Pre-Op today

We survived...and dare I say, thrived...in Pre-Op today! Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts for us today...we felt so surrounded by love, and had strength for every moment. The day was long--6 hours--and we were bombarded with information, meetings, and procedures, and grew tired of sitting in plastic chairs. :) But as usual, we found the staff at Children's to be amazing, and a great help, and we left today feeling Moriah is in good hands--theirs, and God's.

Tomorrow's surgery time has been moved to noon. The surgery will last 5-6 hours, in which time Moriah's chest will be opened, her heart and lungs stopped and placed on a bypass machine, her two holes fixed, her extra tissue removed, and her heart (hopefully) restarted. Pray with us that they can restart the heart in the OR; apparently sometimes some kids need to come out of surgery still on the bypass machine. We're praying for a fully functioning heart at surgery's end!

Our good friends whose son went through a similar surgery last year told us how they turned their anxiety-filled waiting room time on the day of surgery into a celebration of sorts. It reminded me that this was one of the key ways we survived Orilus' transplant--we marked days, and celebrated them. I remember on Orilus' transplant day, we hung signs everywhere that said "New Life Day" and decorated his isolation room entirely. We're going to do this tonight, here at home...hang signs for the boys to see in the morning, celebrating Moriah's "new heart day." We are hoping for a new heart, and so that's what we are going to celebrate, even in the face of risks. There ARE risks, but there is hope, so we will trust that Love will see us through.

So, friends, party with us tomorrow as we welcome Moriah's HEALED HEART DAY with open hearts of our own! We will be thinking of you all as they take Moriah from us tomorrow around noontime, knowing that as they empty our arms, you are filling our lives with your prayers and whispers for peace and grace. We love you for that.

Happy heart day, little girl. May Jesus show you his great, great grace and make you well.