Kerstin and Elijah Update

Well, we're back from a great trip to Xi'an. Worn out, but back. :) More on that later.

I wanted to give all of you an update on Kerstin and Elijah. PTL, both surgeries went perfectly. I'm just going to copy this from an email our director sent out, because I don't want to retype it all. But I did want you all to know that it went well; thank you for praying.

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Written on Wednesday, March 25:
As soon as we arrived at the hospital the head nurse began telling us how serious these two cases were. She has never done this before. It didn’t get better as we talked to the surgeons. Kerstin’s surgery was scheduled to start at 8:00 am but they didn’t come get her till 9:00 am.
With two difficult surgeries I was expecting to be there a really long time.

So when they came and told us Kerstin’s surgery was done 3 ½ hours after they started, I was shocked. They were very happy with how the surgery went. She was stable and her color had already improved. They told us she was no longer purple. Out of all the children we have had, she was the most cyanotic (blue/purple from lack of oxygen). The hypertension in her pulmonary arteries was a bit elevated but not too bad. They said the next 24 hours is critical.
So please continue to lift her up.

Elijah’s surgery was only 2 ½ hours. He had an ASD and their main concern was a leak in his pulmonary artery. They were concerned about locating it. They said that if they located it fast they could repair it and the ASD and not have to put him on bypass. Well they found it quickly and did not have to put him on bypass. He was doing so well they said he would not have to go into ICU but could go back to regular ward. Amazing! From a very serious situation... to not having to go to ICU.

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On the 26th we heard from the hospital that Kerstin is doing well and if it continues this way she will be moved from ICU to regular ward! This is absolutely amazing - a definite miracle. Elijah also continues to do well and went back to regular ward yesterday after surgery. We're so thankful for how smoothly things have gone so far, and we look forward to their full recoveries!