Today we went to visit the head pediatric cardiologist at Children's Hospital. I have been blessed to have Dr. Johnston and Dr. Vernon correspond with me over this last year, multiple times each, to better prepare our family for her and to help the chances of our family to receive her file.
Dr. Johnston is not working today with patients... and, in fact, is completely booked until mid September, but he wanted to meet Amaris and learn more about her heart.
Amaris was diagnosed with Tetrology of Fallot (TOF). She had it repaired in China... a true gift to our family for sure... even though they waited until she was 14 months old. Dr. Johnston said that of all his Chinese adopted children with TOF, Amaris had the very best surgery and results and that her doctor really knew what he was doing. Her patch was beautiful.
Today we were able to get a baseline echo and lung x-ray. It was nice being put to ease.
There were over 100 images captured of her heart over the half hour.
While she was getting the ultrasound of her heart, she fell asleep,
so they called in the next technician to hook her up to all these wires.
Amaris woke up when they started checking her blood pressure.
They attempted to get readings on her left leg, but they were really low...
so, the technician felt it might be an error, so they tried her right leg next.
Then, the question I have wanted to know since I learned about oxygen saturations back in February...
What is Amaris' oxygen saturation level?
Well, I was over the moon to see that it was 100%... Praise you Jesus!
Not every family I have followed and prayed for has had such great oxygen saturation levels.
She had 100% oxygen saturation and good vitals.
Dr. Johnston was great. He did his best to explain to me what is going on with her heart.
I don't remember a thing he said though... except the common language stuff...
She looks great! She can do anything... she can play soccer and basketball...
Return each year for an Echo.
When she is a late teenager or in her 20's she may need to have a pulmonary valved replacement.
The right side of her heart is larger than her left due to compensation.
We are so blessed to have her in our family.
When I emailed Dr. Johnston June 20, 2011, I already knew that this was my baby girl and
there was NOTHING he could have told me that would have changed my mind. NOTHING!
He had reviewed a handful of files of baby girls that I was interested in adopting,
but I KNEW that God had created her for us.
I decided to get a base-line for her lungs... since I have heard so many people talk about their children's lungs being too damaged for surgery... I wanted to know what Amaris' lungs look like right now.
Prior to leaving, we had the x-ray of her lungs done.
Interestingly enough, the only time she cried all day was when we went into this room.
Ironically, they WANT her to cry.
She started crying just a few steps into the room and stopped crying as soon as the two x-rays were taken.
Must have been a God thing!
Afterwards, we stopped to look at our favorite fish tank.
Amaris is one of the "lucky" ones in her orphanage in southern China. Most of the children will never have surgery... whether or not they are made available for adoption. But, God had a different plan for Amaris... and, WE are the "lucky" ones.
Psalm 139: 13-16
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.
I feel like God has given us such a HUGE blessing... this girl is like a little SuperGirl!
