First 4 surgeries completed!!!

Thanks for all your prayers...our bypass machine was repaired and we were able to run two ORs today. The first four surgeries are all in the ICU and doing well!!! Astrid was our first surgery of the year. She is 5 years old and had an ASD closure. She was awake, watching cartoons and playing with stickers and her stuffed turtle when we left for the night. Steven was our second surgery. He is 8 years old and had a TET repair. He is very very smart...he called Dr. Stromberg to his bedside and asked him if it was normal to have this much bleeding after surgery and then proceeded to negotiate with Dan on what time we would let him have something to drink. Next out of the OR was another 5 year old with an ASD repair named Madeline. She was awake and stable when we left but not happy with us because we wouldn't let her eat. Shortly after Madeline our last surgery of the day arrived. Arnold is an 22 month old with TOF and he is super cute!!! It was a great first day of surgery and tomorrow will be busy, busy, busy!!! I don't know the exact number but along with the four surgeries was have also completed many caths. Since our cath doctor was able to make it 3 other interventional cardiologist have taken his place. Tomorrow the second one leaves as the third one arrives. Please keep them in your prayers as they travel and pray that the transition is smooth and no flights get cancelled!

Now for a bit of sad news. Today a sweet 26 day old baby boy named Damion was brought to us by his mother and grandmother. They had heard the Cardiac Surgery Team was in town and they brought this precious little boy to us to see if there was anything we could do for him. Unfortunately he has a very complex heart defect that we are unable to repair here in Honduras. Lori and others are working to see if there is anyway we can get him to the states but it doesn't look good. If this baby doesn't have surgery soon he will not live. Please keep this family in your prayers.