Before/During/After Pictures

Pete & Em before surgery

Chas and Kate hanging out during surgery


Sitting up and smiling less than 10 hours after surgery!

Wonder Woman

Hi everyone - Well...Emily may lack the strapless suit, gold lasso, and protective cuffs but she is truly a Wonder Woman! She is resting comfortably today, taking it easy and getting lots of shuteye. Yesterday she continued to wow all of us - by 4:00 pm she was out of bed, sitting in a chair, and chatting with me, Mom, and Dad. Please keep the wonderful posts, messages, and prayers coming! We'll be sharing your well wishes with Em while she recovers, and Pete is checking the blog regularly. By the way, THAT DUDE is simply amazing! The kids are happy and the sun is shining so all is well. I'll post some new pictures now. Bye, Kate

Recovery

Emily has been in recovery for three hours now after a 7 hour surgery. She is doing great and I have just been admiring her fingers in disbelief (they are a beautiful PINK.) Her oxygen saturation is 98!!

This is just amazing.

I did not sleep last night and will go home around noon for some rest.

Thank you for all your love and support. I felt it all the way out here in Utah.

Love, Pete

New Heart!!

Emily has been in recovery for three hours now after a 7 hour surgery. She is doing great and I have just been admiring her fingers in disbelief(they are a beautiful PINK.) Her oxygen saturation is 98!!

This is just amazing. Thanks you, thank you for all your support. I felt it all the way out here in Utah.

I did not sleep last night and will go home around noon for some rest.

Love, Pete

Things are going well!

It's 2:15 am in SLC and Chas, Pete, and Kate just heard from the OR that everything is going smoothly with Em's transplant. The old heart is out, and the new heart is in. She is still hooked up to the pump for blood flow and they say it will be another hour or two before they've got everything sewed up. Nothing out of the ordinary except for Em's "unique" anatomy, which they've got covered in spades. The heart is still cold so they will begin warming it up soon. Here we sit with empty Starbucks cups and People magazine (with Elizabeth Smart on the cover no less!) in an empty hospital. All is quiet on the western front. Stay tuned for more good news in a few hours.

Officially Getting a New Heart!!!!!

Emily just went into surgery. What an afternoon and evening. This is all very fast and amazingly fortuitous; great team on call tonight, Chas is here with me, Kate will be here in a few hours, and most importantly Emily is VERY positive. As everyone knows from her post this is status quo. She is excited to start a new phase in her life.

The surgery should take between 4 and 8 hours so we will be here all night. The heart was harvested sometime this evening and they sent a jet and surgeon to go get it. We were not told any details, just that it was a great match.

Mason and Liam are at home with Allie and sleeping soundly.

We know all of you are praying and pulling for Emily.

Love, Pete

Officially listed!

Hello again family & friends:
First, we thank you for the many encouraging words of love and support. Second, we wanted to let you know that I am officially on the heart transplant list as of this afternoon. We probably will repeat lots of info. here since we can't remember what we already wrote, but being on the list means that I am now wearing a pager 24/7 (well it will be by the bed at night), I must remain within 1 hour of the hospital at all times, and I may "get the call" that I have matched with a donor any day or in a year or year and a half! So, put your seat belts on and enjoy the wild ride!
Love and peace, Emily, Pete, Mason, and Liam