured in her 16 days on this earth. Today we met with both surgeons (Baird and Watts) as well as the cardiologist (Dr. Green) and received a more complete picture of what is happening with Caroline’s heart. In the procedure that was done last Wednesday, a 2nd procedure this Monday, and a 3rd today, Caroline now has what is known as a Single Ventricle Heart configuration. Here’s the interesting part…Doctors Baird and Watts have also performed a new leading medical procedure that could lead to Caroline having a reversion surgery at a later date. This would afford her the opportunity to revert to a Double Ventricle Heart configuration. Everything hinges on the left Mitral Valve and whether it can endure the volume of blood flow without increasing the blood pressure in the left Atrium to an intolerable amount. If this Mitral Valve can handle the volume and continue to grow (like a body builder's muscles through dedicated work out), we have a chance for Caroline to have a somewhat normal Double Ventricle Heart like you and me. If the Mitral Valve can not handle the volume or does not grow, they have the means to fully implement the Single Ventricle Configuration. The beauty of this procedure is that we have options!! I believe everything happens for a reason and just maybe the reason this has happened to Caroline is so she can be a success story and case study for this procedure to save lives of other children who have similar heart defects. God has a plan for all of us…maybe this is her chosen path.

Thursday, March 15th:
Theme for the day: Pray for normal heart rhythm and reduced swelling in the chest. In addition to prayer for normal blood pressure in the left atrium of Caroline’s heart, continued urine output, and scar tissue healing!

We spoke with Caroline’s doctor today, Dr. Watts, and were shocked when we were told there is a growing concern with the rhythm of her heart. The electrical rhythm that is naturally produced when the Atrium communicates to the Ventricle is not in sync and having to be “paced” with an external pacing device similar to a pacemaker. We are 8 days past the open heart surgery and this rhythm should be returning at this point. By day 13-14, we will have to make a decision if the rhythm has not returned to normal without the aid of pacing. The decision could be to surgically implant a permanent pacemaker. We later spoke with our original cardiologist who also sees Caroline and he reaffirmed the urgency for the heart rhythm to stabilize very soon. Tanner and I are trusting God to lay His hands on her heart and completely heal and restore it. As of 6:45 PM today, Caroline was still stable and all vitals were normal. Her Dopamine dosage is down to 3 mcg from 6 mcg with a goal of taking her completely off the drug by 2:00 AM Friday morning. They have introduced a feeding tube through her nose to her intestines to allow her to take in some "tummy food", a powder/water mixture that will give her some nutrition and calories to help with strength. At 9:45 PM Caroline is doing well….they have reduced the Dopamine from 3 mcg to 1 mcg with hopes to totally remove it early morning. She is still producing a good amount of urine (20 cc per hour) which will help with the swelling. However, one potential side effect of the Dopamine removal could be reduced urine output so that will be monitored closely. Also, she is still showing signs of heart block (irregular rhythm) and is still having to be paced by the machine. We’ll continue to watch and pray this corrects itself over the next few days. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Friday, March 16th:
Theme for the day: Pray for normal heart rhythm, decreased swelling and the inflation of a collapsed lung.

Today was Tanner and my 5th wedding anniversary, but rather than celebrate our milestone, we focused on celebrating the milestone for Caroline. If this were 1986, the treatment for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) was to go home and spend time with your child then within days or weeks, they would pass away. No medications, treatments or surgeries could correct HLHS in 1986. TODAY...medical technology and treatment have evolved to provide alternatives for survival and a somewhat normal life for HLHS infant patients. So TODAY, we celebrated Caroline's life and her will to live. She is a remarkable baby with a strong heart, mind, body and soul. With your prayers, the doctors skills and most of all, God's hands, Caroline will survive! This evening we visited Caroline, as well as took St. Patrick's Day cookies to all the nurses who dedicate their days and nights to care for her and others. We received some optimistic news from the doctor as they have removed the LA Line (Left Atrium monitor line) since the left Atrium and right Atrium were in sync with blood pressures. In addition, she is now off Primacore and is almost off the anesthetic. Her vitals look stable and her urine flow is constant. She still has some significant swelling. This is due to the amount of fluid intake (17 cc's per hour) in relation to the fluid output (20+/- cc's per hour). The lobe on her left lung is still collapsed but is believed to be recovering as of this afternoon - X Ray will provide more detail on this tonight. Our top priority remains to be the out of sync rhythm between the Atrium and Ventricle. Her heart is currently being paced at 10 milliamps and has been at this rate for a few days so we have not had to increase the threshold of milliamps for her heart to respond. This is promising! However, the doctor's are perplexed as to why this has not corrected itself but are optimistic it will over the next few days. We have a decision to make mid next week if this has not corrected itself by then. Please pray we DO NOT have to cross that bridge! As of this morning, Caroline is doing pretty good with the exception of the above issues. She has been weened off of the Dopamine and is coming off the Primacore (helps the heart perform the “squeeze”) as we speak. They have decreased the anesthetic and she is becoming more alert and active. It’s GREAT to see her eyes and know that she can see us. Her urine had slowed a bit after the removal of the Dopamine but is back up and doing well.

