Rescheduling of Cooper Ogle's Story on WATE 6

I was traveling back from Duke Hospital today anticipating watching the TIVOed interview with Emily and seeing our tiny man and did not get the message until late in the evening that the airing on Cooper's story has been rescheduled. I am sorry for the confusion. You really can see him on WATE 6 (Knoxville) 5 o'clock News on FRIDAY. Again thanks for your love, support and prayers....Donna

WATCH ME ON WATE TODAY!!!!

Watch for Mommie and Daddy and Me on WATE channel 6 (Knoxville) FIVE oclock news with Kristin Farley! Wednesday Jan 31.

Heart/Vascular Surgery Report

Hello all my friends and family,

Today was a precious day. It started very early with visits from Mommie, Daddy, Nana Ogle, Aunt "Larry" and GrandmaRie. I was happy to hold hands, kick and get kisses. My mommie's smells so good and I love her kisses. And my Daddy is my best buddy!

Then I got really sleepy and someone took me to surgery. The Doctor removed the vascular ring that was closing my bronchial tube and trachea. He also patched the two holes in my heart.
He told my family that it went well but that I need to rest for a few days before he wants me to try breathing with out the ventilator. He said it may take several attempts over time before my bronchial tube is ready to do the job without assistance and that we should be patient.

Please pray that the bronchial tube cartilige will grow strong quickly...the sooner it is working well the sooner I can come off the ventilator and start the thymus and parathyroid transplants. Boy, I am so busy! Mommie and I are "booked" for the the next 6 months to a year! Then I can come home to you all. I will show you how well I can jump and play then!

Love and kisses, "Little Coop"

Getting Ready for Surgery

Cooper will have surgery Monday morning. They (doctors) are not promising it will get him off the ventilator. (God is bigger than our fears.) They will remove the vascular ring from his Bronchial tube and trachea and repair the holes in his heart. This will prevent congestive heart failure but there is still a problem with the cartilage that should support the bronchial tube. We need for it to grow before he can come off the ventilator. Please pray specifically that the bronchial tube and trachea will heal quickly so that he can breathe on his own. I am specifically concerned about his development if the vent is used too long. He has such a bright personality but has been sedated for almost 2 weeks now; and we miss interacting with him.

Surgery postponed until next week

Hi Everyone,
I am back in Seymour; Brooks and his mom and brother are traveling home today. Emily remains with Cooper and will be joined by her sister Laura for a few days. Cooper has developed pneumonia therefore surgery has been postponed until next week. Please pray for a rapid and complete recovery. I thank God for His care and for all of you. Donna

Update from Duke

Hello everyone.
Cooper did fine on the transfer to Duke Medical Center. He is stable and the calcium issues are being addressed so he appears to be less fragile. Today has been very busy with various tests of his unusual and severely complicated vascular system. This is expected with DiGeorge Syndrome. Surgery has been delayed for a few days so that the team can be as educated as possible on Cooper. In honor of our tiny man when things are complicated our family has coined a new phrase...cooperized. This is definitely a situation that has been "cooperized." Good thing God knows "Little Coop" and can not be confounded by any complications....GrandmaRie...(donna)

"Leaving on a Jet Plane Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again"

Hello everyone! It is an exciting day for me. I am holding tight to my little lamb cause I am a little scared. I am flying on a plane today. I have only ridden in a car a few times so planes are a whole new thing! The staff at Children's have spent days preparing me for a safe trip and the staff at Duke have been learning all about me. So everyone is ready. I will have surgery either today or tomorrow. I have been very tired but I will feel better after the surgery. I will be able to breathe so much better than I ever have. I am still counting on you all to pray to me and I have been told I am like my little lamb and that you are all holding me tight in your prayers. Thanks. I really can't wait to get well and get to know all of you! Love "Little Coop"

Sat. Jan 13

Cooper's condition continues to be fragile. He is currently dependant on the ventilator where previously the vent was a "security-blanket" against the airway constrictions. The jet will pick him up tomorrow in the early afternoon. Brooks and Emily will travel by car early in the day to be there when he arrives. I plan to meet them there later in the day. Reports are conflicting as to how soon the surgery to remove the vascular ring that obstructs his airway and repair his heart will be; Sunday , Monday or Tuesday. Please pray for ASAP because he is so very tired and so very fragile. Still standing on the One Who Loves the Little Children.

