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Please pray for his grandson Nathan's surgery on June 10th.

To Friends and Family,

Firstly, we want to thank everyone for all your support and prayers for Nathan these past 4 years. It has been a tough journey for him and for us as a family and your thoughts and prayers have been a great source of strength and hope. We know that God has been listening to all the prayers and through Nathan we are reminded of His faithfulness. 

For those who do not know, Nathan will be undergoing open heart surgery on 6/10/16. His valve repair last February did not hold up due to his aorta which has dilated a great deal. For this upcoming surgery, they will reinforce his aorta and attempt to rebuild his aortic valve using a brand new technique called the Ozaki procedure. Since this is a new procedure it is not without risks, however we (and doctors) feel it is the best choice for Nathan at this time.

Please pray that the surgery goes well with no complications and that Nathan will be able to recover quickly. Please pray that this repair will hold in the long-term and that Nathan won't need any further interventions until he reaches teen/adult years. Please pray for us as a family that we will continue to trust and rely on God.

And because we know that many of you do not know Nathan's full story, here is a (not so) brief summary:

Nathan was born with aortic stenosis (aortic valve does not open fully) and we were told to monitor his condition as he got older. However, when he was 2 months old, his previously "normal" mitral valve spontaneously ruptured. We immediately could see that something was wrong with him when he turned pale and cold and was taking very shallow breaths. We rushed him to the hospital where he underwent balloon dilation to open up his aortic valve and then surgery to try to re-attach his mitral valve. However, surgery was unsuccessful as he was still left with significant mitral valve leakage and also had aortic valve leakage as a result of the balloon dilation. After a failed attempt to get him off the ventilator, we got second opinions and had him flown to Boston for his second surgery.

Surgery in Boston was successful and they were able to repair both his mitral and aortic valves. After nearly 2 months of being in the hospital Nathan was finally able to come home. However, as with all repairs at this age, it was not a perfect or permanent fix and we could only hope to buy some time before the next surgery. This became evident as his aortic valve developed a moderate leak and his mitral valve became stenotic (tight). He also developed pulmonary hypertension. With close monitoring, medications, and oxygen therapy, his conditions were well tolerated and he was able to grow (albeit slowly) and develop with few limitations.

While Nathan's mitral stenosis and pulmonary hypertension eventually stabilized, his aortic valve became progressively more leaky as he grew and at the age of 3 (last Feb) he went back to Boston for his 3rd surgery to repair the leak. Unfortunately, the repair only lasted a couple of months before it started to leak again due to his dilated ascending aorta which has now stretched out to the size of a teenager's. That is where we are today. 

Despite all that he as gone through, Nathan is as outgoing, curious, enthusiastic, determined, strong-willed, and independent as a 4 year old can be.  He has such joy for life and embraces each new experience with wonder and excitement. 

We thank you again for your thoughts and prayers!!

Love,

Jeffrey, Rebekah, Nathan and Elliott