Scriptures for Comfort and Strength:

"I am born of God and I have world OVERCOMING FAITH residing on the INSIDE OF ME. For GREATER is HE that is IN ME, than he that is in the world." (I John 5:4-5; I John 4:4) "Great is the peace of my children for they are taught of the Lord." (Isaiah 54:13) "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me." (Psalms 138:8) "Lord, I love you. With all my heart and entire being I praise you and I thank you for your faithfulness and goodness!" (Psalm 150)

 

Saturday, March 17th:
Theme for the day: Pray for the healing of Capillary leaking, normal heart rhythm, inflation of the upper right lob in the lung, increased urine output, and reduction in swelling. BIG PRAYERS TONIGHT!

Today we had our first set back with Caroline. Last night she began to have respiratory issues that stemmed from the collapsed upper lobe in her right lung. Unfortunately, she had to be put back on Dopamine and had to have O2 levels increased to compensate for the respiratory issues. In addition, she was not doing well with the "tummy food" so the doctor's elected to pause the feeding and rely only on the TPN (milky fluid) line for nutrition. As you can imagine, we were very heart broken and emotionally frustrated because we felt we had come so far since her surgery on the 7th. However, the doctor's stated early on, there will be ups and downs along the way. And like I say, to get to the rose you have to cross over the thorns. One thorn we are crossing is the heart rhythm issue. As of today, the doctors are seeing some signs of stabilization in the heart's rhythm and are classifying her Heart Block condition as level 1 vs. level 3 (full heart block) which she had yesterday. This is great news and a true testimony of your prayers and God's fulfillment of those prayers.

God has promised us grace sufficient for the day.......that's "today" and not for us to take on tomorrow's problems.

For tonight, the nurses will work on her upper right lobe by performing PT's (light tapping of the chest which creates vibrations to break up fluid in the lungs) as well as trying to reduce the level of Dopamine and O2. We are very hopeful she will recover from last night's set back and progress in a make positive direction.

Each day is a new day, each obstacle is a new challenge but in the end, God is in control and hears our prayers and feels the love we all share for Caroline.
 
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according in his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

 

Note: Caroline has a clover on her head for good luck. These pictures are not the best, we are not "supposed" to take photos so we had to sneak a few when no one was looking.


Sunday, March 18th:
 Theme for the day: Pray for the healing of Capillary leaking, removal of blood in the urine, normal heart rhythm, increased urine output, and edema reduction (swelling).
 
Yesterday was a difficult day for Caroline in turn was more of an anxious and roller coast type day for our family. However, with the end of one day comes the beginning of a new one. Today was a new day for sure! We visited Caroline at 2, 4 and 6pm today and each time we were pleased to see her stats and vitals back to where they were on Friday. Her upper lobe on the right lung is holding inflation, she is off the Dopamine again, O2 levels are equal to room air, she is back on Neocate (powder water formula mixture), her urine output is back up and she is now off the Lasix drip and only requiring Lasix bolsters (routine injections vs. constant drip). Dr. Baird is pleased with her progress and is confident the edema is the culprit to the irregular heart rhythm and lobe collapse. Ase continue to ask God to relieve Caroline's swelling, we believe we will see great progress! Additional platelets were ordered to reduce blood in the urine. As of my last call to the Hospital for a status, all vitals were consistent with the afternoon visits. Her urine is not as red as it was earlier today so it seems her body is accepting the blood platelets. So the update was somewhat boring…which in this case boring is GOOD! Tonight, the nurses will continue chest PT’s (light tapping of the chest which works in opening the airways and loosening secretions in the lungs). For the most part, Caroline rest. She has been through a lot over the past 13 days so she deserves a night off! However, God’s work never stops….he continues to bless her with progress and we all know he will carry her through the sand with a single set of footsteps.



We see the numbers visiting the web page and read every posting, we are encouraged by each and everyone. Thank you.




Monday, March 19th:

Theme for the day: Pray for the healing of Capillary leaking, normal heart rhythm, increased urine output, and edema reduction (swelling). Today we had another good day and another prayer request was answered by God. Thanks to your prayers and God's work, Caroline has no signs of blood in her urine. The doctors added platelets during the night and by morning, her urine showed no signs of blood. In addition, all of her vitals are within normal ranges and she is eating up to 4 cc's per hour. The nurses are continuing the chest PT's to keep loosening secretions in Caroline's upper lobe on the right lung which will help her in breathing and getting off the respirator sooner. Tonight, the doctors will determine if they need to remove the Main Artery Line where Caroline receives all administered meds and where the clinical blood labs are collected. The longer this line stays in, the more susceptible Caroline is to infection. This is most critical due to this line having a direct path to the heart. To remedy this, the doctors can add a Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter (PCVC - can be inserted into the arm, leg or neck) that will shield against infection and can remain in permanently if needed. We are anxious for more good news tomorrow! Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Today is Caroline's 3 week birthday - "Happy Birthday baby, we love you!"



Tuesday, March 20th:
Hospital day 15; Post surgery day 13

Theme for the day: Pray for all swelling to dissipate! Also pray for the healing of capillary leaking, normal heart rhythm, and continued urine output. Please add a special prayer for Stephanie and Jacob, Caroline’s CVRU buddies. The doctors and nurses believe the swelling is our main enemy for Caroline. The swelling appears to be the root cause for the abnormal heart rhythm and collapsed lobe in her right lung. If we can get the swelling down, we have faith the heart rhythm and lobe will return to normal. This swelling is our next hurdle to overcome! Today, Caroline had another good day. Her vitals were stable and her urine output is still exceeding the fluid input. The Primacore medication was increased slightly to help the heart by expanding the veins and arteries for blood flow. Also, her protein was down a little so tonight Caroline will be getting a new food mixture, Portagen, that has more protein than a 18oz T-Bone steak! Portagen is loaded with protein and will help supplement her deficiencies. The doctors inserted a PCVC line in to her left arm and can now remove the Main Arterial Line in her chest. The PCVC will be the new source for medication and blood labs to be administered. Also, to supplement the PT’s the nurses have been giving, Caroline now has a motorized device under her that simulates PT vibrations. They believe a concentrated effort of PT’s will help continue to loosen the secretions in her lung therefore helping restore the collapsed lobe.