January 9, 2007

We never cease to be amazed and confounded by the value of Cooper's life. The fact that he has been able to compensate for the airway restrictions all this time (4 months) is truly a testimony to the marvel of his will to live. Tonight he is on the ventilator breathing better than he has been able to before. He is getting some very well deserved rest before his next big struggle. Today's scan revealed the cause of the bronchial tube restriction; a vascular ring squeezing the pathway shut. Children's Hospital has appealed to Duke's cardiologist and vascular surgeons to plan and carryout surgical intervention. It has also been proposed that the hole in the heart be addressed at the same time. Please pray that the teams can work together quickly to transfer Cooper to Duke and proceed with these procedures. As always the ventilator is a risk in itself. Cooper needs your loving prayers to surround him. I am grateful that we have been able to count on each of you. Please pray that Cooper will continue to be a testimony to the fact that "Jesus loves the little children....they are precious in His sight."

Monday Jan 8, 2007 10:37 pm

Well there is good news and not so good news... However I trust the One Who is the Good News to guide Cooper (and all of us through).

Good News.... Cooper's echocardiogram shows marked improvement of the 4 major defects in this heart's anatomy. The cardiologist has reported that his heart has been growing and changing in great and unexpected ways.The prospect of any need for surgical intervention is greatly reduced! ( remember we trust the One Who is the Good News!)

The not so good news... a scope was done of his airways to determine why he stops breathing and then his (recently much more healthy) heart stops beating has provided some challenging answers.

1) The small jaw line caused by Cooper's syndrome caused this tongue to completely close this throat. The surgeon offered no known treatment other than ventilation or a tracheotomy. He successfully and with much difficult placed Cooper on a ventilator.

2)The scope also revealed that Cooper's left bronchial tube is nearly completely closed. C-scans will be preformed soon to attempt to determine specific cause (other than the generalized knowledge that it is syndrome related).

( Remember we trust the One Who is the Good News!) Donna

Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007 about 9 a.m.
Cooper's nurse reports he has coded again. Dr.'s Prinz and Andrews were on site and after 4 minutes of compressions and "bagging" he responded and is currently breathing on his own. Ventilator is not an option due to malformation of the throat and bronchial tubes caused by the DiGeorge Syndrome. We need a medical miracle and we need it now. Standing in the valley with your prayer support. Waiting for God....

Friday Jan 5 8PM
Emily made a call to Duke University to make sure that Dr. Markert is aware of Cooper's struggle with his vitals this past week; she was not aware of it. Dr. Markert is now conferring with staff at Duke and at Children's to see if we can have Cooper moved sooner. (early next week-- God willing!) We are hoping they can go ahead and repair his heart while we are waiting for the FDA to approve the Thymus/Parathyroid transplant. We believe his "episodes" are due to calcium levels getting too low for his weakened heart. What we need you to do is pray for God to guide this process and get Cooper the help he needs before his little heart just quits. The fact that Dr. Markert is even available is miraculous...keep praying! Thanks! Cooper's GrandmaRie (donna)

Thursday Jan 4, 2007 10:46
We have had a difficult few days...Cooper appears to have a virus. (Bacterial cultures are negative and we are waiting on a flu/viral swab results.) (Reported Negatiave on Friday) He has been feeling really bad for 3 days. Today he dropped his heart rate and went blue again. It took the team about 15 minutes to bring his vitals back to a "normal" level. Please keep his name before the Lord. Emily and Brooks too. I will be spending the afternoon with him. Thanks Donna