The Plan

Since Abeni's airway is going to require a specialized team of surgeons to repair we will be traveling to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for the procedure. We have a treatment plan. I'm hoping I took notes correctly when the nurse practitioner called. Here is my version as of right now. Michael will be with me in Cincinnati for the surgery. We are not sure right now when he will come if it will be on day one or on day three and then he can stay two days longer into recovery.

Day One:
       Abeni will have a consultation with anesthesiology. Since she has an airway condition and asthma, sedation for her is more dangerous. We need to meet with the Dr's and make a plan for her sedations over the course of her treatment.

Day Two:
        This is a day full of imaging appointments. She will need to be sedated for the procedures since it is critical that she be absolutely still. Abeni will have two separate high resolution CT's. One of her heart and most critically her pulmonary artery. Then they will image her lungs and airway.

Day Three:
        Clinic visits. Abeni will see lots of Dr's in their clinics. We will see cardiothoracic surgery, pulmonology, and otolaryngology. This will be a chance for each of these specialists to talk to us about Abeni, her treatment plan, and a chance to examine her when she is not sedated. I'm assuming we will also have some blood work done on this day if it isn't done before hand.

Surgery day:
      Abeni has a narrowed right bronchus. Is is sandwiched between her pulmonary artery and her esophagus. The team of Dr's in the operating room will include, Dr. Rutter (ENT who specialized in complex airway conditions where the heart is involved), Dr. Manning (cardiothoracic surgeon who will be overseeing the bypass machine and the majority of the surgery), and one other heart surgeon, there are also a few Dr's who have asked to observe. Abeni will be put to sleep and then they will open her chest and put her on the heart lung machine. They will then carefully move her pulmonary artery from and esophagus from her bronchus. They will then repair the damaged part of her airway. When they are done they will take her off bypass be sure everything is functioning well and close up her chest.

The recovery:
      We think Abeni and I will be in Cincinnati for a while after surgery while Abeni recovers. She will spend some time in the ICU and some time in the general hospital after her procedure. She will most likely even need to stay in the Cincinnati area after she is discharged until it is safe for her to get on an airplane.

It is major surgery. MAJOR We are scared. I find myself kissing her sweet little perfect chest over and over. I hold my boys tighter as I think about being away from them for an extended period of time. Strangely though it feels so much like the right thing to do. I keep repeating "God won't lead you to it unless he plans to lead you through it." I'm remembering that I have always been led down the path God intended me to go. I am leaning on Him to lead me through this.