Elizabeth's Heart

For those of you who are subscribed here, you received an unexpected post a few days ago. *Someone* must have hijacked our account because it was a surprise to me too! However, it was the nudging I needed to share with you the latest news about our precious Elizabeth Joy and that mighty heart of hers.

Two years ago during a screening for pulmonary hypertension, we learned that Elizabeth has a Partially Anomalous Pulmonary Venus Return. Translated for the rest of us that means a few of her pulmonary veins are improperly connected to the right side of her heart instead of her left side.  As a result, she's not getting enough oxygenated blood where she needs it and the right side of her heart is having to work too hard with all that extra blood.

In 2016, the effect on her heart and life was not great enough that the risks of corrective surgery were warranted.  However, in a follow-up cardiac MRI in January, it was obvious that her right heart is now enlarged enough to be problematic. In addition, any added increase in her overall blood pressure is extra taxing on her already compromised liver, and increases the risk of even greater problems down the road.

At the team's urging, we have scheduled Elizabeth for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery (open heart) on March 21.  We are processing the reality of that, grieving the fact that our brave girl will have to endure yet another painful surgery and recovery period, and at the same time marveling at how God has already made a path of peace ahead of us here.

*Because of Matt's career path, we are again being cared for by world class doctors at a world class Children's Hospital, attached to Matt's hospital (Columbia won't mind if I call it that, will they??)

*In the two and a half years that we've been here, we've developed an incredible community of friends and neighbors willing to step in and fill the gaps.

I will continue to post updates here, so feel free to subscribe if you'd like to know the latest.

Now, as we began in May of 2005, so we continue...We ask for your prayers for our dear girl.  We ask that her heart would be healed, that her doctors would have the wisdom and expertise they need, that her emotional heart would be protected from fear and that once again, we would see our faithful God weaving a beautiful story out of these painful threads.

All our love,
Sara