Days 4 and 5 after surgery

I had a whole post almost completed yesterday when the cord for my computer went out again.  Though I saved what I had written, it was not there when I was able to get back online.  We got a new cord, again, today and it's now broken again.  Ugh. 

Yesterday Taeya at the ECHO done in our hospital room.  It was quite uncomfortable for her.  It showed that the repair is successful.  It showed, too, some regurgitation of oxygenated blood.  I asked the Sonographer what the side effects could be and he said Taeya can have edema, which is why she is taking Lasix, a diuretic.  I asked if that regurgitation would one day correct itself and he said, yes, that usually is what happens. 

We were released yesterday and home in the evening; Taeya with a heart made new, and me with the beginning of a deeper understanding of the heart disease I, too, have. 

My prayers, in the beginning of all of this, were prayers for God to heal me of my unbelief.  But a lack of belief isn't always cured when He gives us some "thing" to believe in; some tangible proof of answered prayer the way we would want prayer answered.  If that's how it worked, the answer to our prayers would always be "yes", and that would be a dangerous thing.

Taeya was all smiles yesterday, and she was the same silly, funny little girl she was prior to surgery.  The doc that discharged her said that all her vitals were terrific, but it was her terrific personality that had us, wagons full of too much stuff, wheeling down past all the moms, dads and kiddos to the elevators, to the parade that we made up, to the car and home. 

It was such a significant day in our lives.   Where were the balloons, the band playing, the banners of this great success?  I prayed for an "uneventful" surgery and was so happy I had what I asked for; a baby on the way to a mended heart.  Why, then, did I cry like a little child?  How can such a life changing event be so huge to me, and just an ordinary day to others?  Didn't everyone know that God worked a miracle within my baby's chest?

The drive home was uneventful, which was an answer to prayer.  At the same time, I think likely from relief, I cried a release that needed to be let go.

Melissa came to pick us up in Denver, and said, as we were driving away from the hospital, "This is all behind you now.  You can put this in the past."  It was overwhelming to think that it was just 6 days since our original arrival up in Denver. 

We've been home two days now and Taeya gets stronger each day.  She has decided that she REALLY doesn't like her cannula at all, or her new formula.  She has never been one to protest; always being the sweet, gentle baby.  Now she argues everything that bothers her!  Did that come with her new heart, or I am just beginning to see the strong will that has kept her fighting?

Thank you, everyone, for supporting us during this time.  Please continue to pray for Taeya's healing.  We see the Cardiologist today and I am praying she can come off of oxygen and that they will not require an ECHO today, just to save her the pain. 

You have all been a great blessing to me.  My cup runs over at the friends that have come along side us; both those that we know, and those whose paths we have not physically crossed. 

Every, every, every blessing,

Linda

p.s.  As I typed this, Taeya has pulled out her cannula 4 times, laughing all the while!!