We were sent to the local children’s hospital for emergency surgery. We had no time to prepare mentally, spiritually, and logistically. We were just at a doctor’s office and now we were sitting in a hospital room having to call our parents, family, and friends to deliver devastating news.
Handing Ivy over to the medical staff for heart surgery was the hardest part. We had to walk away not knowing what was going to come next. We knew the risks associated with this type of surgery would be great but the risk of not having the surgery would be greater. Without surgery, Ivy risked heart failure and/or death. It’s hard to imagine the full power of fear until your child’s life is hanging in the balance.
We are so thankful that Ivy’s heart surgery was successful! Her post-op care required a few days in the CICU; there were praise reports and prayers; highs and lows. She recovered well enough for the doctors to discharge with blood pressure medication to be administered around the clock. While everyone rejoiced that we were going home, fear overtook us. Treating a newborn after heart surgery wasn’t anything that we imagined when we found out that we were expecting! We had to take several required classes while at the hospital and had been given lots of paperwork on warning signs. Yet, we questioned ourselves, are we equipped for this?
While we would love to say that this is all a distant memory, that is not the case. Ivy is a heart patient for life. She will forever be under the care of a cardiologist and she will undergo more scans in the coming months for another narrowing and thickening at the bottom of her heart. We do not know where this journey will lead but we would love for you to support us and other families.
Ivy may be little, but she is mighty and well-loved. A heart warrior indeed.
