Transplant

We've been in contact with Gavins medical team off and on this week. Gavin continues labs to keep track of his INR levels for his Coumadin treatment. He continues to rest and keep his cardiac out put low. Which we are content with because it keeps him symptom free!

Thursday morning I spoke with Gavins cardiologist who was out of town when Gavin was hospitalized. He wanted to catch up and see how we felt about all the conversations and treatment plans we discussed in the hospital. He said he would call back after they conferenced yesterday. 

Every Friday a team of heart doctors, surgeons, nurses, and medical staff meet about different cardiac patients. They discuss their situation and what plan of treatment would work best for that child. Gavin was a part of that discussion yesterday. About 6:30 last night, Gavins cardiologist called... Adam and I put him on speaker and listened as he told us what they felt would be best for Gavin. It has been decided that instead of doing any intervention, it would be best to list Gavin on the heart transplant list now. Everyone agrees it would not be favorable to Gavin to open him up and try something that we have no idea will even work. Essentially we knew this day would come, just didn't think this soon. For years we've been putting a bandaid on Gavins heart, and the bandaid just isn't working anymore. 

What are we feeling? We're feeling mixed emotions. We feel a sense of relief that we have a plan. We feel sad, knowing that another families grief will be our joy. We also know that getting a new heart isn't a cure, we're trading one set of problems in for another. But we also feel excited about the quality of life Gavin will have, and we pray that his new heart will last him a very, very long time!

Please be in prayer as we go on this journey. This is a whole new world for us. We have a lot to learn! We're thankful for the many transplant parents that have already reached out to us and helped us in the beginning stages. 

Monday, OKC will call STL Childrens to get the ball rolling. In the meantime, Gavin will have more labs here to check some other heart function levels. 

Thank you to everyone that has prayed for us. We feel your prayers! Gavin is in good spirits but desperately misses his friends and his school. 

As we come upon Thanksgiving, we have so much to be thankful for. When this all started around this time last year, we honestly didn't know if Gavin would make it to Christmas. We had such a grim outlook and there was not a lot knowledge on his situation. I am so thankful he was able to have a procedure that gave us another year with him. Here we are, planning his next step in the journey. And I am just thankful, thankful God has given us this opportunity. 

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Godʼs will for you in Christ Jesus.” ‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭NIV‬‬