So the last update was the day of surgery. Things have been busy since then and are definitely looking up! We’re 4 days post surgery now and we’ve been moved twice, each time to less intensive care areas! We are totally off oxygen now and totally off pain meds. The pulmonary hypertension seems to have …
Author Archives: Dave
Surgery Day
Well today was our first big surgery day. Kate had surgery to repair a coarctation of the aorta (basically a narrowing of the artery that supplies blood to the entire body). Today’s surgery was to remove the narrowing to try and improve blood flow. This morning they sedated Kate, put her on a breathing tube …
We have a next step!
It’s time for another update! I swear I am trying to help Audrey find time to share her thoughts but today you get my update again! Today’s update is quick. Yesterday Kate had a CT scan that showed her PDA mostly closed (echo today shows it slightly open but that’s OK). The PDA closing is …
Day 12 – Still hanging in there
Sorry for the lack of updates. It’s been crazy busy and there hasn’t been much change. We’re still waiting for the ductus to close. The latest echo couldn’t give us any hard numbers on if it’s getting closer to closing or not so we just hang out and try to be patient. Kate is working …
On to Day Four
Just a quick update today. We’re on day 4 and things are still holding steady! Kate has been off of the drug to stop the ductus from closing for over 72 hours now and things are still looking good. We are very much in a wait and see mode right now. There was a second …
Meet Baby Kate
Yesterday, April 17th, 2019 at 6:48pm Kate Bernadette Royer was born! This is Dave’s quick brain dump about 24 hours after birth. Kate is at the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. Audrey was a rock-star during birth. We were at the hospital for about 1.5 hours before it was time to …
Echo number 3
Today we had ultrasound number three with the Perinatal Physicians. Audrey is at 32 weeks tomorrow. We got a 3rd chance to see how our little one’s growth has progressed and talk in detail for the plans for birth. The short version is, not much change. Our daughter will be in the Cardiac Intensive Care …
A Turn of Events
It’s been a wild week. Last Thursday Audrey and I learned that our little one likely has a Congenital Heart Defect. Specifically, she has an issue called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrom, or HLHS. HLHS is a situation where the left side of the heart is underdeveloped and can’t function properly. There is no danger right …