Flying to Kansas City.

It took what seemed like hours before we were able to see Ema in the NICU at Wesley. By this point, she had four IVs; one in each arm, one in her belly button, and one in the top of her head. She was hooked up to a ventilator through a tube in her mouth. She was stable, and they were able to conduct a few tests that they couldn't do in Newton.

A cardiologist and neonatologist (a doctor specializing in ill and premature newborn infants) met with Becky and I to tell us what they had found. The explanation was that Ema was born with a congenital heart defect. This is basically a catch-all term form abnormalities in the heart that are present from birth. The cardiologist tried to explain the exact nature of the deformity. Based on the test they had done (which I believe was an echocardiogram) they believed that the problem was with Ema's aorta. A chest x-ray in Newton revealed that Ema's heart was enlarged. That information, with the results from the cardiac echo, led the cardiologist to believe that Ema's aorta was severely narrowed at some point after it left the heart. We later found out, after a more precise and accurate test, that this was not exactly the case. The cardiac echo also found what the cardiologist described as small holes (approximately three of them) in Ema's heart. This also sounds pretty frightening. Essentially, what this means is that passageways between the different chambers of the heart are not tightly sealed, which allows for some level back flow and blood mixing. Though this is clearly a concern, it is not as concerning as the problems with the aorta, which, at this point, hasn't been completely identified.

What we did learn from this meeting, was that the best cardiac surgeons are in Kansas City at Children's Mercy Hospital. As soon as Wesley could get Ema stable, they were having her flown to Kansas City. We left Wichita shortly after 11:30am and prepared to head to Kansas City.

Just so everyone can appreciate what we had been through to this point, here's a brief timeline/recap:

• 7:30pm Saturday - Ema comes home from Newton Medical Center
• 12:30am Sunday - We take Ema to NMC ER
• 4:30am Sunday - Ema leaves NMC via ambulance for Wesley Medical Center
• 11:30am Sunday - Ema is flown from Wichita to Kansas City Children's Mercy Hospital
• 11:30am Sunday - Becky, Donna, and I leave Wichita to pack some clothes for KC. 
• 4:30pm Sunday - We arrive in Kansas City and see Ema at Children's Mercy. 

By this point, we had not gotten a chance to shower or sleep. Just so you all can appreciate the full picture.