Baby Aspen

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Arriving At Primary Childrens at 6am for Surgery Sept 27, 2010

Mommy & Daddy woke me up at 5:30am! I was dead tired...didn't even wake up for mommy to change my diaper. But when daddy put me in my carseat to get in the car I opened my big blue eyes and flashed a great big smile to let Mommy & Daddy know everything was going to be alright. Then I fell right back to sleep...

Waiting outside same day registration with daddy. Mommy couldn't believe all the kids in the tiny little registration room at 6am. We decided to wait outside by the elevators so I didn't get exposed to germies from all the little kids....I wanted it quiet to sleep anyways.

Getting my vitals checked by the nurse before surgery while waiting for my Surgeon, Dr. Burke, to come talk to Mommy and Daddy to explain how they were gonna fix my heart.

Hanging with Daddy before they got me ready for surgery...wow, I'm tired! I haven't been awake this early in I don't know how long!

Mommy and Nana Tana holding me in my hospital PJs that DROWNED me...only things that fit were my diaper and little pink footies.

Playing with my favorite dolly while mommy & daddy met and asked my Anesthesiologist, Dr. Clarke, lots of questions about the medicine they would give me in surgery to make me fall asleep so I would be asleep the whole time and not remember anything.

On the Eve of Surgery

One of these days this'll be my fav treat...for now the cold feels good on my gums!

Sweet Slumber...mommy wishes she could sleep like this on the eve of my Heart Surgery

Falling Asleep in Daddy's arms. Daddy & I had a long talk about surgery tomorrow and how there gonna fix my heart so I'll be all better. I was a hungry girl the day before....I ate a whole jar of applesauce for dinner! Mommy says that's the first time I've eaten that much at one time ever!

Mommy could only breastfeed me till 3:30am. I was hungry at 2:30am so I woke her up! First time I woke up since in the middle of the night since I was 2 weeks old! My mommy thinks I knew what was coming tomorrow so I wanted to make sure I stored up before they put me on an IV for a few days.

My Daddy, Grandpa Todd, Uncle Aaron, and John, the 2nd Counselor of our ward (who loves the Simpsons sitcom, claims there's always a morale...even used examples in his sunday school classes...cool!) , all came to give me a blessing I would do good with surgery tomorrow. They gave mommy a blessing too.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Hello All-

I just wanted to keep all of you in the loop with Aspen's upcoming surgery. Of course her impatient mother called Primaries & made them expedite the pre-authorization...that way we kind find out what's on our dime. The surgery will be performed Monday SEPTEMBER 27th. She goes in for pre-surgery lab work at 9:30am Sunday the day before. I spoke to the coordinator at Primaries Cardiothoracic and found out that the primary surgeon will be Phillip T. Burch MD with the 2nd surgeon Peter C. Kouretas, MD PhD. Attached is a link to tell you about the surgeons...I'm sure they are amazing at what they do...people come from all over the country to have the surgeons at Primaries do surgeries.
http://www.pedcardiology.utah.edu/team/doctors/surgeons/Kouretas.html

They'll let me know what time to be at the hospital Monday when I take Aspen in for the Pre-op blood work on Sunday. They will also do what they call a TEE or transesophaeal echocardiogram which used ultrasound technology to access the condition of the heart. It differs from the ECHOs she's had previously except with a TEE the transducer is guided into her esophogus until it rests directly behind the heart.. From this vantage point, the sound waves do not have to pass through the skin, muscle, or bone allowing very detailed images for the surgeons.
Information the TEE provides is

-the size/struction of heart chambers & any structural problems (like Aspen's hole between the 2 atria chambers)
-the amount of blood the heart can pump
-the structure and movement of the heart values (or condition of the artificial inplated valve)
-conditions of blood vessels
-presence of blood clots or tumors in the heart

Potential risks is that she could have a reaction to sedatives, the transducer going down her espophagus could cause nausea or some discomfort but the majority of people don't experience discomfort, & though VERY RARE there is always a chance the transducer could damage the esophagus causing infection or bleeding.

As far as the day of surgery, it'll be morning I'm sure...but I'll let you know the schedule when I get it. They said the surgery from when they take her into surgery with prep and the surgery itself will take about 4-5 hours. We will be able to meet the surgeons the morning of the surgery and they will of course give us updates. Her cartiologist, Dr. Polchalski, says she is very healthy and it makes a world of difference that I've exclusively breast fed her....part of that was her stubborness in not taking a bottle! They expect her to be in intensive care for 1-2 weeks.

Anyway, sorry this is a little long...I just want to keep all of you in the know. My parents and my ward are doing ward fasts the Sunday before & I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers on Aspen's behalf.

Nicole, Karsten & Baby Aspen