Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Feb. 3 Update - Pray for PDA closure in heart







Wendy and I visited Colton at 11:00 a.m. this morning. Let's start with some good news. First, he remains stable in terms of heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. His anemia seems to be resolved from the blood transfusions he received yesterday and they will continue to monitor his progress there. He has developed a heart murmur which is suspected to be caused by the PDA (artery that typically closes after birth) not having closed. They will check the size of the PDA opening via an ultrasound today. If it is deemed to be too large and not closing on its own, it will require surgery to close. We ask for prayers that this artery will close and be resolved without surgical intervention. Medicinal treatment for this PDA is not recommended as it may cause issues with the kidneys and/or his gut. We are hopeful that the murmur has appeared because the PDA is actually closing. In some cases, the murmur appears as the PDA becomes more narrow and starts to close. We are hopeful that Colton's PDA will be closing and the little guy won't have to be subjected to surgery. In terms of the possibility of a brain bleed, that situation still exists due to the aggressive extraction at birth. One thing we have working in our favor is that Colton has not had any seizures which are typically classic signs of a brain bleed. Please continue to pray for our little guy and we will update you with more details as we have them. Love, Bret, Wendy, Sydney and Colton

2 comments:

Penny said...

Hi Bret,
I have been reading your blog today and will commit to pray for your precious precious family! I couldn't read it without tears. It seems like you and your family have gone through quite a lot since 2004! What I do know about trials is they truly make you stronger. I will pray for this kind of strength for your, your wife, and sweet little Colton! Please let us know if there is anything we can do. Know that we are at Salem everyday and can help in any way we can!

Kelly said...

Definitely glad to hear the positives.

Thanks for keeping us all updated here and I will continue praying!!