3 Months Old

Claire was 3 months old yesterday!  She is so alert and playful and eating well.  For her 3 month birthday, she got to meet one of her great grandmothers for the first time, be held by her great grandmother for the first time, and also be held by her Big Daddy (my dad) for the first time.  What a day!  :)

Claire is being watched by the cardiologists to make sure that she is ready for the liver surgery on Tuesday.  We also met with the liver surgeon yesterday and she explained the procedure.  Basically she cannot find in any research that she  has done any reported cases of the combination of tetralogy of fallot and mesenchymal hamartomas.  She also said there were probably only 20 cases ever reported of the liver cyst/hamartomas being found in a prenatal ultrasound like Claire's was.  So this is pretty rare to say the least.  They will have to intubate her, put her to sleep, etc. but the general anesthesiologist and cardiac anesthesiologist will both be there I think.

The surgeon will cut about a 1.5-2" cut right below Claire's right rib cage and then cut about a golf ball size place out of the big cyst.  They will also go ahead and drain the fluid out.  If the medium cyst is close by, she may cut a hole in it too.  If not, she won't.  She said she will not be going in and looking around.  They don't want Claire asleep more than she has to be. 

We are very confident in the liver surgeon doing the procedure.  I have learned a lot about surgeons and their personalities in the past 6 months.  But this surgeon takes the time to come to Claire's bedside and talk to us. She is very nice and also very qualified and smart (we have read all about her on Duke's website!).  Most surgeons do not come by and talk to the family like she has.  At first, we didn't see her much and it was frustrating b/c we didn't know what was going on.  But since the doctors have understood something has to be done, she has been on top of it.  I can only imagine the life of a surgeon!  So much responsibility and work to do.  Definitely would not be something I could handle!

So please continue to pray!  I believe the other Claire had a shunt procedure today, so we have been praying for her.  I haven't seen the outcome yet. 

Love,

The Scott Family