Heart Surgery

In December of 2009, Madeline landed in the hospital due to respiratory distress. During her stay it was discovered that she had fluid in the lungs and stomach, and that her liver was rather large due to fluid build up. One thing led to another and it was discovered that her fontan that she had in June of 2009 was not doing its job. Therefore Madeline needed to have another heart surgery to modify the fontan to fit Madeline' anatomy and body structure. Weighing the pros and cons to doing the surgery during the school as opposed to during the summer, we felt that it would be best to get the surgery over with during the school year and preserve our summer. Grant and I were not too thrilled about having to prepare and endure another heart surgery, but we just tried to focus on the outcome. A week before her heart surgery I sat Madeline down and told her (not an easy task to do), but Madeline being the sweet spirit that she is simply said well don't forget my suitcase. Talk about a learning experience in just accepting what is and going with the flow.

Madeline flew right through her heart surgery and hopefully it will take. Due to her scoliosis her heart doesn't have the room it needs with all her arteries and such, so she might need to have another surgery when she is a teenager.

Recovery was a little different then her surgery in June. She never had an issue with pain, but this surgery knocked the wind out of her and it took a bit of time before her energy and strength came back. In the hospital she slept a lot which made it at times a bit boring for her mother, but I was more than willing to be bored to see her comfortable. After a few weeks from being home to was back to normal and you would have never known that she had open heart surgery. Madeline is sure a trooper and a shiny example and a pillar of strength to her family. She is such an example and it is an honor to be her mother and to partake of her spirit on a daily basis.