The Glenn went smoothly

The title pretty much says it all. The first part of the day was exactly like yesterday-only this time Sienna stayed home. Paul, Luna and I arrived at the hospital at 7:30 sharp. Luna was whisked into a holding room where she was given an i.d anklet and the same happy juice as yesterday. Two anesthesiologists and the OR nurse greeted us in the pre-op holding room and had us sign consents. One of the consents was for yet another study that we've included Lu in. This one is to measure the velocity of the blood flow from her superior vena cava into her brain pre-Glenn with BT shunt then post-Glenn without shunt. The photos you see here...all that fancy tape on her forehead...that would be part of the study and actually is some type of ultrasound. The lead anesthesiologist is heading-up the study and it's to be published sometime next year. (did I mention this now is Luna's fifth research study and she's earned exactly $200 for her participation? She's a big deal in medical circles).

So, back to this morning. Once Luna was loopy from the sedative they wrapped her in a warmed blanket and carried her away. There is no stranger feeling having your baby taken away for open heart surgery. I literally felt empty-handed.

Paul and I did our best to eat-up the seven hours it took before we saw her again. By the end of the duration we were watching As the World Turns (not only were many of the same actors still on from almost 30 years ago when I would watch with my mom, but I was caught-up on the plot in about two commercial breaks). Finally, at 3:30 Paul and I were called from our soap opera stupor and into the NICU room where Luna was recovering. Her surgery was completely uneventful-yet wonderfully successful. She was stabilized, her blood pressure was a bit high, but nothing over the top. The surgeon patched her LPA, the one that was all kinked. It should, we hope, will be fine, but time will tell on that one (arteries, as we all know can kink and narrow over time, in fact it takes good blood flow (among other things) to keep them open and unrestricted).

The plan ahead is to extubate her tonight around 10pm. Frankly, I'm terrified to see that. Luna needs to be only mildly medicated in order to breath. Which means she will feel the tube coming out. But of course this just will mean she's one step closer to coming home.

Finally, here are some photos. Maybe we're becoming immune, but both Paul and I agreed she doesn't look at bad as last time. I can still see her pouty lips and long lashes, and to me she is beautiful.

The Glenn is upon us.

I can't believe it, but we're here. Today was pre-op, and honestly, it was a breeze. Maybe I'm just getting used to hospitals and all the tests, but seriously it was e-z. Mama is pretty tired and I have a fresh baked apple pie waiting for me in the kitchen (that Memere made today. She even etched L.V with a heart in the crust, I mean, seriously, how sweet??)

This morning Paul, Luna and I all hit the road at 6:15am for a 7:30 arrival at Children's. Naturally we hit traffic so we were an hour late. But it was fine. The day consisted of an EKG, blood work, then a weight, height, sats, and blood pressure check. Luna continues to grow well (as I said before this babe can eat, eat, eat!!)

Her vitals were perfect. Strangely her sats have improved, despite the fact that she has more than doubled her weight and almost her height. I say strange because as the babies grow, they begin to outgrow their temporary shunts. For whatever reason her sats range from 86 all the way up to 93 (!!).
Her weight is 15.5 lb and she grew a whopping three and half inches since our 4 month appointment. She was born at 19 inches, then she hung out at about 23 inches, and now she is 26.3 inches!!

Along her getting her vitals we talked with her card, and anesthesiologist and several nurses.

The rest of the week goes like this:

Tomorrow: 7:30 am arrival for anesthesia so she may have her MRI and echo. I was a little bummed to find out that rather than ingesting the oral sedation she had for her last sedated echo, Luna will actually be put under general anaesthesia. Yuck. This of course requires her to 'come to' in a recovery room. All for good cause, that is to keep her totally and completely still for the MRI so the doctors may see all organs before she goes in for surgery.

Wednesday: 7.30 am arrival for surgery. We're in the first slot, which is good, less waiting around.

Tomorrow Sienna is joining us, so the four of us will go in together. The hardest part is Luna can't eat after 1:30 tonight. And as I said, this baby can eat.

That's all for now...think happy thoughts for us!