With Flying Colors

The surgeon had spoonfuls of good news about McKay's surgery. He came off bypass like a champ. His pressures looked great. The anatomy was what they expected from the MRI and echo--with one puzzling exception. The PDA or developmental hole in McKay's heart; the one that all babies have in utero but closes very quickly after birth; the one they worked so quickly and hard to keep open with special drugs when he was born in order to maintain some sort of blood flow to the lungs; the one they were sure had closed shortly following his first surgery--that PDA was still open.

It is puzzling first because everything says it should be closed and second because if it was open McKay's sats should have been much higher. The fact that they were still so low with the shunt and the PDA open means that it probably bought him some much needed time to grow. I think it's an absolute miracle.

The surgeon also went over some of the finer details about some unexpected tweaks he took the opportunity to make to McKay's heart anatomy. He closed the surprise PDA, he enlarged McKay's ASD (a hole between the upper chambers of the heart--another defect that is actually helping him at this point), and began thinking ahead to some modifications he's going to have to make to McKay's next surgery due to Mac's dextrocardia --Am I making you sorry you asked yet?

All in all it was a good report for our miracle. He is swollen and aching, but well medicated and resting. The nurse let us know this is also called the "grouchy" surgery because the kids go home very ornery as they adjust to new pressures throughout their body. Think huge migraine for a few weeks.

We'll post pictures soon. We couldn't be more proud and relieved. Here's to a slew of far more boring days to cuddle and recover. We appreciate your prayers. He listens. He blesses. He loves. And we feel Him through you. Thank you.