Lily's Pre-Op

We arrived in Charleston last night in preparation for today's all day pre-op appointment.   The girls think we are going on vacation because we are staying in a hotel for two nights while we wait for a room at the Ronald McDonald house.

One of the girls favorite rides...the luggage cart.

Sarah Mei is excited because she is using her new backpack that Michaela bought her in China.  Of course she brought a stuffed pony to keep her company.

The real fun began today, for Lily, with the pre-op appointment.  She was a trooper and patiently endured an EKG, an echo, two chest x-rays, a blood draw, a last minute IV and a CT Scan. Next came the visits from multiple Dr.s including the anesthesiologist, the PCICU Dr., and of course our two favorites - Jennifer, Dr. Bradley's PA and Dr. Bradley himself.

Christen, our nurse for the day, and Betsy, the child life specialist, made the day fun by giving Lily lots of toys and crafts.  Lily's favorite toy for the day was a baby doll, bottle and blanket that she could put in a little bag and carry with her everywhere she went.

Here Lily is carrying her baby to the CT Scan. 

Lily enjoyed reading a book while she waited for her chest x-ray.

Lily watched as Christen put co-band on the IV site.

This is Christen, the most amazing pediatric nurse, and Lily!!

Dr Bradley, the surgeon, was his usual calm, reassuring self. He explained the two possible surgical procedures he can perform on Lily's double outlet right ventricle heart defect. The first option is a bi-ventricular repair.  It is complicated because of some of Lily's unique physiology and also by the fact that she had a Glenn in China. The second option is for Dr. Bradley to do a Fontan repair which is "easier" in the short-term but only offers Lily a functioning single ventricle heart...not as good a long-term option. After hearing the pros and cons of both procedures, we opted for the bi-ventricular repair if possible. Of course the final decision will be Dr. Bradley's once he gets in and actually sees Lily's heart.


Please pray for wisdom for Dr. Bradley as he assesses Lily's heart anatomy.


Pray for God, the Great Physician, to guide Dr. Bradley's hands, as he performs this complicated surgery.

Please pray for there to be no complications with previous scar tissue, no heart arrhythmia's (and the subsequent need for a pacemaker), and the ability to use a large conduit in the surgery (to postpone her next surgery as long as possible).