Two steps forward....one step back

Well, we were a little disappointed this afternoon. As I've mentioned several times before, Emma Kate has had ongoing issues with stridor (hoarse sound when she cries or breathes) ever since she was intubated for the hear cath last Friday. We thought that she was getting better, but because she has episodes every now and then, the doctors decided that they wanted to do a scope to see if they could see anything abnormal from the vocal cords up. They didn't see anything abnormal there, so we were told that she needs to go back to the OR to check for abnormalities in other areas. Blah....If she did have any damage from the intubation for the heart cath or the open-heart surgery, it could cause narrowing of the airway and lead to a whole new set of problems. So, either tonight or tomorrow EK will go back to the OR to have a laryncoscopy and a bronchoscopy. A camera will be placed down her airway to check for any swelling or other abnormalities. If there is damage, they can somehow clean it up so that it heals more evenly. If there is narrowing of the airway, they can do a dilation with a balloon to widen it (similar to what they did for the heart cath). This is the gist that I've gotten from talking with the doctors, but to be honest, I've become pretty numb to what they have to say. We're just so ready to get back home! From a cardiac stance, Emma Kate looks fantastic, and Dr. Breitbart said that if she didn't have these stridor issues, she would be cleared to go home tomorrow. We are disappointed about yet another set back, but to keep EK safe, we have to do this. We hate for her to have to be put to sleep again. This will be the fourth time since we've been here. Her little body has just been through so much already. She will probably be put back in the CICU after the procedure so that they can watch her more closely. They are trying to coordinate the ECHO so that it can be done at the same time as this other procedure. Hopefully that will happen to save her from being sedated a fifth time. Please pray for a quick recovery for her, and for continued peace for all of us.