Faith Over Fear: Preparing for Surgery Day

We made it to Boston around 3:00 p.m. yesterday! The flight went smoothly, and both kids did well. After we landed, we grabbed dinner and then headed to the place we’ll be staying during our time here.

This morning, we arrived at the hospital a little after 7:00 a.m. for Abigail’s pre-op appointment. During the visit, we found out that Abigail has lost some weight. The team ordered thyroid blood work because the anesthesia team prefers not to put kids under anesthesia for an extended period if they have certain thyroid issues. Devin and I believe her weight loss is likely due to how active she is and that she simply needs more calories. While she’s under anesthesia tomorrow, they’ll also do additional lab work to rule out any other concerns.

After our appointment, we had lunch at Chili’s, stopped by Walmart to pick up groceries, and then met my dad for dinner. He happens to be in Boston this week for a business trip.

Tomorrow is the big day. We have to be at the hospital by 6:00 a.m., and the surgery itself is expected to last about 6–8 hours. With her airway evaluation, salivary gland injection, and everything else involved, the team expects she’ll be in the operating room for around 10 hours total. After surgery, she’ll go directly to the PICU.

Tomorrow, the ENT team will also examine her airway and give her an injection into her salivary gland to help reduce her drooling.

Devin and I would truly appreciate your prayers. As major as Abigail’s airway surgery was in April, we’ve found ourselves even more nervous about this one. This surgery has the potential to change so much for her. If it’s successful, it could allow her to have her trach removed soon. If not, she may need to keep it until she’s a teenager. We’re also praying this surgery will improve her speech, make eating by mouth easier, and eventually allow her feeding tube to be removed.

Thank you all for the encouragement, and prayers you’ve continued to surround our family with. We are incredibly grateful. Please pray for wisdom for every member of Abigail’s surgical team, for a successful surgery, and for a smooth recovery.