An Undivided Heart...

When C was admitted to the Qingdao Children's Welfare Institute, she was very sickly - breathing hard, blue in color, and had pneumonia on top of everything. The medical staff at the orphange stabalized her. She was admitted to the hospital in a matter of weeks for open heart surgery. It was determined that she had a large hole in her ventricle wall (a VSD) near the aorta causing an opening between the 2 lower heart chambers. She also had an opening between the 2 upper heart chambers due to a flap not closing after birth (a PFO). These 2 openings effectively allowed the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to mix. The surgical staff very skillfully stitched the flap closed and then applied a patch over the hole in C's heart. She no longer had a divided heart.

In the past few weeks we have had an echocardiogram and an EKG done on C. Today we met with the pediatric cardiologist to get the results. He said that the repair was very good. There is no leakage around either of the repair sites. He said her blood pressure and oxygen level were in the normal range. The EKG revealed that her heart was beating regularly and normally. He declared that C's heart is completely repaired and she is to be treated just like any other kid regarding medicine/vaccinations, dental visits, and physical activity. We have to return in a year for a follow up as he wants to follow C's heart as she grows to ensure that there are no surprises. He emphasized that he is not expecting to ever find any in her situation, but just a precaution. If there are no changes after the 1 yr mark, then the time between check ups will be extended. He declared her healthy!

There was also a concern on her original paperwork that stated she had pulmonary hypertension. The doctor told us that she does NOT have PH. He thought that there could have been an issue in the translation and difference in the way that her condition is described between US and China. He said that if her 2 defects had not been corrected, she could have eventually ended up with PH. The way PH is referenced in the US, it is not a good thing. It is irreversible and can be fatal. I had to take a step of faith on that one when I accepted C's referral. I did feel the peace of God to do so and had to trust that what ever C's condition ended up being, He would see us through. That is my miracle.

I am including a couple of scriptures that I prayed for C while I waited for her to come home...

"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:11

"I run in the path of your commands, for You have set my heart free." Psalm 119:32

These are still among my prayers for C that her heart would completely belong to the one who has literally set her free.

Here are a couple of pics after her EKG. She did reapply all of the little monitor stickers that they hook the wires to all over her pants for entertainment while we waited for the doctor to read the test results.