and were put into immediate shock as we walked into her room seeing blood coming out of her nose and many doctors and nurses working on her. We quickly learned she had a hemorrhage to her lungs, her blood was not colagulating and they were giving her both blood plasma and blood platelets. We were told there was a potential danger to her liver. She was on a 100% oxygen and put on paralyzing medication so she would not move or fight any of the treatments. I wrote in my e-mail that night:
"Our hearts are breaking and we need a lot of strength and grace at this time. We were at her bedside a little while ago, and crying, and one little tear slipped out of her eye. Oh, we love her so. God WILL bring us through this.
Psalm 94:19 ~ Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me with renewed hope and cheer.
November 4, 1997 ~ The next day we were told she was barely in stable condition. We were asked to try an experimental drug called nitric oxyide which was to expand her blood vessels. We had to sign permission for it, as the side affects were that it could hurt the red blood cells. We just did not feel we had any options. It was only used for a short time that day. It did not work.
Later that day they tried an oscillator ventilator on her which is mainly used on premature babies which pushes over 400 breaths into her per minute. It sounded like a loud air compressor and literally shook her whole little body. She stayed on this ventilator for two full days, and was finally able to be weaned to a conventional intubation.
Though she was on this ventilator, she was not out of the woods and still a very sick little girl. She had pneumonia, and also found out shortly after taking her off the vibrating oscillating vent. that she had a horrible bedsore on her neck, about the size of four quarters (which she has a scar on her neck to this day).
One thing I've neglected to share, was as we were going through all this, I was pregnant. On November 7th one of Jessica's cardiologists did an ultrasound on me, and we learned the baby was heart healthy.
The next few days were rather calm - not much in the way of changes - but not completely stable either. We also were missing our 6 children back home who were divided up with friends and family. I was able to go home for a short visit after Jessica was in the hospital 17 days. It was a long time not seeing them, but I was able to bring the three oldest back with us.
They kept Jessica pretty well sedated so she would not move much. There were concerns along the way of brain damage, loss of hearing, etc. but were thankful all tests proved she was healthy as far as that went.
By November 17th Norm had to go back to work . . . and worked when he could, making the three hour trip back to the hospital often.
However, the next day after he left, Nov. 18th, Jessica slipped again, the pneumonia getting worse and running more temperatures and had to put her back on the paralyzing drug. On Nov. 20th an ultra sound was done and it was then proven that her mitral valve was leaking considerably which was putting too much into her lungs. But at this point the doctors were not sure what to do.
We were amazingly uplifted by friends and family throughout our stay, with letters, e-mails, cards, gift cards, money gifts, etc. The nurses were shocked we were receiving gifts from people we did not even know. We sent out a daily e-mail and our e-mails were getting forwarded more and more.
On November 22nd good friends of ours, Scott & Wendy March asked others to join in with them for a day of fasting for Jessica.
We spent Thanksgiving & Christmas in the hospital with Jessica. We were told shortly before Thanksgiving that "time would tell". If her lungs showed improvement over the next 2-4 weeks, then the mitral valve was not the cause. But if she was not healing, then, we'd have to think of another surgery - and this was very risky because she was still in critical condition.
December 2, 1997 ~ Though Jessica was stable she was staying at the same level and not really improving and the docs were seriously considering another open heart surgery. A mitral valve is rarely replaced on a young child because of the risks during surgery and the risks leading a normal life afterwards. She would have to be on coumadin (blood thinner) for the rest of her life, which had risks of severe bleeding or if it was not thin enough, clogging her mitral valve.
But the doctors kept us in limbo. It was not like they immediately made the decision and did the surgery. It was neat that one pediatric cardiologist had to go to a convention, meeting with cardiologists from around the world, and he presented her case to them to get input.
On December 13th, a trial extubation was done to see how Jessica would do. How thankful I was for my midwife friend Tami & her husband Neal, being with us during this discouraging time. Norm & Neal stayed with Jessica when they removed the tube, and put her in an oxygen tent. I was thankful I did not see her, as the hour in that was sheer dispair for her as she fought for breaths. I was told it looked like she was trying to break out of the tent.
