Pretty and PINK!

Stella did GREAT today. She is in recovery in the Cardiac ICU and looks awesome. We all keep talking about how PINK her lips, eyelids and nailbeds are. I can barely type that without crying and I cry when I look at her. She is on about a liter and a half of oxygen and her O2 is hovering around 95 which is just insane to us! O2 in the 90’s? Pinch me. 

Like we said in the surgery post, the Fontan repair went smoothly along with the two additional repairs Dr. E performed. He was able to clamp the enlarged neoaortic root to narrow that a bit and ended up repairing the stent in her LPA because it had begun to erode into her aortic wall. That was unanticipated and the most difficult part of the surgery. And an incredible blessing he was able to see that today and repair it without compilation. I’m not sure which of us hugged him harder - me or Adam. I definitely get the award for most tears shed. 

We have a long few days ahead but it feels like an accomplishment to have surgery behind us. Stella has 3 chest tubes, 2 IVs, 2 surgical lines and is on a handful of medications to manage her blood pressure, fluid, pain, sedation, etc. Hopefully she will have a quiet night and we can keep her comfortable - so far she has opened her eyes a couple times and asked for Moana and water. Priorities. Maybe she’ll ask for mom at some point. 

Pray for pain management in the next few days. She isn’t pleased when they have worked on pulling drainage from her chest tubes, even as heavily sedated as she is. I can’t imagine how painful they feel. To give you an idea - a clock fell off the wall earlier and glass shattered everywhere and she didn’t flinch. But the second you go near those tubes she expresses a lot of pain. Bless her heart.

We love you all and I literally cannot tell you what it meant to receive the flood of texts and messages, videos and Bible verses you sent today. Stella has one fantastic fan club. We are so grateful for a healing Savior who knew the plan for Stella even when it didn’t make sense to us. She’s just getting started. 

Our pink lady!