We're writing to ask for your prayers about some sobering news we received about our daughter that we're expecting at the end of January. Last week, we had our routine 20-week ultrasound and a potential abnormality was spotted with her heart. We were sent for a more thorough ultrasound with a pediatric cardiologist this morning who confirmed our daughter has a congenital heart defect known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome (the left side of the heart has not developed properly). Until only a few decades ago, this was a nearly universally fatal condition within the first month of life (babies usually develop normally thanks to mom providing the oxygen and the special fetal circulatory system, but they can't survive on their own with only half their heart functioning after birth). However, physicians have developed a surgical solution that is done in 3 stages -- the first done within the first few days of life followed by a second at around 6 months old and a third at 2 years old. These are all open heart surgeries and as you can imagine, pretty risky. The majority of kids who've had this surgery are doing well with only minimal limitations.
We're praising God for a few things:
1. That UofM is one of the best centers in the country for this and only an hour away.
2. That this was discovered before delivery so we and all the doctors can make arrangements ahead of time.
3. That our daughter was (and is being) knit together in her mother's womb and her Creator didn't make a mistake in making her heart this way.
4. That the Lord has raised up gifted men and women with the skills it will take to make her heart function properly.
5. That we have amazing family, friends, and a covenant church community who will (and already have) support us in unbelievable ways.
We're praying for the following:
1. That we can figure out all the logistics of frequent trips to Ann Arbor before the c-section and then a minimum of 2 weeks after delivery while maintaining a home school and the other 6 children (most of you know we just finished an adoption of 2 little guys which has been a challenge all its own and one that continues as they adjust to our family).
2. That our little girl will otherwise develop well and get off to a good start in January.
3. That our minds will stay fixed on our Lord who sustains all things and plans our going out and our coming in. That we would stay fixed on what is known and not be consumed with worry about what isn't and can't be known.
4. That God might work a miracle of healing in our little girl's heart -- whether via His own omnipotent means or via the graceful hands of a surgeon.
5. That this would be the first healing of her heart, but not the last -- that she will ultimately have a heart of stone turned by the Holy Spirit into a heart of flesh that will beat for many years in service to her King.
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