On June 23, 2010, Adam and I found out that Kelsey, our one month old baby girl, was born with a heart defect and would need open-heart surgery sometime during her first year of life. Exactly one year later, on June 23, 2011, Kelsey's heart was fixed! What an emotional roller coaster ride we've been on this past year. Thankfully, Kelsey did so well the doctors were able to wait until she was a year old to perform her surgery. She had a whole year to grow and get stronger and allow her heart to grow, which went from the size of about a grape to the size of a strawberry.
Kelsey is definitely a tough little girl. She did AMAZING with the surgery and recovery. Of course, we are so thankful to God for watching over our little girl and the surgeon. We know that He was certainly keeping watch over her and it was by His hand that she has done so well. Although this surgery is over and done with, there is a possibility for future surgeries. Her mitral valve still leaks, but the surgeon said as long as it stays the way it is right now she won't have to have any more surgeries. If it worsens they will have to go back in and probably replace the valve. We will just have to wait and see. I wish we would have gotten some pictures of Kelsey while she was in the CICU, but we didn't think we were allowed to. But anyway, here are some pics once we got moved to the step-down unit.
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| Hugging the giraffe Granny and Pa brought her. |
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| I think it's time for a little rest. |
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| Looking at a book with Pa. |
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| First time out of bed and going on a wagon ride! |
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| Looking at the fish in the hospital aquarium. |
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Logan drew this picture to hang on her bed at the hospital.
So sweet. |
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| More gifts! The Build-A-Bear we made for her. |
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| The chest tube is finally out and she can stretch out and relax!!! |
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| Getting some much needed rest. |
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| Look at all the balloons Kelsey got! |
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| Scar-Four days after surgery. |
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Scar-8 weeks after surgery!
Healing very nicely!!! |
