BY GOD'S GRACE, MAY OUR FAMILY TREE BEAR GOOD FRUIT AS WE GROW TO KNOW & LOVE HIM MORE EACH DAY.

BEA & BECK'S HEART SURGERIES


When we decided to adopt Bea and Beck we knew little about their heart conditions. Really, it didn't matter to us what physical challenges we were accepting as we looked upon them similarly to a biological child, full of surprises. We knew that if the Lord
matched us with them and brought our union to fruition, then He also knew all the plans He had for us, and even if they
included hard, He had ordained them all as good. It's a privilege to be on this journey with them.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

Over time, it's been interesting to discover more and more about the complexities of both Bea and Beck's hearts.
To be more transparent, at times it's been daunting, heavy. And the Lord stands with us strong.

"But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me."
2 Timothy 4:17

Bea miraculously lived 4 1/2 years with severe issues that constantly stun her doctors and nurses. Beck's MAPCAs is the type that baffles. It seems that both of our little ones have beat many odds already as the Lord's hand upon them has provided amazing protection thus far. We have a long road ahead of us inevitably filled with surgeries, recoveries, and separations, but we'll take it one step at a time, trusting the God who created them in His image. He doesn't make mistakes. He loves Bea and Beck. And, He writes beautiful stories.

"For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them."
Psalm 139:13-16

 . . . . . .

 BEA:

In April of 2015, Bea had her first major open heart surgery. (Glenn procedure) She was set to have her next open heart surgery in 2016 (Fontan procedure), yet we were thrown a curve ball when the surgical team who performed her Glenn opted not to proceed. They felt that the complexities of her anatomy made the otherwise standard procedure inoperable. In other words, our daughter's heart would remain irreparable. We waited for a second opinion from the surgical team who performed Beck's operation up at Stanford and were thrown another curve ball in March of 2017 when Dr. Frank Hanley (deemed "the best heart surgeon on the planet" by her cardiologist who marvels as do we) informed us that in his opinion Bea's heart was favorable for the Fontan procedure. With prayerful consideration, we decided to proceed, and in June/July of 2017, Bea flew up to Stanford for her intricate Fontan procedure with Dr. Hanley. Praise the Lord, it was a success! Now, although our little Bea still lives with half a heart, her repairs allow her body to function with nearly constant 100% oxygen saturation! This is a miracle! She will still most likely need a transplant eventually (in the next 10-15 years potentially), but due to the rapid advances of modern science, we are told not be concerned with that just yet. The options she will have available to her by then will undoubtedly surpass our current ideas and options for heart transplant. Today, we trust the Lord and praise Him for healing Bea's heart in miraculous ways and for giving her the gift of fullness of life! God has truly blessed Bea!

(CHOC, Orange County, CA - April 2015)

(Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, CA - July 2017)

. . . . . .

 BECK:

In April of 2016, Beck had his first major open heart surgery (Unifocalisation + multiple other corrections-shunt, VSD closed, conduit) up at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Northern California (Stanford) with Dr. Frank Hanley (named the "world's leading specialist" for Beck's type of CHD). Miraculously, Dr. Hanley successfully corrected all of Beck's needs in the one surgery...an answer to prayer and truly amazing! We don't fully understand the future needs for Beck's heart yet, but we are hopeful that he will need no further surgical intervention and that he can even wean off of his medications at some point in 2017. More importantly, we know the One who knows all things and has a good plan for our beloved Beck and we know that we can trust Him. God has truly blessed Beck!



(Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, CA - April 2016)

In all these things, our Good Shepherd walks with us.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."
Psalm 23:4

 . . . . . .

Here's to documenting our journey through heart surgeries with our precious Bea and Beck:

DIAGNOSES:
BEA: Dextrocardia, Single Right Ventricle, Pulmonary Stenosis, Heterotaxy Syndrome...full repairs as of 6-29-2017
BECK: Pulmonary Atresia, VSD, MAPCAs (Major Aorto-Pulmonary Collateral Arteries)...corrected as of 4-14-2016

SURGERIES:


"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13
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