Sleepy Girl

Precious Angel 2/2/12

Faith with her new quilt from the hospital 2/7/12

Faith waiting to go to surgery on 2/9/12

Faith snuggling with Daddy before surgery on 2/2/12

Surgery #7 Today

Faith is having her 7th surgery today.  This surgery is to repair the leak on the left side of her head where her 1st shunt was.  This site continues to leak.  This is a problem because if fluid can get out then infection can get in.  They can not put in a new internal shunt until this leak is fixed.  If everything goes as planned and the leak is fixed, she will have surgery to internalize her shunt next week Thursday.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you for all of your support!

With Love,
The Sunde's

Faith is 9 weeks old!

Faith is now 9 weeks old already.  She is doing well since surgery.  They test CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) every few days for infection.  The 1st culture was positve but all of the cultures since continue to be negative.  She has one more day of antibiotics.  They will continue to test the CSF between now and surgery.  The surgery to internalize her shunt is tentatively scheduled for next week Thursday, February 16th.  They have not decided yet where the new shunt will be placed.  Her 1st shunt was on the left side of her head.  The 2nd shunt was on the right side.  The left side of her head continues to leak.  This is how they feel that bacteria was able to get in.  It makes sense that if CSF can come out of the site, that bacteria can get in.  They feel that this site will eventually get enough scar tissue to heal completely and not leak but it will just take time.

We appreciate your continued support during this tough time.  Faith is such a little fighter!

With Love,
Steve and Michele

Surgery went well

Faith's shunt was infected and had to be externalized today.  The surgery went well.  They were able to take out the breathing tube so she won't have to be on a ventilator.  This is great news because she has always been agitated in the past when she had to be on the ventilator after surgery.  She is in recovery now and we are waiting to see her.  She will have the external shunt for approximately 10-14 days.  Depending how things go, she will have another surgery to put in another new shunt. 

Faith is just 8 weeks old and this is her 6th surgery.  She is such a fighter!  It is so hard for us to see her go through all of this.  We are thankful that she will not remember it! 

Surgery Again

Faith's shunt study showed that her shunt is malfunctioning.  They are trying to squeeze her in tomorrow and she is tentatively scheduled for surgery sometime between 3-5pm.  If they can't fit her in tomorrow, she will have it on Friday.  They are giving her tylenol to try to keep her comfortable.  She is very lethargic and not eating much.  We will try to update as much as possible.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you for all of your support.
With Love,
Steve and Michele

Back at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

Faith was doing well at home for a few days.  Tuesday she became very lethargic, low grade fever, and not eating. We brought her to the ER and she was admitted to the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit).  They will be doing a shunt study this afternoon to be sure her shunt is working properly.  They will also take a culture of CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) to check for infection.  That culture is checked daily for 3 days.  Her first shunt site is leaking again.  They are talking that she may have to have surgery tomorrow to try to repair that.  Prayers appreciated!