Waiting through His Sugery

Our little Levi peacefully sleeping right before surgery

I didn't know if I could write today because I have a lot of anxiety, but I am not sitting very well either, so I finally decided writing will help my mind to focus elsewhere and keep me calmer... hopefully. We met with two of the main doctors that are working with Levi today: Dr. Philip Burch (cardiothoracic sugeon) and Dr. Greenburg (anesthesiologist). We also met with a cardiologist, but there are 20 at this hospital and whichever is on call is who is in the operating room with Levi. 

Last cuddles with dad
before surgery

Last cuddles with mom
before surgery

The cardiologist enters a catheter through down the throat that allows them to view the heart in 3-D before they start the surgery and at the end, to assure that everything looks good and is as expected for the before and after pictures of the heart. Then the anesthesiologist explained he would enter a line through his neck, through his arm, two IV's, and the ventilator tube down his throat. The surgery started at 8:30 am this morning and they spent the first couple of hours entering in these lines.

Dr. Burch, the cardiothoracic surgeon, spent over an hour explaining his exact procedure and then answered our questions. We had not met this surgeon yet, but he is the head surgeon of the two cardiothoracic surgeons that they have here. He explained there were some unknowns still with the coronary arteries. These arteries wrap around the heart and pump blood to the heart muscle itself and they are the hairlike arteries that are 1mm-2mm thick. Basically, he explained that his anatomy was a little more complicated than the other arterial switch operations he had, but he explained all of the possible scenarios he would do to fix it. He also explained that the large hole (VSD) between his lower chamber was also very large and would be difficult to access to sew it up. Although the hole had been good for him before his surgery, its size complicates the surgery further. He explained 4 different access points to close it up if he can't reach it through one access, he'll cut through another and then another. The worst case scenario is through the ventricular muscle itself and it is not ideal because cutting through the muscles adds complications further on in life. Overall, he explained that they have to weigh out what is most important and to what standard because they have a certain desired time frame when the child is on bypass (about 2 1/2- 3 1/2 hours for a baby), which is when the heart is stopped to perform the reconstruction. We were amazed at the knowledge of this surgeon and we felt a great peace and comfort knowing that our child is in his hands. However, our peace came ultimately came from the Lord, knowing that He would guide the hands of this surgeon.

At 10:30 am, the made the initial incision. By 11:30 am, they put Levi on bypass to begin the reconstruction. They are planning to use all of the time they have and Levi is still currently on bypass and it is 2:00 pm. We feel the strength from all of your thoughts and prayers. Thank you. 

Rick and Sheryl Bangerter

Jared, Rachael, and Liberty 
Bangerter

We are waiting with Rick and Sheryl Bangerter, my husband's mission president and his wife. We have been staying with them when we are not sleeping at the hospital. This family is the other part of our story that we have yet to share. Their son, Jared Bangerter, at 29 years old, passed away February 1st of this year and he had one of the same heart defects (TGA) as our little Levi. He left behind his sweetheart, Rachael, and their 6 month old little girl, Liberty. We had planned on staying with the Bangerters since we heard of little Levi's condition in November. He passed two weeks before we were to be in Utah. We told them we would stay somewhere else and that we had no idea. Sheryl said, "Don't you dare!!!!!" It has been a neat experience for all of us. We have had so many tender mercies from the Lord through it all. It is amazing how the Lord orchestrates our lives. To add to the tender mercies, Levi was born on Sheryl Bangerter's Birthday, March 2nd. The Lord gives life everyday, but He also calls many home everyday. But that is part of our mortal experience, to receive a body and to be tested and proved here on earth. Hopefully we can prove ourselves worthy to return to live with our Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ. The Lord has shown us so many times that he is mindful of us through both Jared's and Levi's lives.