Update:

Sometime after midnight of the day Rebel had her teeth removed her defibrillator shocked her. It shocked the Rebel too. When it happened a second time, I called the paramedics. Her heart was beating so erratically that she was getting a shock far too often.

Thank goodness a senior paramedic was in our neighbourhood and arrived before the ambulance. He got her vitals and started some an ecg and managed to get some sedation and other drugs into her to calm her heart.

We were in the hospital about an hour later. These guys were wonderful. In the hospital after the drugs wore off Rebel had more shocks. This time though she was hooked up to heart monitors and could see for herself how fast her heart was beating. It was almost worse anticipating the shocks than getting them. And there was nothing I could do. The emergency team and cardiologists finally got the arrhythmias settled through drugs and she was moved to the Heart Institute. It was at the Heart Institute they told us that the electro-radio-physicians had analysed her defibrillator and had counted 37

By this time it was nearly 11 AM and I was exhausted. The SU had to stay with RT who had heard all the noise and was scared but didn't want to leave her room. She had a friend sleeping over so that probably helped her. I needed to come home and get some sleep. Rebel's BF took me home.

While I was home however, her condition didn't improve. Her blood pressure had dropped quite dramatically, her breathing became laboured and she crashed. Code Blue, something right from tv. SU said the med teams RAN and did what they needed to save her. I was called and had a friend drive me back to the hospital. Rebel was being put on all kinds of machines to take over her organ functions because her heart.... just couldn't do it any longer. The doctor who led the team getting her on all the equipment came to see us immediately after and told us she was responding well to the changes and the processes. They have to check her neurological functions and will do that as they bring her out of the heavy sedation sometime on Sunday. She is now at the top of the transplant list. She is on the machines that are used for transplant and would be ready if a suitable donor was found.

Rebel is under fantastic care with an educated, caring team of health professionals. I've never seen so many machines and lines of equipment around one person. I had to smile because they have her covered in a special blanket - it was pink! her favourite colour!

The team lead doctor told us that Rebel has been discussed often in their heart failure and transplant meetings. He said as soon as heard he had an urgent need to be at the hospital for a 19 yr old heart failure emergency he knew it was her. He said the entire team is pulling for her- they want her to do well and they will do EVERYTHING within their power to get her there.

With that kind of commitment, and your prayers and good thoughts,

it's all I can ask.