Cardiologist Appointment Update
Yesterday we received some heart breaking news. The PFO connection that we thought was restricted is actually non- existent. This means that outside of the womb there is no chance of survival without communication between the atrium. So our labor and delivery plan has changed significantly and Ruthie's survival rate has hit an ultimate low. We will need to have a planned c-section at Barnes Jewish compared to St. John's (our original hospital) so that the cardiac team can be ready to open up Ruthie's heart at Children's within a matter of minutes from birth. As soon as she is born, she will be in surgery to create a hole where the PFO connection should have been. This is a pretty intense procedure and with current stats, it does not seem favorable. However, without this surgery there is no chance for survival outside of the womb because blood flow would not happen appropriately. After this connection is opened, the doctors will then be checking her lungs to see if there is any damage caused by the non-existent connection. If there is severe lung damage, once again survival is very grim. However, if her little lungs are fine and they are able to create the hole they need in the heart, then the next step is to perform the 3 step surgeries and she would be able continue on as a regular HLHS patient.
It has been an intense two days. We are still hoping for the best, but in our minds we are also preparing ourselves for the worse case scenario. We ask purely for your prayers over the next couple weeks as we begin this new chapter to our HLHS journey. We know that we are not in control and that God will provide. It is just really hard not knowing what to expect and to what extent we should expect things.
We are not giving up on this little one and we know that she is willing to fight.
She has made her impression on this world from inside my womb, now we are waiting for her to make her impression on the outside.
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