Week 26 Update (December 5, 2013)

Friends, 

 

First, she has a name! Foster Grace Lucas. Foster is Drew's mother's maiden name. It was one we had tossed around early on. Given the implications of it's meaning, to promote the growth or development of, it is just perfect. We will call her Foster. Maggie is still sore about "Muffin" being cast aside, while Joseph laments the exclusions of "Thor" and "Daisy." 

 

Yesterday we returned to Duke and saw the Fetal Medicine folks. We alternate weeks between the pediatric cardiologist and the fetal medicine specialists. The appointment was an answer to our prayers. Foster's heart status remains unchanged. Her ventricular rate remains in the low 50's, which is way low, but her heart is not showing any signs of failure. Despite the heart rate, her body is growing and the heart appears to be keeping up without distress. The things they are checking for every week are enlargement of the heart and the collection of fluid around it or elsewhere in her body. This is called "hydrops" testing and it is very scary because things are not good when they start to see the hydrops. So far, we have none. 

 

This is week 26. We really need to get her to term for the pacemaker. Thirty-two weeks is the minimum for the tiniest pacemaker. We pray, pray, pray for more appointments like yesterday. We pray that the heart doesn't begin to struggle as she gains weight and her body requires the heart to pump more blood. For now, she is tick-tocking along in there. Everything else looks fine. Her body appears strong and healthy. She is an extremely wiggly baby. Much more than the other two lazy bums were.  

 

I say again, the presence of the Lord is so strong in this. We have numerous testimonies of how we have been touched both subtly and not-so subtly with reassurrances and reminders to trust by faith alone. It's overwhelming. Despite this challenge, things feel like they are working together for good. (That does not mean I have not thrown objects and had good old-fashioned scare-the-dog meltdowns. Drew has neither thrown anything nor scared the dog, by the way.) We continue to continually pray for the sufficiency of her heart, for peace in our hearts as we go through the next few months, and for the ability to feel joy through the stress.  Living week to week between these appointments feels like there is so far to go. We just need more weekly appointments like this one. 

 

Much love, 

Drew & Anna