Elijah's Heart Journey: It's CHLA!

Monday, December 26, 2011

It's CHLA!

I hope everyone had a great holiday! So I told myself we would make our decision by Christmas and we have decided to go with Children's Hospital. We both believe that Elijah will get the best care there. My only frustration with the whole thing is that I will have to deliver him at Hollywood Pres. They are incredibly old school and have you transfer to five different rooms throughout the process of delivery. NOT GOOD. They treat the birthing process like some major surgical/medical event instead of a natural process. However, the NICU is run by all CHLA personnel and the positives outweigh the negatives. I still have to tell my OB and the high risk doctor we have been seeing, along with the doctors at UCLA. I still really like the people there and "breaking up" with them will be very hard. So that is where we are now. We have several doctors appointments this week so I will update later this week.

1 comment:

BenSeptember 19, 2014 at 2:59 AM
Dear Coley's....I've read nearly all of your blogs chronicling your life with Elijah and have been amazed at the similarities between our families. We are expecting our 3rd daughter in November and like you, we're terrified to learn that she will be born with a congenital heart defect.
Our daughter has been conclusively diagnosed with the following:
1. Double Outlet Right Ventricle
2. Right Aortic Arch with suspected vascular ring
3. Ventricular Septal Defect
Additionally, there are several other possible conditions that aren't expected to be diagnosed until the first few days of her life and could include and some of which may effectively render her left ventricle non-functioning:
1. Mitral valve stenosis
2. Pulmonary stenosis
3. Aortic coarctation
4. Left ventricular hypoplasia (mild to moderate)
We are in the midst of finalizing our hospital selection and have had a similar experience as you in that we love the people we've met at UCLA and we sought a second opinion at CHLA and are left now with the difficult decision of making the final choice.

Recognizing our similarities both experiential and from your writing an obvious philosophical alignment as well, your blog has us leaning towards finalizing our selection of CHLA as our hospital of choice in spite of our overwhelmingly positive experience at UCLA thus far.

After a UCLA visit after Elijah's birth, you referenced a confirmation of your selection of CHLA and I would love to hear why this experience confirmed your decision. I'd love to chat with you if you'd be willing about your decision because we will be making our own decision in the coming day(s).

I look forward to hearing from you, but understand if you can't respond.

With appreciation and admiration,
Ben and Teresa Sample (bsample@gmail.com + imteresabb@gmail.com)
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The Chosen Mothers by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer." The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy." "Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it." "I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you." No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps -"Selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted. She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them." She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side." "And what about her patron Saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."