"A dream is a wish from the heart"
Sweet dreams Caroline, we love you!
Mommy and Daddy





Wednesday, March 21st:
Hospital day 16; Post surgery day 14

Theme for the day: Pray for relief of more swelling, normal heart rhythm, self sustained breathing.
 
God does answer prayer! This is a current testimony to God’s work on our daughter. The prayer focus with God yesterday was to reduce the swelling in Caroline’s body. I am pleased to report that since our visit last night, there has been significant reduction in swelling, so much that we can once again see the sweet little “Baby rolls” in her arms and her face and ears are returning to normal size. Not all the swelling is gone but it’s a big step in the right direction. Thank you Lord Jesus, we have asked and you have provided!
 
Today’s report was very good, vitals are holding steady, urine output is constant and her nutrition intake of TPN and Portagen has been increased. Today’s ECO revealed minor growth of the left Mitral Valve due to the continued blood flow into the left atrium and ventricle. This is a crucial requirement for the opportunity to revert her heart back to a double ventricle configuration. Caroline will start respiratory exercises to help strengthen her lungs so she can sustain breathing on her own and hopefully remove the respirator soon. Caroline is beginning to take some baby steps in this long journey to recovery. Her courage and strength are inspirational to all who read and experience her story. It is sometimes hard to find the good in a difficult situation but through Caroline’s story, I have received emails and phone calls with testimony of people who have renewed their faith in God or who have come to know God for the first time. It’s hard to comprehend a 3 week old child leading people to the Lord…this little girl is doing just that!

From my dear friend Phil:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing us a little more of the big picture. We love you and trust you Lord and we realize this is just a small part of the journey home. We honor you, oh Lord, as the great navigator of that journey. We know, oh Lord, that sometimes our paths will seem bumpy and crooked. But Lord, we thank you anyway, because its the bumps and the seemly darks paths along the way that you're able to show us your power and love. Continue to strengthen us Lord with the confidence that you're the Master, and this is just a short ride. Our Home is in Heaven with you forever, but here, we have many more places to go and see, and many more things to learn. Help us now Lord to look beyond the journey, just over the horizon, into your eyes. Surround us and consume us Lord, with the comfort that only you can provide. We love you and thank you Lord, in Jesus name we pray............. AMEN

More good news…Stephanie was able to leave the CVRU today, she is now on the 7th floor in Pediatric Intensive Care – way to go Stephanie! Caroline and Jacob welcome Holden to CVRU!



Thursday, March 22nd:
Hospital day 17; Post surgery day 15
 
Theme for the day: Pray for normal heart rhythm, self sustained breathing and continued swelling reduction.

Caroline had another good day, her vitals are steady, good urine output and she is tolerating the increased feeding.  In addition to her TPN (milky fluid) and Portagen (protein), the doctors have now added a calorie based fluid to help with her nourishment. These are all signs that Caroline is moving in the right direction. The doctors and nurses will continue to perform breathing exercises to strengthen Caroline's diaphragm and lungs to enable her to sustain breathing without the ventilator. There is some discussion whether or not her heart rhythm will return to normal. Some of the doctors believe it will while others are not as optimistic. Caroline was being paced at 10 milliamps but is now down to 8 milliamps. This is not an indication of progress but is significant in determining that they do not have to increase the milliamp dosage. In essence, this means her heart is continuing to tolerate the dosage and that is a sign we still have time to get the heart rhythm back in sync. We believe and have faith her rhythm will return to normal and she will not need a pacemaker! We ask for your prayers for this next hurdle in her journey to recovery!



We miss you Caroline, come home soon!
 
Caroline, Jacob and Holden welcome Jamyliah to CVRU! As you pray for Caroline please remember these children as they too are fighting for life and health.



Friday, March 23rd:
Hospital day 18; Post surgery day 16

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline’s heart rhythm to return, inflation of right lung, and continued progress.

Friday evening update: This afternoon we learned Caroline was having issues with her abdomen in that she was not holding down the nourishment she was receiving. The doctors had taken several x-rays and did see some unusual air pockets in her intestines. They discontinued the use of Portagen and the calorie based fluid and are now only administering an I.V. with a sugar solution. Tonight’s last update (11:00 pm) the nurse reported the air pockets were now gone and they believe her lower abdomen is back to normal. They will start her back on TPN and see how she responds through the night.

We also learned that her entire right Lung in now collapsed. The doctors are not sure why this lung is down but they have nurses doing chest PT’s and suction to reduce and remove the fluid in her lung. Vivian, Caroline’s nurse tonight, reported the last suction she did was free of blood and becoming a more clear fluid extraction. This is an indication they are making progress with her lung.

As I stated this morning, we have until mid next week to focus our prayers on Caroline’s heart rhythm and breathing. The next few days are critical in determining what the future holds for Caroline’s heart. Prayer and faith are the keys to getting the heart rhythm and lung inflation back to normal.

