28 weeks!

Josh and I made another visit to Maternal Fetal Medicine on January 18^th in which we met with the pediatric cardiologist again for an in-depth ultrasound/echocardiogram of Kirby’s heart. The news was again basically the same. He continues to be confident that the heart defect is an unbalanced Atrioventricular Septal Defect-complete. During the previous visit, he explained 2 different surgery options. The surgeries would depend on how the left side of the heart grows in comparison to the right side over the next weeks of pregnancy. So…. during this visit he proceeds to tell us the particular surgery he is leaning towards. Apparently he is seeing little growth of the left side of the heart meaning it is significantly smaller than the right side. The surgery would involve (in my words) rerouting the arteries and veins from the left side of the heart to the right side and to the lungs. He also proceeds to tell us that this surgery would need to be done within the first week or so after she is born….as compared to 3-6 months after birth for the other surgery. This would also involve delivery in Charleston and staying for surgery. With that said, he wants to get a second opinion from the surgeons in Charleston at MUSC to see what they recommend. We are scheduled to meet with MUSC on February 9^th with the pediatric cardiology and the OB/GYN. They feel confident that we will have answers and a plan when we leave that day.

So…there are the logistics and the medical findings, however, we continue to believe our God is greater and will heal Kirby. The sermon at church was awesome this week and helped us know we are on the right track. Pastor Tony spoke on prayer and what really stuck out to me was praying God’s word. Josh and I have been doing that since the beginning of this diagnosis. We continue to remind God of what his word says…. “by Your stripes I am healed”, “You come with healing in your wings”, “nothing is impossible with God”, Isaiah 43, etc. etc. We have faith to believe His word and faith to know that He will heal Kirby. We also continue to thank Him in advance daily for His healing. Continue to lift Kirby up in your prayers. We are so excited to meet her and are anxious for her arrival........less than 12 weeks to go! We are encouraged by your support and words of encouragement that we receive daily.

Update

So...it has been a while since the last update. It has been a super busy Christmas/Christmas break and I haven't sat down to write but here is an update since the last Dr. visit. We met with the pediatric cardiologist on Dec. 21. After another lengthy in-depth ultrasound, the Dr. basically confirmed what the previous Dr. observed. Kirby has an unbalanced (meaning that one side of the heart is smaller than the other vs both sides of the heart equal in size) Atrioventricular Septal Defect-complete along with possibly a Double Outlet Right Ventricle. This is news that we were already aware of so it was much easier to take this time....along with knowing God is in complete control. The Dr. gave us more information on surgeries and what to expect before, during and after Kirby is born. We continue to be at such peace with all of this and know that God is working. We are already seeing God work in our lives as well as the lives of others. It is amazing the support, the stories, the encouragement we have received over the past few weeks. Continue to keep us and baby Kirby in your prayers b/c we know it is working. Continue to believe with us for complete, total healing with no abnomalities or defects. May God use us in this situation to let his glory shine. Josh did ask the Dr. if he has ever seen this correct itself and the Dr. said "no"...... and something along the lines of it would have to be divine intervention....and God is still in the miracle working business! Thank you Lord that your word is the same yesterday, today and forever.....and that by your stripes we are healed.

Next Dr. visit

Our next visit is Wednesday, December 21. I will update you after that visit. Continue to pray and believe for healing in Kirby!

Thanks

I want to thank you all for your kind words, inspiring stories, scriptures, prayers. articles, love, support, and devotions that you have shared over the past week or so. We continue to have such peace and know God is in control. The responses have been overwhelming and I have not been able to return all the emails, calls, messages, etc., but please know I have read them all, printed them off and keep them close at heart. Continue to believe with us as we believe and step out in faith that God is going to heal baby Kirby.

She now has a middle name.....Kirby Faith Bradley...what better middle name could we possibly give her.

Baby reveal

20 Week Ultrasound

20 week ultrasound

A Journey of Faith

What a journey this week has turned out to be. I wanted to share with all of you how my life and my husbands’ life have changed dramatically in the last few days. On Monday, November 28, we were scheduled for a follow up ultrasound from our visit on Nov. 22. We went with the knowledge that they were not able to get all the views of the heart so we needed to have another ultrasound. We arrived at Maternal Fetal Medicine Monday with just that knowledge. Little did we know how God was about to change our lives. During the ultrasound, the tech continued to have difficulties finding all the views of the heart. Another tech was called in to take a look as well. At this point, I began to fear and knew something wasn’t quite right. The tears began to pour as the Dr. was called in to take a look for himself. The Dr. proceeded to explain what he was seeing which appeared to be a severe heart mal-formation in baby “Kirby”. The mal-formation is diagnosed as Atrioventricular Septal Defect-complete. We are told that this condition is basically a hole or separation in the wall that separates 2 of the chambers of the heart causing a problem in the way blood flows through the heart….this is all put in my terms b/c some of the anatomy is above my vocabulary. Ha. The Dr. told us this will not heal itself or grow closed and will require multiple open heart surgeries after birth. As a woman and future mother, I immediately don’t understand why this is happening to me and my emotions get the best of me. Thank God for a strong Christian husband. He immediately had a different view…….what an opportunity for a miracle to happen and for God to get the glory. We spent about 3 hours with what turned out to be a Christian Dr. to answer all of our questions, explain the process, listen to our concerns, etc. This is going to be process that will involve visits to Charleston before and after birth, meeting with pediatric cardiologist, monthly and weekly visits to 2 different OB/GYN’s, close monitoring, etc.

With all that said…… we know our God is greater than this diagnosis. We have cried, talked, prayed, etc. and we know that God has a plan in all of this….whether it is for us or for someone around us. I want to ask that you pray with us as we believe God is going to heal our baby girl. We are believing for complete healing and wholeness of her heart. We are also believing that God will use us and this journey for his glory. I know there will be times that will be difficult. I know in my heart everything is going to be fine with God on my side. We have felt such peace with this situation and am excited to see where we are going on this journey.

So, at this point, we begin a journey with God. A journey of extreme faith and a journey that will no doubt change our lives forever. Please join us in praying for baby “Kirby”.