Good news from Lisa, who’s son Eli had surgery on Monday, February 9: Eli is doing great! Surgeons closed his ASD, resceted a “blob” of extra tissue near the Pulmonary Artery, and then performed the Bi-directional Glenn. Everything went well and Eli was discharged three days later! (And I get to tell you again that the drawing on the Glenn Operation page is not the Bi-directional Glenn… it’s the Unidirectional Glenn, sometimes called the Classic Glenn. It’s the operation that I have!)
February 9 is going to be your second birthday, Eli. Trust me on this one, I know. Because I’m coming up on my second birthday: On February 17, 1967, I had my first heart surgery.
“He’s down to hours,” Cardiologist Richard Rowe told my parents that Friday night. “We need to go to surgery right now.” Afterwards I was in the hospital three weeks; Eli only had to stay three days. Three days – times sure have changed!
You probably won’t see a post on my second birthday, since I’m traveling. I’ll be heading to Atlanta, where on Wednesday morning my Cardiologist will put his stethoscope to my chest and hear that Classic Glenn Shunt just chuggin’ along.
So Happy (second) Birthday, Eli! And I hope you have many, many more!
Your buddy;
The Funky Heart
Tags: Bidirectional Glenn, Birthday, Cardiac Kid, Cardiologist, CHD, Classic Glenn Shunt, Congenital Heart Defect, Heart Mom, Heart Surgery, Johns Hopkins, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Surgeon
Adventures of a Funky Heart! 
February 16, 2009 at 11:26 pm |
May God continue to bless Eli and family…and certainly you Mr. Funky heart. Team James will be thinking of you as you journey to ATL. Keep us posted on all the happenings. We said our prayers for you tonight and you’ll be happy to know that these transplanted yankees adopted true Southern Baptist spirit as we asked God to extend special “traveling mercies!” We will be saying special prayers for your blood work. Give our thanks to Doc McConnell for his dedication to CHD’s and making the time to lobby, lobby, lobby. God bless team Steve! Fight on.
February 17, 2009 at 7:25 am |
i was saving up the date you wrote in answer to my question as to whether you celebrate surgery dates!!!!!
HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY!!!!
February 17, 2009 at 9:43 am |
Steve,
I am copying this post and putting it in Eli’s scrap book. One of the cardiologists drew us a picture of a heart after the Bidirectional Glenn or 1 1/2 ventricle modification. When people ask what the surgeon did and I explain it, or whip out that picture…..well…..most of them are pretty speechless. lol
Happy second birthday! And prayers of traveling mercies from our family, too.
Take care,
Lisa
February 17, 2009 at 12:35 pm |
Happy Birthday!
February 17, 2009 at 12:35 pm |
Happy Birthday!