Getting to the heart of the matter

Well Savannah had heart surgery last night at 11pm or so, I think it was over by 11:20. What happened was she had PDA, Patent Ductus Arteriosis, which is common in preemies that are born this early. Basically what it means is this: you have this valve in your heart which, while in the womb, is open to allow blood to circumvent the lungs (because you aren't using those yet, you get your oxygen from your mom's blood) and when you are born this valve shuts naturally. However, because Savannah was born so early, and so unnaturally, this valve didn't shut, and her lungs weren't getting the oxygen she needed to be able to breathe on her own. SO, we had two options: either medicine which MIGHT work and would cause serious side effects (which I won't go into) or surgery, which has a 100% chance of success, with a 1% mortality rate. But, it is surgery. Men, cutting into the delicate skin of my daughter. It was a hard decision. Also, with the medicine option, if it didn't work, she might need surgery anyway, and by that time she would be at risk for congestive heart failure if it isn't fixed by this weekend. So we opted for the surgery. The surgery was a success, and they are going to proceed to try to ween her from the vent today and tommorrow. I will post her post-surgery pictures as soon as I can. It is really tough to balance school, my job at the DA's office, and trying to visit my daughter all the time. Not to mention that Angel can't really walk all that well. But God is good and we will be great! It is just hard right now.