Update: Day 4 {in surgery}

Another quick update.  His heart cath yesterday was kind of good and kind of bad.  They we’re really hoping to find something they could actually go ahead and fix in the cath, but the cath only really revealed that his body is just not cooperating and moving blood as quickly as it needs to be.  After his cath he really struggled with heart rhythm, heart rate and blood pressure and was not responding to the external pacemaker. They got him stable, but he continued to remain on a cooling blanket because every time his temp hit a certain number it would shoot up and all his stats would go crazy.  They began talking with us about how they really needed to see improvements because it was looking like they would have to take him back into surgery to put in a shunt to help his low oxygen.

Last night Josh Kelley had a plane ticket booked for home early this morning, but around 11ish he said he just didn’t feel good about it so we text our sweet friend and she cancelled the ticket.  We went to sleep last night with him stable, but our sweet boy had another rough night and his oxygen sats continued to drop and his team fought with his bloodwork and other stats all night.  We woke up to news of surgery. His oxygen saturations we’re still too low while his heart rate & rhythm and blood pressure could not settle out.  They had exhausted all their tricks and he was just on too much support.

While we are incredibly bummed about this shunt…it likely throws a major kink in his candidacy for the Fontan he needs…we just want to see pink lips and get him back to sitting on counter tops. They took him back at 9 and we we’re prepared for no updates during the 4 hour surgery since staffing is low on the weekends, but his nurse in the ICU just called and said she heard he was doing well.

He is such a gift & joy.  I just hold his little cold, purple hand and sweep his hair to the side and kiss his sweet cheeks and whisper in his ear how much we love him.  I keep thanking God for his life and how he has just made us all the luckier.  We feel sad and definitely discouraged, but I refuse to ever not see God’s goodness and wonder.  We are holding onto hope for our Everett Louie Shuai and waiting expectantly for what all God has in store. Thank you for the continued prayers.

18 Comments

  1. Kim Stone says:

    Thank you for sharing your story with us and allowing us to fall in love and pray for your sweet boy!
    I will never fail you. I will never abandon you. Hebrews 13:5

  2. Laura,
    A lot of people are praying in Collierville – praying God will our answer our prayers.

  3. Praying for your sweet boy!

  4. Melinda says:

    So. Many. Prayers.

  5. Emily Roney says:

    Laura I’m praying for this amazing sweet boy! Lots of love forever!

  6. Frances Dunaway says:

    I pray for him each day and today I cried. I am in love with Everett. You and Josh are brave and tough and God lovers. Bless all of you.

  7. Prayers abundantly going across the globe for this precious child. You know God is in control even if we can’t see it. You are awesome parents chosen to walk this tough road with him and that was His design

  8. Lisa Russell says:

    More prayers for your boy!!

  9. Praying!

  10. Carolyn Phillips says:

    So much love for this sweet child of God and your beautiful family. Holding you and surrounding you all in prayers and love!! Can not wait to see this boy back on the kitchen counter!!! Love from Concord, NC

  11. Lynda Hall says:

    My heart is so heavy! I can’t imagine how you are feeling, but I do know God is in charge! Praying hard for precious Everett, you, Josh and the kiddos! Prayers are being said in Columbia and San Antonio!

  12. Aunt tootsie says:

    Keeping our SS class aware of what’s happening, we have some prayer warriors!
    Thank you for keeping us updated. Love you all❤️❤️❤️

  13. Grace greene says:

    Praying for Everett and you!! Thank you for allowing us to walk this journey with you.

  14. Thank you for the update, we will not stop praying! Hugs!

  15. Heartfelt prayers and sturdy courage to you, my friend. Hang tight to Jesus.

  16. Oh, Laura. We’ve been traveling and didn’t have Internet, so I haven’t checked for two days. I kept praying, but now I know what to pray for. Thank you for taking the time to update us in the middle of everything going on. I wish I could give you a hug.

  17. Praying in Johnson City, Tn for this sweet boy and your family. I need to see those counter sitting while he’s eating snacks in my Insa stories. I love those.☺️

  18. I keep reading your updates and crying imagining it were my sweet girl in that bed. I was so moved by this statement in your post: We feel sad and definitely discouraged, but I refuse to ever not see God’s goodness and wonder. Praying for your sweet Everett. Praying for a miracle, believing God is able. And knowing that whatever happens, God and His love for you and your family is unchanging. Praying that through this most difficult time God would continually show you his loving kindness. That you would see glimpses of his glory amidst all the pain and suffering. He is with you always. Lying next to your sweet boy, stroking his cheek. Sitting with you as you feel a roller coaster of emotions each day, each hour, each minute. May you find rest in Him, peace for your anxious heart and mind. Knowing that he has you, Everett and your family all in His hands and loves you more than we can fathom.

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