As we move further into this journey with Caroline, it's easy to become discouraged and lose focus when we experience setbacks. The setback from last Saturday took a toll on our emotions but we recovered as did Caroline. The news from this morning's update was once again a "punch in the stomach" and once again, I felt myself becoming frustrated and discouraged. However, we realize the need to be strong and focused to support Caroline until this journey brings her home to us. The below message from my mom, Sue, is something we can all reflect on for strength and courage:

Hang in there, we have time. God is not limited nor His hand shortened in any and all situations. Keep your feet and faith planted and grounded in totally believing for her healing. Stay in the box, God has the box. Fear and faith cannot occupy the same space, Choose faith, choose God, speak life and life more abundantly over Caroline continually. Stay strong.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support, please continue to ask God to lay His hands on Caroline and that she fulfill His will for her life.

Friday morning update: During our early morning update, we learned Caroline’s upper right lobe looked to be collapsed again. The doctors will be removing a suction tube they believe is clotted and placing new one to help reduce the fluids in her lung. Until this fluid is removed and the lobe is reinflated, she cannot begin the breathing exercises.

In addition, the doctors are becoming less optimistic that her heart rhythm will return to normal. They are going to give Caroline until mid next week to make the decision on going with a permanent pacemaker. When you pray for Caroline please include these items in your prayers.

Saturday, March 24th:
Hospital day 19; Post surgery day 17

Theme for the day: Take time to thank God for what He has done for Caroline and for each of us.

As we continue to pray for Caroline as we have over the past 18 days, we need to look back and see how far she has already come in this journey. Remember to thank and praise God for what He has done for her and each of us. We are so grateful of the progress she has made and we believe God has more good things to come in his overall plan for Caroline.

Our family is most appreciative of your continued prayers and support. God bless you all!




Sunday, March 25th:
Hospital day 20; Post surgery day 18

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline's Heart rhythm to return to normal, strengthening and clearing of the lungs for sustained breathing without a ventilator. Also for healing of a recently developed infection and continued progress to recovery.

This past weekend, like last weekend, was a bumpy road in Caroline’s journey. She had a few setbacks and some new issues that have occurred over the last 24 hours. In addition, we are now in the final few days before decision time on surgically implanting a permanent pacemaker to maintain her heart rhythm.

We all know God sometimes works in mysterious ways, could the infection be such a thing? We learned that until the infection is completely gone, the doctors will not attempt a procedure to implant the pacemaker inside Caroline. Therefore, we would be given a few more days for her heart’s rhythm to return to normal before we had to make the final decision regarding the pacemaker. Could this be God at work?

We all have faith that her heart will return to normal rhythm but we also know that God’s way will be done. If the pacemaker is the ultimate answer, we are confident that she will thrive as a child, teenager, adult and senior with it. Regardless of the final result, God is in control and HE will take good care of our little Caroline!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

We did reach a point on Saturday where Dr. Baird wanted to give Caroline an opportunity to try breathing without the ventilator. They removed the large ventilator tube from her mouth and two lines from her nose so she could have a full chance at breathing on her own. For the first time in over 2 weeks we could fully see her eyes, nose and mouth. We also noticed some newly grown light brown peach fuzz on her head. She looked as beautiful as she did the day she was born. Unfortunately, her lungs and diaphragm are still too weak to maintain breathing for long periods of time. After 25 minutes the doctors had to reinsert the ventilator tube into her mouth and the two lines into her nose. This was a good first try for self sustained breathing. We realize she needs more strength, as well as more clearing of the fluid and congestion in her lungs, before she can become completely independent from the ventilator.

The journey continues.... Saturday,



Monday, March 26th:
 Hospital day 21; Post surgery day 19

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline's Heart rhythm to return to normal, strengthening and clearing of the lungs for sustained breathing without a ventilator.

Happy 1 month Birthday Caroline!!
We love you,
 Mommy and Daddy Sunday, 



 Tuesday, March 27th:
 Hospital day 21; Post surgery day 20

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline to stabilize from today’s catherization procedure as well as her lung and heart rhythm return to normal.

Over the past few weeks, we have been asking God to return Caroline’s heart rhythm to normal and inflate the right lung’s upper lobe but have not yet seen any improvement or progress in her condition. However, late yesterday, the doctors noticed there is higher than normal pressure in the left Atrium. It is believed this high pressure could be directly causing the continued fluid build up and collapsing of the right lung. There is also a question as to whether this pressure may also be causing the abnormal heart rhythm in Caroline’s heart.

This afternoon, the doctors took Caroline in for a heart catherization (a hollow needle inserted into an artery in the groin that directly routes to the heart for various procedures) to try and open the Atrial Septum in order to relieve the high pressure in the left Atrium. The reason the Atrial Septum was closed was to allow continued blood flow into the left Atrium then through the Mitral Valve and into the left Ventricle in hopes the Mitral Valve and left Atrium would continue to grow. Thus, Caroline could have a reverse surgery to take her back to a double Ventricle heart configuration like you and me. Unfortunately, Caroline’s left heart is not able to adequately process the volume due to the fact she has a 4 times smaller than normal Mitral Valve and small left Atrium. The end result is the blood flow and fluid is being backed up into the lungs and appears to be the culprit to the respiratory issues she is experiencing.

