The day before

Jason here. Tomorrow, Friday, is Gage's surgery. Had pre-op today including blood work, xray, and meeting with doctors and others.  There were a few things that rattled us a bit.  Of course I understand they always tell you and prepare for the worse case senerio.  Never a fun discussion.

Here is what they will be doing. Opening this chest up all the way (not just part way like they did with his first pacemaker), removing the pacemaker and the 6 leads (wires) to the heart. Next putting in a new pacemaker / defibulizer which is about 2.5 times as big. He will get 6 new leads put on to pace the heart PLUS the 'coil' and related lead to shock the heart in the event of V-tach, or irregular heart beat.  The coil, which is not small, will wrap around the back side of the heart. Needless to say, he will be wired.  Procedure should take about 2-3 hours starting at 7:30 am.  When he comes out he will be on a ventilator, 2 chest tubes, and other IV's needed.

We were coming to grips with all this when Dr Hollander added one more comment. In preparing for the worse case senerio, Seth brought up the words Berlin Heart.  My heart just sank.  In the event his already sick heart can not handle the above trauma, they may have to place him on the Berlin or a similar devise called the Heart  Mate.  And just like that we would be on the list and NOT be coming home.  They do NOT anticipate this happening. But his heart function is getting worse and his heart is larger....

Having said all this, I believe he will be just fine. Dr Katz will do a great job, and Gage will come okay. I still believe we will come home to Oregon next Wednesday with NO Berlin.  Next 24 hours will tell.

Right now all the kids are farmed out. Megan and Hunter are at Jake and Wendy's. Lindsey is at Aunt Garrity's, and Sierra is at Zengers.  Stacy is in reading a book to Gage and giving his some motherly comfort.  He is pretty nervous and scared.  He did get a blessing from Drew and I.  Gage wants his mom to hold his hand the the whole time.  We said absolutely, will be there when he goes to sleep and there when he wakes up.

In other news, Sierra got another 1a on her biopsy, with heart pressures remaining the same.  It would sure be nice to get zero with lower pressures, but will take the 1a.   Her antibody rejection is still zero. That is good!  Diabetes still hangin' around, so She will be taking her first insulane shot tomorrow. All in all, she is doing good. Got to love it.

Had a great visit with Shawn and George Stockwell from Alaska.  Shawn was here for biopsy and IVIG.  Today we went to the Winchester Mansion.  It is a 24,000 square foot home built in the late 1800's by Sara Winchester. It was a strange house.

That is it for now,
praying for a smooth day,
Jason