Surgery this Thursday

Friends,

Hello again. Wanted to update all you praying saints. Ava Gray's shunt is going to be internalized this Thursday. This surgery will be a little different than her previous ones in that the team has (mostly) decided to go with the VA shunt (which feeds into her heart). All the teams have been weighing in and trying to come up with a solution. I think we're (mostly) all on board with the new game: 

Neurology is pushing to do the surgery asap (external shunts make them very, very nervous due to the super high risk of infection). 

Infectious disease was wanting to wait till Monday (hoping her numbers would look a little better by then), but as the numbers are already heading in the right direction they are willing to compromise. They know they really can't wait until an ideal time as, again, there is such a risk involved with remaining on the external shunt. (I so do wish we had more time. Ava Gray was off of the antibiotics recently for a brief period during which her white cell count jumped up again. She's back on antibiotics, but we don't know what caused that jump, or how her body will respond once she goes off them again. ***The danger here is that if there is already an infection in her body, as soon as she goes off the antibiotics the infection could flare up and cause her shunt not to work - again).

Cardiology isn't as concerned about when the surgery takes place, as they are about where the shunt is being placed. Although they are "signing off" on this one, they have been very open about the fact that this shunt is a risky one for Ava Gray (due to her heart defect and her age). 

Actually all three teams are acknowledging that this isn't the greatest option for Ava Gray, but at this point it seems like the only one available to her.

I still have some questions for the Neuro team, which hopefully I will get answered sometime today or tomorrow. 

I don't know if I sound stoic in the middle of this. (Do I sound stoic?) It's easy to come across that way via email or even in person. I can assure you, though, that I am not. I need your prayers more than ever. Mostly that I would not run from the Father in my fear & pain, but to Him. I know He is good, and that He is telling an awesome story with Ava Gray's life. Still, He is calling me to wrestle with Him instead of trying to be super-spiritual or super "good" on my own without Him. I need to keep remembering that a beloved daughter never has to be afraid of being too real with her Father. Pray that I would remember that. Often.

Wish you could all see this girl in action. She just thrives every time she's put on an external shunt (becoming alert, responsive, smiley, hungry, talkative, etc!). It breaks my heart to see her doing so well, while knowing that this is just a temporary fix. Ava Gray needs help, and God is putting all of us who love her in the place of acknowledging that in life or in death - He is our only sure hope!

For those of you who are specifically praying for Havyn, thank you! I am starting to provide more of a schedule for her, and she seems to like that a lot. She is eating, sleeping & smiling up a storm.  Please continue to pray for her (that only getting about 25% of moms attention, she would still know that she is 100% loved!)

Here's some pics of the girls today. 

I say it every time, but I mean it as much ever; thank you for your love & prayers!

Jules