We were consulted by Dr. Green and Dr. Olmstead and they indicated the Cardiologist, Dr. Smith, stated this procedure is very complex and it was questionable whether or not it would work in Caroline’s heart due to the anatomy of her heart being altered by her defect and corrective surgery. If Dr. Smith felt he could not open the Atrial Septum with the Catherization, she would have to have a another open heart surgery done to open the Septum. After four hours, Dr. Smith indicated he was able to penetrate the Atrial Septum with a needle via the catherization and used balloons to open the Septum wall. Unfortunately, due to the high risk of this procedure, he was only able to open the wall 3.5 millimeters. Now the question is, is 3.5 millimeter opening in the Septum wall enough to reduce the pressure in the left Atrium.

The doctors plan to perform another ECO in the morning to measure the pressure and see if it has been reduced enough to relieve the blood flow issues she is having. If not, Caroline will have to undergo another surgery to open the Atrial Septum enough for long term sustainability of blood flow. This also is a sign that Caroline will likely have to maintain a Single Ventricle Heart configuration.

I called to check on Caroline at 11:30 PM and Karen indicated she was doing well. She was starting to wake up from the catherization procedure and her vitals were stable. Some other good news that Karen reported is that the doctors are starting to see an underlying rhythm in Caroline's heart. This maybe an indication the heart is starting to normalize its rhythm.

Keep those prayers coming....God's work may not be obvious right away but it is being done each and everyday and for that we are thankful! We must continue to have faith and not be discouraged!

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who SOWS TO THE SPIRIT WILL OF THE SPRIT REAP LIFE. And LET US NOT GROW WEARY WHILE DOING GOOD, for in due season WE SHALL REAP if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:7-9)



Wednesday, March 28th:
 Hospital day 22; Post surgery day 21

Theme for the day:Pray for Caroline’s pressure to equalize in the left Atrium; heart rhythm to return to normal and increased self breathing.

It has been 3 full weeks since Caroline’s Open Heart Surgery. Thanks to God, the doctors and nurses, and your many prayers, she has made great progress in her journey to recovery. We are so very proud of our daughter and her continued fight for life. Her courage, strength and will to survive are strong as she continues to go down the path God has chosen for her.

Today started off with a phone call from Scott (Caroline’s nurse for the past week) stating the doctors wanted to go back in via the catherization line and attempt to insert a metal stent (a wire metal mesh tube used to prop open and artery, in this case an opening in the Atrial Septum) into Caroline’s heart. The stent will be used to keep the ASD hole in the Atrial Septum open large enough to allow for the pressure to reduce in the left Atrium.

After speaking with Dr. Stern, we learned the catherization procedure performed on Tuesday which yielded a 3.5 millimeter opening had already started to close. Dr. Stern felt comfortable that inserting a stent would not only keep the ASD hole open for an indefinite period but would enlarge the ADS hole more than what the balloon inflation accomplished.

Scott once again prepped Caroline for the journey to the Catherization Lab where the procedure would take place. Around 11:10 AM, he called to inform us that Caroline’s procedure had started. After 3 hours 40 minutes in surgery, he called to give us the good news that Caroline had made it through and was doing well! Once Caroline was post surgery prepped in CVRU, we were able to visit her and were very pleased to see how good she looked. She has some increased swelling due to the amount of fluid she received during the procedure, but her urine output is great so it should subside and regulate in a short period. Her vitals are stable, meds are minimal and the X-Ray is showing the right lung is recovering. Most important, for the first time in three weeks, we are seeing Caroline breathing over the ventilator. This is a first indication the stent is reducing blood flow back up from the high pressure in the left atrium and she is starting to breathe on her own.



Thursday, March 29th:
 Hospital day 23; Post surgery day 22

Theme for the day: Prayer Warriors reach out to God, we ask, we believe and we have faith that He will touch Caroline's heart and return it to normal rhythm without the use of a pacemaker! Also, pray for Caroline's right lung to recover and strengthen from the fluid build up so she can sustain breathing without the ventilator.

This morning's ECO revealed that the pressure in Caroline's left Atrium has reduced by approximately 66%! What a miracle! The pressure readings from Tuesday were between 12 - 15, after yesterday's procedure to insert a 4 millimeter stent into her Atrial Septum we are now seeing pressure readings of 4 - 5. This is a BIG step forward for Caroline and her lungs. For more than 22 days she has been struggling with lung deflation and restricted breathing, starting today, that will begin to heal and correct itself.

The rest of her vitals including blood pressure, O2 concentration and meds look great. For the remainder of the day, the doctors will let Caroline rest and recover from the past two days of catherization. We believe we should start to see improvements in her lungs over the next couple days and maybe have an opportunity for her to begin breathing without the ventilator.

"Thank you God for the answered prayers!"

Evening update:

Caroline spent most of the day resting as well as feeding. Her vitals are looking stronger each hour and her swelling from the catherization is reducing. Her urine has been inconsistent over the past 8 hours so the doctors are adding another diuretic to increase the amount of urine she is producing.

For the remainder of the night, Caroline will rest and continue to strengthen from the past two days catherization procedures. We will speak to the doctors in the morning to see how her heart pressure and lungs look on the ECO and X-Ray.

We continue to receive prayers and gifts from friends and loved ones from across the miles. We are so grateful for the following and support of Caroline's journey. We thank you all for all you have done and ask for continued prayers. This is a long journey for Caroline but we have many people walking it with her.



