Texas Trip

While in Texas for the OU/TX game,

I got to go meet my cousin's twins!

(The twins belong to Lauren and 

Scott Tilley - my cousins)

They were born September 30th.

Holding my cousin, Londyn

The new mom, me with Londyn, and the new mimi!

Sweet little Londyn

Elijah

Elijah was born with Hypoplastic

left heart syndrome - it's a congenital heart

defect in which the left ventricle of the heart

is severely underdeveloped.

Because of Elijah's condition,

Lauren and Scott have been in Dallas

Texas.  They live in Oklahoma City,

But the closest trained surgeon for this

particular thing is in Dallas.  They have

a temporary apartment near the hospital

where Elijah is staying.

So, the latest news is that Elijah

cannot have the Norwood surgery

(it's the first surgery in a series of

three surgeries that babies with 

hypoplastic left heart syndrome have).

Earlier in the week, the surgeon saw

some things on Elijah's echocardiogram

that he didn't like.  There is a valve

leaking.  This means that

Elijah needs a new heart.

He has been placed on the

heart transplant list.  It could take

six to nine months for Elijah to

get a new heart.  

Lauren wrote the following on her

Facebook page earlier:

"God has a different plan for Elijah. 

I know I posted only a few hours ago 

that he was going to be having his

major surgery tomorrow. The surgeon 

came in later and said he saw some things 

on the latest echocardiogram that makes

Elijah ineligible for the Norwood procedure. 

Elijah will now be put on the transplant 

list for a new heart. I didn't understand

why our surgeon got hurt in an accident. 

I didn't understand why they had to go in

and perform the PA surgery on Thursday. 

Today I was told it is a very good thing

that they went ahead and did that PA 

surgery because if they were to do it now

it 

would be risky because of what is leaking

in Elijah's heart. This valve was not leaking

before...but as he has spent time in the

hospital this problem has presented itself.

If they had performed the Norwood it would 

have been inevitable for this to happen and

his window for transplant would have been 

smaller 

than it is now. Everything happens

for a reason. We need prayers that a heart 

becomes available for our little boy. We 

need prayers for strength to get through 

this. There are days where I feel so alone

and wonder why we are in this situation. 

Maybe someday I will understand. Thank you

for everyone who is supporting and praying.

It is in God's hands."

   

This sweet little family

needs lots of prayers.

I will keep you updated.

Scott and Lauren with their sweet babies

We also celebrated my dad's birthday

while we were in Texas.

(The cute puppy in all the pictures

is Gizmo, our new nephew)

Pecan Pie from Pappas Brothers - yum.