ONCE UPON A TIME THEY TOLD US SHE WOULD PROBABLY NEED A HEART TRANSPLANT...

...but today we were told that she will live happily ever after with her own heart.

Matt and I expected good news today for Lauren's scheduled appointment at the Heart Clinic, but nothing could have prepared us for the words that were used today. Her cardiologist used words like "normal heart function" and "healthy" to describe how her heart is pumping. The complication in her aorta remains unchanged, which suggests that it may never be an issue for her.

After her first two surgeries last August, her ejection fraction was 10%. That meant that every time her heart pumped, only 10% of her blood was actually pushed out so her heart had to beat really fast to try to get enough blood out and around her body and her heart. Today, her ejection fraction was...

67% only sounds like a C, but really it is an A+ considering that a normal ejection fraction is between 65 and 70%! What, did you say my kid is normal? Average, even? I'll take it!!!

The news today was even better than what I was nervously optimistic for. I believe in the power of prayer and of asking for specific things. I prayed for an ejection fraction of 60% and I love that God gives even better gifts than we ask for!

At the last appointment, we were told not to even think about Lauren coming off of any of her medication any time soon, but today one of them was decreased a little, with talk of starting a medication wean at her next appointment. Oh, and that next appointment, by the way, isn't until 2014!!

One of the blah things from today is that her reliance on her pacemaker has gone up, but, hey, we had no idea so at least it is doing its job! That's what it is there for. The battery should still last until she is 10 or 11 and that is wonderful news.

When we got home and I was putting a still-drunk-off-the-sedation Lauren to bed, I lost it and started crying. It feels so amazing to shed such tears of joy. I felt like I was throwing off the last year as I cried. I am so happy with the news that Lauren's heart is doing better than they had expected and that it shouldn't stop her from doing anything she wants to as she grows. The weight that has been crushing all of us for this past year has just been thrown off. I could barely control myself as I let the tears flow and wash away the fear, stress, and constant worry of the past year. Thankfully I didn't wake Lauren up because she really needed that nap!

 I feel like this photo of Lauren sums up my feelings exactly. The freedom and joy that it portrays is spot on. Just under a year ago, we were looking at the possibility of Lauren needing a heart transplant. Today, as we get ready for the weekend fundraising garage sale for Children's Hospital, we go in knowing that we are giving back to a place that gave us the most precious gift.

Lauren's heart has some scar tissue, but it is beating hard in her little chest. She will dance and run and climb and jump (once she figures out that her feet actually need to leave the ground to jump) and we won't have to worry about if her heart can handle it. We could not have received better news. Praise the Lord!