Saturday 14 April 2012

The Night Before

We are less than 12 hours from Hope's surgery...as long as she doesn't get bumped for an emergency transplant or something else that couldn't be avoided.  After dinner tonight, Shawn and I went back over to the hospital to pray over Hope and pack up the things around her bed.   They want you to remove all of her personal effects to be sure they aren't lost, because after the surgery she will go to the PICU (paediatric intensive care unit), as they don't have any ECMO machines in the NICU (heart-lung machines).  Hope was fairly settled but still very annoyed by the breathing tube.  We're really looking forward to the day they remove that tube post surgery.

We are all exhausted and emotionally spent.  We have to push each other to get back to the hospital and to get up and do anything.  We all just want to crawl into bed and stay there for an entire day.  We know that tomorrow is going to be a very long and stressful day for us, as a result we're hoping to have a great sleep tonight somehow.  We came back from the hospital to find a basket full of snacks and other useful things from a friend - it will be great during the surgery!  It's the simple things that are so helpful during this time, we don't have the energy to be social but feel connected to people through their kindness.

I'll keep this short as tomorrow morning we need to be in the NICU by 7:30.  As we enter this next phase in our journey, please pray for strength and peace.  Pray that the surgeon is well rested and prepared for Hope's surgery.  We are so blessed that he's willing to do it.  Pray for Hope, that she would get rest tonight and be strong for her surgery.  We love our new little girl like crazy and want to see her shock the doctors with how well she does through this all.  Thank you for praying, don't stop!

5 comments:

  1. Praying for all of you, and will be fasting and praying on the big day tomorrow. May you all get miraculously good sleep tonight, and may your little warrior astound the doctors tomorrow and in the years to come! - Annie b in Toronto

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  2. Have been and will continue to pray, and have also been calling on others to join in prayer. So relieved for you that this day is (most likely) here!!

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  3. I'm glad sweet Hope will finally be getting her Norwood -- we'll be praying she does awesome! This will be a tough day, but hopefully the worst will be behind you and you can just work on getting her home. I hope you can find some peace and comfort knowing that so many more people than you will ever know are behind you praying for you both, the surgeon and his medical team, and Hope.

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  4. Been thinking and praying for your family all morning! Sometimes I wish there was more I could do for you. Please let us know if there is!

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  5. I know I haven't been commenting - but rest assured, I've been reading - and praying. Praying for a smooth surgery day and post-op period. Hang in there -- today will be rough and recovery will be a roller coaster, but rest assured, you WILL get through. PRAYING.

    Heart Hugs,
    Amy & Bodie

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