Fifth Update from Jeff: We have a Date

It's Christmas early in Palo Alto.  Or atleast it feels like that.  No, it's not snowing--it's still a lovely 70-some odd degrees with blue skies.  Our early holiday has to do with this:  after a morning of sulking becuase we didn't feel like we were progressing (I know, how quickly we forget and start feeling sorry for ourselves--go ahead and slap me), we were told this evening that Abigail is slated for surgery on Wednesday!  However, the physician who informed us of the good news added this disclaimer (and she repeated herself to make sure that we understood exactly what she was saying):  surgeries often get postponed or bumped because of greater emergencies, the patient's condition, or because the surgeon's favorite football is playing that night (ok, I'm kidding about the football part; although, it that were the case, I would hope that the surgeon was a BYU fan because he wouldn't have any reason to watch the second half, but I digress . . .). 

The announcement came as quite a shock to us, as just yesterday we were told that we wouldn't even show up on the schedule for more than 3-4 days (notice how quickly things can change in this world).  Looks like the Ward fast is already working it's miracles.  We don't know what time on Wednesday yet but we are at least on the schedule for Wednesday.

Our Surgeon

Dr. V Mohan Reddy from India, the Chief of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford, will likely perform the operation.  We were pleased to learn the following about his bio:

"Renowned for taking up rare and challenging open-heart surgeries, Dr Reddy created history in 2005 by conducting an open-heart surgery involving an arterial switch on a three-week-old premature baby weighing 700 gm. 

Surgeons called it 'miraculous' as the heart was about the 'size of a grape and the tissues were like pieces of paper'.

The youngest infant he has operated on was two hours old and the smallest, about 640 gm. 

A heart the size of a grape?  Surgery on two-hour old infant?  Are you kidding?  As you can imagine, we're feeling pretty confident about this man.  It sounds like he's the kind of guy that wants to take the figurative last shot.  I think he must wear a large S under his surgical gown.  No pressure, V.  

That's it for now.  I'll leave you with a intimate photo below.

Yep, the plumbing works.  Dad traditionally changes the first 

diaper in our family.  After 9 monthsof discomfort, that is my punishment.

Actually, it's usually a pleasure. Today it was.