An oasis along the way

As Kevin and I continue along this journey we have been inundated with thoughtful cards, texts, messages and phone calls along with generous donations, maternity photoshoots, and a surprise shower. The love and support we are receiving keep us going during difficult times and provide us with little oases as we continue to walk along this path. We truly can't thank everyone enough. Events like this make you realize how many wonderful people are in your life and are willing to empathize and walk this journey with you. Thank you.

After Kevin and I received news about baby's heart, I envisioned this next part of our life as a hike through a dense forest with a formidable mountain ahead of us. We have had no way of knowing what obstacles will lie along this journey, but with each step we are drawing closer to this mountain that we must climb. With each visit the mountain has grown in size and appeared more treacherous than before. None of us know what is on the other side of it until we begin climbing. Our appointment at MUSC solidified that we are within days of beginning our hike up this mountain.

During our visit at MUSC we did not receive any new developments about baby. He continues to meet growth milestones. Kev and I had a chuckle that he may not be the longest baby with his short legs, but we will love every ounce of his little legs. The MUSC team communicated that they continue to have additional concerns outside of what is typically seen in HLHS. Our prognosis for him is a coin flip, and that may be being optimistic. Still, Kevin and I are trying to remain optimistic. We have never wished for anything more than a little man who is resilient and defies all the odds.

My C-section is scheduled for 8am on Tuesday, May 24th. Baby Matherly will be taken immediately afterwards for stabilization and Kev will stay with him. Once stable, Baby will begin his stay at the pediatric cardiology ICU (PCICU), and the next 72 hours will be critical. We should know early on the strength of Baby Matherly's heart and any damage to his lungs. If there are any complications the view from the top of our mountain is not a pretty one and every parent's worst nightmare. So please feel free to add us to prayer requests at your church or set your clocks the day of as reminders to send us strength and courage to tackle whatever lies ahead. Also pray that I stabilize quickly after my C-section and am able to join Baby and Daddy as soon as possible. Kev and I will do our best to keep everyone updated about Baby Matherly's prognosis as we have developments. For now, enjoy some of the views of our oases.