We went to the hospital yesterday for a check-up. I packed a bag just in case and then forgot to take it with us. Little asked,  “How long will we stay this time?”

Turns out we only stayed for three hours, we just accomplished a LOT into those three hours. (I am not going to explain everything in too much detail. . . just listing everything as a means of record.)

1. Little got an EKG – good news: the length of her GTCs has decreased with the adjust meant of her medication and so we will be able to continue giving her the medicine that helps her to sleep!

2. Little got an Echocardiogram – good news: the clot in her heart has shrunk a great deal! I personally couldn’t see it any more and Dr. M said she had to really squint to see it was there.

3. They checked the information stored on the pacemaker – bad news: Little is still experiencing random bouts of arrhythmia. These are not long and not consistent but they are present. Little was hooked up to a Holter Monitor and told to keep it on for the next 24 hours. This device monitors the electrical activity of the cardiovascular system for extended periods of time. Little was just excited to have an excuse to skip her bath!

4. Dr. C came and checked the incision from the pacemaker’s placement – good news: the blood thinner Little is taking could have caused a pool of blood to gather behind the pacemaker and it looks like that is minimal if present at all!

5. Little is going to be a part of a clinical trial being done at Children’s Hospital and she got all signed up for that and all the blood drawn that’s needed – good news: she was already having blood drawn and so this trial didn’t add any additional drama to our visit!

Some people have asked about our other children and how they are doing. Bubba has reacted as one would expect a boy on the autism spectrum to react; he has a hard time with emotions and social cues and so he has listened to reports and responded matter-of-factly. My sister being here was so wonderful for many reasons but especially in regard to him. She said he would walk over and hug her and tell her he loved her. . . that’s the kind of thing that lets me know more is going on inside than can be seen with a glance.

KB is all heart and as compassionate as they come. She has listened attentively to all information and told her sister, “I couldn’t sleep I was so worried.” She has held Little’s hand while she’s gotten her shots, looked at the details of Little’s monitor and asked questions, and snuggled in a bit closer before bed at night.

Funny – Little had a visit to the Orthopedist on the calendar for Monday and so we went ahead and went. First thing they did was take a full body X-ray and so Little got to see her pacemaker sitting in her chest. She was fascinated. . . as was Dr. H who exclaimed, “THAT wasn’t there last time!!!”

We also had a visit to the Orthodontist today for a spacer to be put in (3 min. visit!) and Little walked in saying, “LOOK! I got a pacemaker since I saw you!”

I am looking forward to 7 days in my planner with no doctors! Maybe we’ll do something fun that I can write about here.

It is crazy that less than 48 hours ago I was told to call my husband and have him get here as quickly as possible. It is crazy to think that there were eight doctors piled in our room and another handful standing outside waiting to hear what to do.  I am thankful to KNOW that many people were praying for us around the world because, honestly, 48 hours ago the only prayer I was able to pray was, “O Lord. O Lord. O Lord.”

Just wanted to record how God answered those many prayers so that I’ll never forget this time the Lord took care of our Little.

So, all those medications I listed off in my last post? Those were administered through a PICC line and two IVs. I was asked to leave the room just before they were going to put the PICC line in and I was glad to leave; I knew I would cry and be no help. Turns out that  before the line could be put in, Dr. Miyamoto decided to “try one thing just to see what would happen.” She had the technician turn up Little’s pacemaker to see if it would correct the arrhythmia … and it did. I didn’t know until later but they put the pacemaker up to 90 and almost immediately the spikes to 175 and higher stopped.

No one can explain why it worked.
I know why.
The doctor is not even sure why she thought to do it.
I know why.

I like to refer to it as a providentially inspired “Hail Mary” that God used to miraculously save our Little.

And now she is stable, back to her normal color, eating like a champ, out of ICU, making jokes and laughing, weaned off the IV medication, and moving toward home.

That’s what prayer does.

“Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;”
Psalm 77

This will not be clever. I am just too tired and so this will be a straight forward update.

I brought Little to get her pacemaker checked and sutures trimmed today. It was a routine one-week follow-up appointment and was supposed to take 20 min. max but I packed a bag and was prepared to stay.  Little threw up Sunday and Monday and had been without color for 24 hours; I knew something was wrong.

In the clinic they checked her pacemaker and by the end of our 20 min. appointment we had been admitted. Turns out there were all these spikes in her heart rate – incredibly high. They admitted us to the CICU so that they could readily access all the tests they wanted to do and be ready to deal with any surprises. The echocardiogram shows her heart is bigger and weaker than before and the top chamber isn’t communicating with the bottom chamber when her rate goes high…which it keeps doing.  She has a blood clot attached to the pacemaker “lead” and they think that might be what is causing the spikes in heart rate. Her oxygen intake is low since the heart isn’t pumping enough blood; it’s backing up into her lungs.

I am tense.

They have started meds to help get rid of the clot. They have started a medicine that makes the heart pump. They have started a medicine to lower the heart rate. Now we wait. She is quiet and tired.

I am sad.

The younger two kiddos are home and a friend from ELIC is staying with them.  My sister has purchased a ticket and flies in tomorrow morning (a MAJOR  gift since she HATES to fly). I haven’t had a chance to talk to my mom yet. My friend Debbie sent me the passage with which I have bookended this post.

I am trusting.

“Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;”
Psalm 77