Remember Iris’ cardiologist, Dr. Armsby, telling me that there will be some bad days … but there will be good days too?  Wednesday was a very good day.

I received a call from Dr. Milczuk, Iris’ otolaryngologist.  Her team of doctors had met once more to discuss her case and they felt that we had two options for her surgery:  1) We could travel to Cincinnati.  Dr. Michael Rutter at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has more experience with Iris’ type of airway reconstruction than anyone else in the U.S.  So her heart repair and airway reconstruction would happen there.  Cincinnati Children’s is a wonderful hospital and she would be in very good hands …. Or, 2) Dr. Rutter offered to come to Doernbecher  … Dr. Rutter offered to come to Doernbecher!

I managed to ask questions regarding the benefits of each option … but honestly, one of my prayers had been answered.  We will be at home and Iris will have her surgery in a hospital that is familiar to us.  Dr. Langley will repair her heart and Dr. Rutter will perform her airway reconstruction.

The surgery hasn’t changed, but some of the outside stresses have been eliminated (travel, housing, etc).  I would’ve traveled anywhere to give my daughter the best possible care … as it turns out, thanks to the willingness of Dr. Rutter, that place is a tram ride away.

We don’t know the timing yet.  Dr. Rutter’s schedule will dictate that.  But for now, we’re thankful for this very good day!

Here’s a picture of Iris taken a few days ago in Dr. Armsby’s office, and another one after her bronchoscopy a few weeks ago.  Doernbecher represents a wide range of things to me … but to Iris, it is a place with games, fish, popsicles and really nice doctors.  As it should be.