March 30th:
Hospital day 24; Post surgery day 23

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline’s heart rhythm to return to normal without the use of a pacemaker; her right lung to recover and strengthen from the fluid build up so she can sustain breathing on her own; also, pray for Caroline’s comfort with ventilator and stomach tubes.

Today, Caroline has received good reports on her vitals and the ECO revealed acceptable pressure in her left Atrium. The x-ray indicates her right lung is looking better but she still has fluid build up that needs to be broken up and flushed. However, she has been responding well to the diuretic, which was added last night, and beginning to produce more urine.

The doctors had Caroline perform some breathing trials this morning. Unfortunately, her lungs are still too week to maintain self breathing for more than a few minutes. She is also becoming more coherent and mobile due to the reduction in sedatives and paralytics. This is creating an issue with her “gag” reflex from the ventilator tube which is through her mouth to the top of her lungs. Caroline is very uncomfortable with this tube and is having regurgitates as she wakes up or gets excited. To prevent the stomach fluids that she regurgitates from getting into her lungs and causing pneumonia, they have inserted a stomach tube into her mouth that suctions the fluid once she begins to vomit. It’s hard enough not to gag with one tube much less having two. Unfortunately, Caroline will have to endure both since she is reliant upon the ventilator also the stomach tube to prevent pneumonia as a result of stomach fluids entering into the lungs. It brings tears to our eyes to watch her struggle with these tubes.

Please remember to ask God for Caroline’s comfort with these tubes as well as a speedy lung recovery to elminate dependency on the ventilator.

Update: Jacob and Jamyliah have been moved to Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) - they are doing great! Caroline, and Holden welcome Jack to CVRU!

As you pray for Caroline please remember these children as they too are fighting for life and health with their own challenges.



Saturday, March 31st:
 Hospital day 25; Post surgery day 24

Theme of the day: Pray for Caroline’s heart rhythm to return to normal; lungs to strengthen and be clear of fluid; and Caroline’s comfort with the ventilator and stomach tube (OG tube).

For most of us the weekend is an anticipated time that we are off work, spending time with family and friends, resting and doing hobbies. However, for Caroline, the weekends seem to be her time of struggle, slump or setback. This has been the routine for the past 3 weekends with this weekend being no different. Caroline seems to be in a slump or a stall in progressing off the ventilator and the pacemaker.

Today, the x-ray still shows her lungs with fluid and her heart is still requiring pacing to keep rhythm. It is discouraging and frustrating to not see progress in either of these areas…this may be an attempt to discourage our faith and belief that God will carry Caroline through this time. But we stand strong and will not tire, we know that God will fulfill his will for Caroline and we are here to support and comfort her.

Caroline’s vitals are good, but her white blood cell count is back up to 18. Her urine output has been steady since receiving the diuretic. We were told tonight that Dr. Stern indicated we need to make a decision on a permanent pacemaker by next week.

The journey continues....

"Stay strong Caroline!"
Love Mommy and Daddy Friday,


Sunday, April 1st:
 Hospital day 26; Post surgery day 25

Theme for the day:  Heart Rhythm to return to normal! We are less than 24 hours before Caroline will have a permanent pacemaker surgically implanted.

Normal time frame for heart rhythm to return post operation is less than 10 days. Between 10 – 14 days of abnormal heart rhythm, a pacemaker is implanted into the patient. With Caroline, we were given 25 days for her heart to return to normal rhythm, unfortunately it has not.

Tanner and I met with Dr. Watts today to discuss the next steps for Caroline’s abnormal heart rhythm. One of their goals is to get her off the ventilator as soon as possible due to risk of infection, pneumonia as well as discomfort. However, the doctors do not want to wean her off the ventilator, perform surgery to implant the pacemaker, then put her right back on the ventilator. Additionally, weaning her off the ventilator requires she be coherent and strong enough to perform breathing exercises. When she is coherent, she is gagging on the ventilator and stomach tubes that are routed through her mouth so sadly, she is caught in a vicious circle.

The Cardiologists, Electro Cardiologists and Surgeons will meet in the morning to plan the pacemaker implant surgery then schedule the surgery for midday tomorrow unless by a miracle from God, her rhythm returns to normal before then. It was explained the pacemaker (small metal container with a battery and tiny computer), would be implanted just above Caroline’s abdomen in between muscle. She would also have electro-leads attached to her heart where the pacemaker would send precisely timed electro impulses that coordinate the contraction of the heart muscle, so that the heart beats effectively. The pacemaker would be a permanent device that could one day be removed if her heart rhythm returned to normal.

Dr. Watts also explained the progression of events after the pacemaker is implanted. Once the pacemaker is implanted and Caroline has recovered from the surgery, she will begin rigorous breathing exercises to strengthen her lungs so she can sustain breathing without the ventilator. If her lungs are not clear enough or are still holding fluid from high pressures in the left atrium, the doctors will perform another catherization to enlarge the stent to 6 millimeters. If this does not clear the lungs of fluid build up, Caroline will have to go back in for open heart surgery where they will perform a Septectomy (complete removal of the Atrial Septum), which will give her a full Single Ventricle Heart Configuration.

Over the next few days and weeks, Caroline will undergo many procedures to try and correct her heart and lungs. During this time she will need your prayers more than ever. We have come a long ways in the past 25 days and Praise God for the miracle of life he has given Caroline thus far. We are confident and have faith that God will heal her body and bring her home.

The Three Trees
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest Tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the Hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a Carpenter, "and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure Chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the Woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat. Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.



