01/14/2007

Okay, I am a stalker with the updates this weekend. I apologize. Well, your prayers are obviously being heard. Guess what? The PDA is closed. Emery isn't on the surgery schedule. The surgeon wouldn't touch him this weekend because he had the infection, so the doctors treated the PDA again with medication and... yep, you guessed it, prayer warriors, it closed. Basically, the doctor said that they can't justify surgery when there is no problem. It would be like doing an appendectomy on someone who already had one done. Anyway, keep Emery in your prayers (like you are all already doing, for which we thank you) that the PDA will STAY CLOSED this time. Part of the reason he had those few bad days was because the infection blew it wide open. The pediatric thoracic surgeon is leaving the University of Iowa. His last day is tomorrow, and Emery obviously doesn't need surgery, so if the PDA opens again it creates a bit of a problem for the little guy. The new peds thoracic surgeon doesn't start for a few weeks. The docs have talked about doing it at another facility, but I think the closest is Milwaukee so please let's all pray that it is closed for good and stays closed! Here is some perspective. Emery's tummy is the size of a marble and his heart is the slightly larger than a Hershey's kiss. Anyway, the PDA is being treated with medication right now and he is doing very well. The infection is getting better, the PDA is closed, his lungs are doing better, his blood pressure is better, and he was only sedated once today. I didn't sleep at all Friday night. It's so hard not to worry, but I feel much more at peace today. Sometimes just seeing him helps. He looks pretty good. He's a little puffy from the extra fluid accumulation, but that will take a few days to go away. Thank you all for your kind words and all of your help and hope. For now we will celebrate Emery's small victories. Much love, Sarah, Erik and Emery