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On May 4, 2009, Josh and I discovered that our soon to be little girl, due on August 25th, would be born with a CHD known as HLHS (hypo-plastic left heart syndrome). Upon hearing "something is wrong with your baby's heart" our lives changed completely. Our little Ruth Elizabeth was brought into this world on August 18, 2009. She was delivered via c-section and rushed immediately from Barnes to Childrens' Hospital for a cardiac cath intervention. Her arial septum was reopened and a week later, Ruthie underwent her first open heart surgery, the Norwood. Unfortunately, Ruthie was not able to survive on her Norwood heart and the Glenn procedure would not work for her. Ruthie was placed on the heart transplant list Feb.3, 2010. After waiting in SLCH, Ruthie received a new heart on July 5, 2010. We are so humbly blessed to receive this gift of life. We now are on the road to recovery. We have had our ups and downs. We have become SLCH regulars due to countless hospital stays and ER visits. We are learning how to manage life outside of SLCH and with another little girl. Now that we have two children, we are learning the about being a heart FAMILY.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Freedom!

As I said last post, prayers are definitly being answered. On Wednesday, Ruthie was stable enough for Josh and I to hold her with the breathing tube in!!! Woo hoo! It was short lived, of course, but it felt so good. She was so calm the entire time and even cracked a few smiles. It was well worth the wait of 5 weeks!
The following day, Thursday, things got even better. At 11:15 am, Ruthie was extubated! The doctors made her NPO at 3 am and then took down her sedation at 7am to get her ready to breath all on her own. Yesterday was a bumpy day. Ruthie was a bit uncomfortable after they took down her sedation meds. She is doing "decent" with all of these changes. She isn't smiley happy Ruth right now, which hurts my heart, but she is doing ok. She is fighting right on. Over night last night, they took Ruthie off cpap and nasal canualas. This means she is breathing 100% on her own. She is really doing well. They expect her to take a few readjustment days. We will just have to wait and see what she does.
So, it has been a touch and go over the past 24 hours, but we are hoping Ruthie will make it happen. She is so strong and such a fighter! I know she will give her best effort. She just looks too darn cute not too.
I will post pictures later once I am home with the camera.

Prayers are being answered! Keep praying. Keep praying for all heart babies and their families. Pray for courage and strength. Pray fot wisdom and guidance. Pray for compassion and peace.

Keep in mind, Jacob will be making his entrance in a week! Pray for his strength and his family's understanding. Pray for Derrick who is moving right along and is back eating good yummy real food! Pray for Lorenzo as he awaits to hear about his next steps. Pray for Cameron as he approaches his Glenn.

Thank you to all of our supporters. Your advice, guidance, support and prayers are amazing. We are really blessed to have a strong community backing us.
It takes a village to raise a child. Thank you for being our village.

Heart hugs!
Laura
Heart Hugs from on

4 comments:

  1. Wodzisz FamilyMarch 12, 2010 at 7:49 AM

    What a wonderful day for Ruthie! All the stuff they do in one day amazes me. Our little ones can handle so much...they are my heros/heroines! I always wonder if I would be able to handle half of what they go through.

    You all continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

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  2. Faith M.March 12, 2010 at 7:50 AM

    That's wonderful news and quite the answer to prayer! Praising God with you!

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  3. Kathy BakerMarch 12, 2010 at 11:14 AM

    I am so glad Ruthie is doing so well. She is in our prayers daily. I have all of my friends and family following your blog and praying for her as well. Thank you for the prayers for Jacob. I am so ready to meet our little fighter. I know this will be the most difficult thing I will ever go through but you have been such an inspiration to me. The strength you show is limitless. I love you and Ruthie and as always pray she gets her heart soon!

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  4. ShannonMarch 17, 2010 at 12:02 AM

    Somehow I'm missing some of your posts. I just went back and read the last few, and I must say Laura, you have such a great outlook. It's obvious that God is working in your life.

    I'm so glad Ruthie was extubated and you can see that precious face again! We're always praying for her, you and Josh, and the rest of your family as you rally by Ruthie and wait for her new heart. I cannot imagine how difficult that is, but I hope you can feel the prayers!!

    Thanks for the updates...keep 'em coming! We love Ruthie updates!

    Big heart hugs and prayers,
    Shannon

    PS...Thanks for the prayers for D! :)

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