Get well soon Caroline!
Love your sister, Kathryn

Monday, April 2nd:
 Hospital day 27; Post surgery day 26

PM Theme for the day: Pray for recovery from the pacemaker surgery; steady paced rhythm; strength and recovery for the lungs; weaning off the ventilator; as well as continued prayer for the heart rhythm to return.

AM Theme for the day: Pray for successful pacemaker surgery and speedy recovery; right upper lobe to clear and inflate, stent in Atrial Septum to provide relief of high pressures in left Atrium.

As of Noon today, Caroline is still awaiting surgery to implant a pacemaker into her abdomen. The surgery is expected to last between 2 - 3 hours barring no issues. Once the surgery is complete, Caroline will return to CVRU where she will rest for the remainder of the day.

At 1:51 PM today, the doctors began the surgery to implant a pacemaker to maintain Caroline's heart rhythm. After 4 hours of surgery, we were informed by the doctors the surgery went well and they were closing the incision.
Thanks to God and the surgeons for a successful surgery!

We spoke to Doctors Baird and Watts about the surgery and they indicated it took longer than expected due to them not being able to find acceptable conduction points on the leads that attach to the heart muscle in the Atrium and Ventricle. Once they did find good conduction points, the surgery wrapped up quickly.

We got to visit Caroline in CVRU around 7:45 PM and she looked as good as can be expected and this surgery should not cause too much of a setback in regards to swelling and medication. It's difficult seeing the outline of a mechanical device inside of an infant but we know it's there for a reason and it will keep Caroline's heart in rhythm for as long as needed. We still hold hope and faith inside that God will bring her rhythm back sometime down the road.

Tomorrow Caroline will begin extensive breathing trials to strengthen her lungs so we can begin weaning her off the ventilator. With each passing day on the ventilator, not only is she uncomfortable, but we increase the risk of infection and pneumonia setting in.


Tuesday, April 3rd:
 Hospital day 28; Post surgery day 27

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline's vitals to stabilize; antibiotics to rid the infection; lungs to strengthen; reduction of high blood flow into the lungs; blood O2 levels to return to normal, white blood cell count to return to normal; swelling to subside; urine output; as well as continued prayer for the heart rhythm to return.

It has been a difficult day for all of us, especially Caroline. She is going through what is known as the “slump” period. It’s the hours and days post operation where the body is feeling the full impact of being operated on and under anesthesia as well as other medications relative to the procedure. When we saw Caroline this afternoon, it was a frightening flashback of how she looked after her first surgery on March 7th. She was swollen, sedated, paralyzed, and hooked up to numerous tubes and medications to stabilize her body. We felt it was a complete setback for all we had overcome in the past 27 days.

The good news is, the pacemaker is working as intended, and her heart rhythm is synchronized between the two atrium's and ventricles. The pacemaker is just beneath the skin on her left side just above the abdomen. You can see it protruding under the skin but as she grows the outline of the pacemaker will disappear.

Over the past weeks we have been praying for Caroline’s lungs to strengthen so she could be weaned off the ventilator. Unfortunately, she has not been strong enough to sustain breathing on her on for long periods of time and is still reliant upon the ventilator. We have become frustrated as to why she can’t get off this device. We continually see reports on her lungs are collapsed or the too much fluid build up or she’s not strong enough. The initial prognosis for this was the left atrium’s pressure levels were too high due to the small mitral valve, therefore blood was backing up into the lungs and collapsing them. The reason for this back up was due to the approach the doctor’s are taking to try and preserve Caroline’s heat in a double ventricle format. To alleviate the high pressure in the left atrium, the doctors inserted a 4mm mesh stent into the atrial septum to reduce the pressure in the left atrium and bring it more in line with the pressure in the right atrium. This procedure was done last Wednesday but appeared to not be working since we’re she is still coping with a collapsed lung and unable to sustain breathing without the ventilator.

As you can imagine, the frustration was mounting on why the doctors would continue with the double ventricle approach if there are still issues with the atrial pressure and the blood flow back up in the lungs. When would they “give up” on this approach and either expand the stent to 6mm or perform the septectomy so Caroline could get off the ventilator? That was the burning question we had going in this afternoons visit to CMC.

As a result of the frustration and concern, Doctors Baird, Green, Lobdell, Ohmstead and Watts met with us to make sure we were all on the same page with Caroline’s status and next steps. What we learned is somewhat different than what we thought was the issue of trying to continue with a double ventricle approach.

The ECO shows that the pressures in the left atrium compared to the right atrium show negligible gradient differences. In addition, the original back up of blood from the left atrium to the lungs is now alleviated. Meaning, the double ventricle heart approach the doctors have taken, and the addition of the 4mm stent is not the reason Caroline cannot get off the ventilator. What is happening is two fold. First of all, the lungs recovery from the high pressure back up from the left atrium will take some time to return to normal. Secondly, like water, blood flows to areas of lesser pressure. Since they have alleviated the high pressure from the left atrium into the lungs, the lungs now are a point of low pressure which is causing too much blood flow through the shunt (which was implanted on March 7th) and into the lungs, once again, causing lung collapse and inabilities to sustain breathing without the ventilator. The doctors are focusing on this issue and believe it can be corrected with medication, growth and time.



