Wayfaring Stranger

No, they haven't gotten around to summoning babies yet. Following is an update on Chloe and following that is a note about my jury duty on Monday.

Chloe (from my brother-in-law)

It isn't over until the paperwork is done. The discharge paperwork has begun this morning! We will be headed home exactly three weeks to the day of admission. We are so grateful for the quick recovery. There are many families that have been waiting for weeks and months to bring their little ones home. Our hearts go out to those families in CVICU, remember to pray for them as they wait to be discharged. We feel tremendously blessed by everyone's support through this stressful time. God is good, all the time.

Jury Duty

I got summoned but didn't get picked somehow. I have been on 2 felony trials and was foreman for 1 of them. My "neighbor" (juror #29) got picked, but me (juror #30) did not. I like "Cops" and those type shows and kinda enjoyed (don't let it get out) my other jury experiences. But this one was an agravated sexual assualt case ... boy did I NOT want to hear that case. Luckily I didn't get picked for this one.

During vordire the DA was making a point about witnessing in cases like this. The DA picked a woman juror and told us we were going to do an experiment. She asked the lady to take the stand and tell us, in detail, about the last time she was "with" her husband. Including everything that was said, everything that was done, and how she felt. Obviously she said all this for effect and to kind of put us in the shoes of anyone having to give witness in this case .... BUT THE LADY STOOD UP! She actually started to head to the witness box! The DA stopped her, the judge about fell over, and I think I fell out of my seat. Too funny. Boy was she relieved when she was told she didn't have to actually go through with it. Do I need to tell you that she got picked as a juror? .... Nah didn't think so. :-))

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 1:09 PM | 0 Comments »   

To view a day out at Bachman lake with the Hidalgo kids, click the image above or click here. Enjoy. :-)

Labels: album

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 5:43 PM | 0 Comments »   

I went to work this morning to check on a few things and to start an on-call week. Then I hopped on a Southwest flight to Little Rock to be with my family. Chloe went into surgery at ~11:30 am, they started her on anaesthesia and heart bypass. They closed off a valve that only babies still have, yours and mine closed off naturally long ago. And started to disconnect the greater arteries (Chloe has 'Transposition of the Great Arteries').

There was a nurse who came in every hour to give us updates on Chloe and every report was encouraging. The surgery ran ahead of schedule. Up until the time of suturing the atreries that is. Once the suturing was complete, they brought her off the bypass. Her heart started beating, which gets us past the first big risk of bypass. But there was bleeding and it took over an hour to get the bleeding to stop. This was the lowest point in the waiting process.

The nurse finally came back in ~ 6:15pm and said they got the bleeding stopped and were disconnecting her. Just in time too ... because I had to jump on a return flight to Dallas. :-)

They elected to leave Chloe's chest open, I guess that was because of the bleeding and to make re-entering as easy as possible. I didn't get to vist her in ICU. She will be in ICU for about a week and in a room for about a week after that. The normal recovery period is 2-3 weeks.

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. It helps a lot and we appreciate it!

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 10:23 PM | 3 Comments »   

I got a call from my Dad and Chloe's surgery is scheduled for Friday (tomorrow) morning! She has been off her ventilator for about a week and she hasn't lost any of her birth weight. I guess the doctor's decided she was ready. So the moment we have been waiting for, as well as not looking forward to, is here.

Say a prayer for Chloe today and tomorrow morning!

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 12:31 PM | 0 Comments »   

Chloe's surgery was postponed again. Something about her being on antibiotics. Please keep praying for her and us. Here are some pictures of her. Click on the thumbnail to see the fullsize photo.

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 8:29 AM | 0 Comments »   

Here is some more forwarded information:

As of today, Chloe is scheduled to have surgery this Friday providing no health issues arise that would change plans. Currently Chloe is stable and doing well. Her blood pressure had dropped (which I believe is not uncommon given the procedure/medication done yesterday), however, she was given medication for that and did respond to it.

Please say special prayers for Chloe, her surgeon(s), and of course, all her family.

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 3:50 PM | 1 Comments »   

This is some information sent to me from my sister Roxie (not the mom in question):

We just spoke with Heath. Chloe has been diagnosed with "transposition of the great arteries". The functions of her aorta and pulmonary arteries are switched. Oxygenated blood is going to her lungs and not being pumped through her body.

Heath says that a "septostomy" is being performed this afternoon. The septostomy is an atrial balloon that is being inserted into Chloe's groin. It will mix the blood properly for her.

Heath says that Arkansas Children's Hospital wants to stabilize Chloe for one week, then do open heart surgery. They will be in Little Rock at least two weeks.

Heath says that they are checking into the Ronald McDonald house this afternoon and will let us know if they need any housing assistance.

Heath and Renae have been told that this problem is common and correctable via surgery. We don't believe Chloe's life is in immediate danger although surgery is needed asap.

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 2:33 PM | 0 Comments »   

My youngest sister delivered her first baby girl Chloe! That's the good news (duh!). The bad news it that the hospital was having a hard time keeping her oxygen levels up and they airlifted her to Little Rock.

Please pray for my sister Renae and for Chloe ... I will keep you updated.

posted by iWantToKeepAnon at 9:45 AM | 0 Comments »