Baby Maggie update - 31 weeks
Hi everyone:
Thank you for your continued prayers for our little girl. We had another round of specialist appointments at Mott today. Maggie is proving to be pretty tenacious, against considerable odds stacked against her.
The heart medication I am taking has helped her arrhythmia. This is good news, & we are so, so grateful! Any medication that helps her rhythym can hurt mine, so I am being closely monitored as well. My heart function has not been affected. This is another blessing we do not take for granted. Maggie is still growing well, & we still rejoice in every ounce she gains.
Her heart is doing its best to circulate blood through her body, but the defect makes it very difficult to do this. There is no blood flow through one of her arteries now, an unwelcome change from a few weeks ago. In utero a baby's heart has ways to compensate and get blood where it needs to be, but she will likely need surgery within a few days of birth to correct this. This does not address the larger, more serious heart defect diagnosed at our 20 week ultrasound; it is a new & unfortunate (though not unexpected) development. Once she gets bigger & stronger she will need a second surgery to address the more serious heart defect. Obviously every surgery carries tremendous risk.
The cardiologist warned us we were "not out of the woods yet" for "fetal demise" and I wanted to tell him that at no point on this journey have I ever thought or assumed or expected that to be the case. I am thankful for every single kick, jab, & hiccup this little lady serves up. Even in the middle of the night. Especially in the middle of the night.
Please pray for strength for Maggie & her beautiful little heart. Please pray for peace for me & Greg. Thinking about the future challenges is incredibly overwhelming, & that is not helpful at this point.
We need prayers that we can rely on God's grace for today & trust that He will provide the grace we need for the future challenges when we are actually facing those challenges.
Thank you again for all the prayers. We are overwhelmed with your love & support.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our little girl. We had another round of specialist appointments at Mott today. Maggie is proving to be pretty tenacious, against considerable odds stacked against her.
The heart medication I am taking has helped her arrhythmia. This is good news, & we are so, so grateful! Any medication that helps her rhythym can hurt mine, so I am being closely monitored as well. My heart function has not been affected. This is another blessing we do not take for granted. Maggie is still growing well, & we still rejoice in every ounce she gains.
Her heart is doing its best to circulate blood through her body, but the defect makes it very difficult to do this. There is no blood flow through one of her arteries now, an unwelcome change from a few weeks ago. In utero a baby's heart has ways to compensate and get blood where it needs to be, but she will likely need surgery within a few days of birth to correct this. This does not address the larger, more serious heart defect diagnosed at our 20 week ultrasound; it is a new & unfortunate (though not unexpected) development. Once she gets bigger & stronger she will need a second surgery to address the more serious heart defect. Obviously every surgery carries tremendous risk.
The cardiologist warned us we were "not out of the woods yet" for "fetal demise" and I wanted to tell him that at no point on this journey have I ever thought or assumed or expected that to be the case. I am thankful for every single kick, jab, & hiccup this little lady serves up. Even in the middle of the night. Especially in the middle of the night.
Please pray for strength for Maggie & her beautiful little heart. Please pray for peace for me & Greg. Thinking about the future challenges is incredibly overwhelming, & that is not helpful at this point.
We need prayers that we can rely on God's grace for today & trust that He will provide the grace we need for the future challenges when we are actually facing those challenges.
Thank you again for all the prayers. We are overwhelmed with your love & support.
Gratefully yours,
Jamie
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