Wednesday, April 4th:
 Hospital day 29; Post surgery day 28

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline’s comfort; cardiovascular pressure equilibrium; blood pressure balance; lung inflation and strengthening; blood O2 saturation levels to stabilize; and heart rhythm to return to normal. Caroline is beginning to show signs of recovering from Monday’s pacemaker operation. Her swelling is beginning to subside and her color is better than yesterday. She is having some issues with equalizing her blood pressure due to pressure variances in her body versus her lungs. This is due to the released pressure in the left atrium, from the 4mm stent. The stent reduced the pressure in the lungs by alleviating the blood back up from the left atrium. As a result, she now has lower pressure in her lungs than the rest of her body so the blood is rushing into the lungs creating cardiovascular equilibrium issues. The doctors are stabilizing this imbalance with medication.

Caroline is now at a point where it is imperative to be off the ventilator. With continued use of the ventilator, she is becoming more and more at risk of infection and pneumonia. Over the next few days, the doctors will be aggressively working to reduce the ventilator settings to engage Caroline to actively breathe more and more on her own. Today’s ventilator setting was at 18 bpm and Caroline was maintaining a mid 20’s bpm. The doctors want to target extubation of the ventilator by Friday.

Each day we continue to pray and thank God for all he has done for Caroline. Her journey is not an easy one but God is with her and He will protect her every step of the way. We are thankful for the following and support of so many people, some we know some we do not know, who pray each night for Caroline. God does hear your prayers so do not be discouraged and stay strong. She will get through this and will have touched all of our hearts along the way.

God bless you!



Thursday, April 5th:
 Hospital day 30; Post surgery day 29

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline to reach cardiovascular equilibrium so she can strengthen her lungs with breathing trials; recovery from pacemaker surgery slump; and continued prayer for her heart rhythm to return.
 
Caroline is still in what is known as post surgery slump, meaning her body is trying to recover from all the trauma, anesthesia, and medication that happens during an operation. Because of this, it is very challenging for the doctors and nurses to keep Caroline’s vitals stable as well as keep her comfortable.

The next hurdle for Caroline is to eliminate her dependency on the ventilator for breathing. However, in order to wean her off the ventilator, she must strengthen her lungs to be able to sustain breathing on her own. The issue with this is, when she is not sedated with medication and tries to perform breathing trials, she struggles with the ventilator tube which causes her respiratory vitals to diminish rapidly, then she has to be re-sedated to get her vitals back in line. To combat this double edge sword, the doctors are giving her mild dosages of Precedex (sedative) so she can be coherent and without discomfort at the same time. This balance is a very difficult state to maintain.

In addition, we have not been able to spend as much time with Caroline over the past few days due to stimulation by voice or touch causing radical changes in her respiratory stats. This change is due to pressure changes in her lungs that cause blood to rush to the lungs flooding them and not allowing oxygenation of the blood that cycles back to the body. The result is dusking (turning blue) of her finger tips, toes and lips. Over the next few days, the doctors will continue working to keep her cardiovascular equilibrium balanced; they will also work towards weaning Caroline off the ventilator by exercising her lungs with breathing trials. Please focus your prayers on the success of these efforts so the ventilator can be removed.

As you can imagine, it is very easy to get discouraged and frustrated as Caroline continues to struggle with her progression to recovery. Each day we visit her, we hope and pray we see progress or steps forward in this long journey. It is during these times we put all of our faith in God and ask him to fulfill his plan for Caroline. We know and trust that each day we see Caroline, whether the information is positive or not so positive, God is in control and will protect and comfort her during this difficult time.




Friday, April 6th:
Hospital day 31; Post surgery day 30

Theme for the day: Pray for Caroline’s continued recovery from the pacemaker surgery on Monday; cardiovascular equilibrium; respiratory strengthening; permanent ventilator extubation.

Last night, several of you asked God to make Caroline strong enough to be able to come off the ventilator and breathe on her own. You also asked God for Caroline to progress in her journey to recovery and move out of the stagnant position she has been in for several weeks. Well…..

This morning when we visited Caroline, it was the same story we had been given for the past 4 days. In addition, the doctors were concerned with Caroline’s neurological state so they ordered a brain sonogram to look for issues such as blood clot or stroke that might be contributing to her continued lack of breathing and sleepiness when off the sedative. Once again, we left discouraged, frustrated and worried about her condition.

When we arrived at the CVRU for the afternoon visit, we were greeted at the door by Dorene telling us that Caroline had been extubated! We were in disbelief due to the report we had been given earlier. When we rounded the corner to where we could see Caroline’s crib bed, we were overjoyed to see her little face free from the tube in her nose and free from the ventilator. For only the second time in 30 days, we could see our daughters beautiful face free from the chaos of tubes and bandages. What a wonderful site and a gift from God.

We spoke to doctors Lobdell and Watts and learned they had removed the ventilator at 3:00 PM and she was now 2 hours extubated. She was struggling to breathe on her on but she was doing it. She was fighting with all her will and energy to inhale and exhale breathes of life into her body. Her vitals were up and down, blood gases good then bad. But for 5 hours today, Caroline was breathing on her on and her face was beautiful and shining as a face of any normal 6 week old would.

At 8:00 PM Caroline’s body was tiring and her vitals diminishing so she had to go back on the ventilator. She did get to strengthen and exercise her lungs and prove to us that she is a fighter and will continue to fight to put away the ventilator for good.

Today was a reminder from God that he is in control, he does answer prayer and he will carry Caroline through this difficult time. For 5 hours today, our hope was restored and our faith recharged. To God be the glory……