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Awaiting the Norwood
Daniel will have his Norwood procedure on Monday, barring any unforeseen events. This surgery is huge. It completely restructures the heart, and it is performed on a newborn. In our case, it will be performed on our 5.5 pound newborn son who was born premature. It usually lasts between 6 and 8 hours, and it is the biggest, most complicated, most dangerous surgery Daniel will have.
Daniel will go on a cardio-pulmonary bypass machine, meaning his heart will be stopped for the duration of the surgery. He will still have blood pumped to his body during the surgery, but his heart will be stopped. Obviously, it is an open heart surgery, and Daniel’s chest will remain open for a day or two post op. Obviously Daniel will be sedated and intubated.
Recovery from this surgery is a much bigger deal than the PA bands surgery he had two weeks ago. Compared to the Norwood, the PA bands surgery is child’s play.
I am sitting up here by Daniel’s bedside, unsure what the future holds for our precious son. He is such a beautiful baby boy, and he is so much like David and Hannah were as babies. I feel like I already know Daniel, and I want to keep knowing him. I am so scared that something will happen. In our case, it is a very real, very possible fear.
Many of you have asked if there is anything you can do for us. Here is what you can do:
Pray for our boy by name. His name is Daniel John Geiger. He is a precious, real child who has already impacted us in profound ways, a child whom we love and adore so much already.
Ask your pastor at your church to pray for him during church on Sunday. He needs all the prayerful support he can get. Many of you have already told me you are praying for him in church. Please tell your pastor, family, and friends that Daniel is having open heart surgery on Monday and needs extra prayerful support.
Share the following prayer on Facebook, either by sharing this post or copying and pasting the prayer as your status. I think people are most likely to actually pray for Daniel if they have a pre-prepared prayer. Of course, pray any prayer you would like; you are not “required” to pray this one. I just wanted to have one ready in case you, like me, are sometimes intimidated by prayer.
Specific prayer requests:
Guide Dr. Dodge-Khatami and Dr. Salazar as they perform the Norwood operation.
Be with all of his other doctors and nurses in the Pediatric ICU as they continue to look after Daniel before and after his surgery.
Heal Daniel. Allow for a successful operation and recovery.
Strengthen us, his parents and family members, as we wait for surgery. Help us trust in God’s plan according to His perfect timing.
Please join us in lifting Daniel up in prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank and praise You for all the many blessings You bestow on us and for the life and strength You have already given to young Daniel.
As we await Daniel’s Norwood procedure on Monday, with our fears and worries, by faith we know that You are in control and have already prepared the way. Send Your Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen us to trust in You, knowing that Daniel, and we, are in Your loving hands.
We pray that You, the Great Physician, will guide the doctors, nurses, and the entire medical staff with wisdom and skill throughout this procedure to bring healing and restoration to Daniel, according to Your will. You know that our desire is to have him healed right here and right now, and we know that You can do that. We also know that Your plan may be to bring him home to You as one of Your redeemed and forgiven children through the faith You gave to him in his Baptism. Help us through it all to rest confidently on the promise You share with us in Your Word, that there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. We ask for Your presence to be with us, giving us patience as we wait and keeping us from all anxiety and fear.
In Jesus’ powerful name we pray. Amen