Arrival with Great Joy!

I am a guest blogger for Kendra.  I'm Val, Dave's sister and proud Auntie of Ethan, Abigail, and Rachel.

We have been preparing for this day for quite a few months now.  Finally all the the tests are completed, the wait time is over, and surgery is complete.  Family has travelled to be here for this special day.  We had lots of unanswered questions about what the day would bring.  What would Rachel present like?  Would she take a breath?  Would her heart beat?  Could we love her and hold her and watch her facial expressions?

We are so thankful for how the day has played out.  The C-section was booked for 1pm today.  Little Rachel was born a tiny 4 pounds and 12 ounces.  She breathed and cried.  Not a strong and lusty cry, but a cry none-the-less.  She turned pink and was given to her loving parents.

Rachel has a good amount of dark colored hair.  Her eyelashes are very long.  She sticks her tongue out a lot.  Ethan introduced himself "Hi!  My name is Ethan!" and wanted to tickle her.  Abigail is a very proud big sister.

The specialist came in to do an Echocardiogram.  Of the multiple issues that Rachel Amariah has, her cardiac anomalies determine the length of her life.  Things post birth are very much what was seen before birth with the addition of one more cardiac problem.  Her circulatory system is rather amazing.  Her little body has figured out how to compensate for some of her problems by creating vessels not seen in "regular" babies.  

Post birth the pressure in the lungs of a baby is quite high.  That pressure will drop in the next few days and as that happens Rachel's heart will begin to fail.  Her color will change and her breathing will become more rapid.  We expect to be able to enjoy her life for 2-4 weeks.  The next few days will tell us more.  The specialist says that she will likely experience no pain as her condition changes.  This is a big blessing!

Kendra is doing well post-op.  David is spending the night with them at the hospital while the other kids are with their Grandparents.  Kendra and Rachel will spend the next few days in the hospital and then decide whether to go home or to a hospice setting.  In the hospice food is provided and the family can just focus on being together and making good memories.

We are so thankful for all of your prayers today and request that you continue to lift us up.  We are relieved that things went so well and that we have had the chance to create memories with this beautiful baby.  Things will change.  Her heart will fail and Rachel will die.  The grief is different for all of us and most painful for her parents.


Welcome here Rachel Amariah Funk.  You are so loved!  Fearfully and wonderfully made....