The Lipkes: 'Time and again ... our prayers were answered'

A sign on the front door warns against entering if you're sick. Inside, an industrial-size bottle of antibacterial cleanser greets those healthy enough to get that far. On the couch, 2-month-old Kate Tyler Lipke lies against her father Scott's chest for her 9:30 a.m. feeding. A tube in one delicate nostril delivers nourishment and medications to Kate's body every three hours. She's had one heart surgery and needs to gain weight for her next one in February.

Ashley and Scott Lipke discovered something was terribly awry with Ashley's pregnancy during a routine ultrasound early this year. "I'm a nurse, so I knew almost immediately something was wrong because they were spending way too much time looking at her heart," Ashley says. "I looked at Scott and I said, 'You need to start praying.'"

Scott, who is the state representative from Jackson, Ashley, their families and friends, church congregations throughout Southeast Missouri and people they don't even know have been praying for Kate ever since that day.

One side of Kate's heart stopped growing 8 weeks after she was conceived. Doctors at St. Louis Children's Hospital presented the Lipkes with four options: abortion, making Kate comfortable for the few days she would live after being born, a heart transplant or three corrective surgeries to repair her heart. They chose the last, the one doctors said had the best chance of Kate coming through alive.

Their extended family met to plan for the anticipated four- to six-week stay at the hospital. Pregnant herself, Scott's sister, Lisa White, moved into the Lipkes' house to care for their sons, Parker, 5, and Layton, 3. Other people's children raised money to help with medical expenses.

The couple kept people informed through the Web site www.caringbridge.org/visit/katelipke. The site has registered more than 30,000 hits to date from people all over the country and even outside the U.S. In that frightening and alien environment , only all that love, support and faith pulled them through, they said.

Kate's first surgery Sept. 25, six days after her birth, went well, but her blood pressure dropped three days later, and her chest had to be reopened. Her blood pressure dropped again a few hours later. "It was just a horrible day because we didn't think she was going to make it," Ashley recalls.

Many people responded to their Web request for prayers that day. "Time and again, every time something happened our prayers were answered," Scott said.

Finally driving Kate home from St. Louis a few weeks ago, Ashley thought about how long they'd been away, how long since they'd done the things they normally do. She loves the fall and putting out mums and pumpkins.