Update – 12/20/2006

We have been praying for substantial improvements in Hannah’s condition. All blood work has come back with good results. Her capillary refill has returned to normal at 2 seconds. Today her heart rate decreased to the 125-140 range. She has been completely weaned off of the Dobutamine. Praise God for the healing process that is taking place before our eyes in our little girl’s heart!

The cardiologist has begun the procedures for getting her listed for a heart transplant, but they are going to wait to see how she does through the weekend before she is listed. The next big goal is to get her off of the breathing machine and try to wean her off of the sedation and paralytic medication. She is scheduled for another ultrasound tomorrow. Please pray that the ultrasound will show that her ventricular function has improved!

Update – 12/19/2006

An ultrasound today showed that the interior diameter of her left ventricle has decreased from 4cm to 3.4cm. The fluid around her heart has substantially decreased. All blood work has come back with good results. Her capillary refill has decreased from 4 seconds to 2 seconds (if you press your heel, this is the amount of time it takes for the blood to return) — this indicates that her profusion has gotten better. Today her heart rate decreased to the 150-170 range (when we originally took her to the doctor on Friday, it was 212, and we’ve seen it as high as 250). She is being slowly weaned off of the Dobutamine medication, and she has responded very well. We are told that the best news is that her condition has not worsened. Praise God for the little victories that we hold on to every day!

Update – 12/18/2006

Hannah is listed in critical but stable condition. She is heavily sedated and is on a breathing machine to give her heart a chance to rest. She received a blood transfusion Sunday night, which helped increase her hemoglobin levels and increase oxygen to the rest of her body. They did an IVIG treatment Sunday night, which added antibodies to her blood to help her fight the virus (if it was a virus that caused this in the first place).

This condition was more than likely caused by either a viral infection or a genetic anomaly. We are praying that it was just a virus, and after it passes ventricular function will improve. If it was genetic, then the cardiologists say that she will probably need a heart transplant. Please pray that God would heal her heart and she will not need a transplant!