Rejoicing comes in the morning!

God is so good...

 

(the rock from two posts ago)

 

 

Tuesday wound up being a far more epic than we first expected...

 

but hey, it wouldn't be a Miller adventure if it wasn't :)

 

The day started bright and early...

 

we had to be there at 6am so that meant leaving our house at 4:30

 

 

We bundeled Georgia into the car surrounded by all of her requested blankies and stuffed animals.

 

I thought she might go back to sleep but instead...

 

she chattered at me the WHOLE time about the moon and the stars and how the earth spins,

 

and how God made it all.

 

 

She never ceases to amaze me.

 

The day before surgery I talked her through what the doctors were going to do.

 

She looked at my with her big brown eyes and said,

 

"Oh yeah Mama...I know ALL about THAT"

 

like it was no big deal.

 

 

We got checked in and as she was getting things set up the nurse asked,

 

"So can you tell me what they are planning to do today?"

 

To which I answered,

 

"They are placing an ASD device to fix a PFO and also will take another look at her pulmonary valve and possible ballon it."

 

The nurse looked at her chart and looked up at me, a little unsure and said,

 

"Well, there is a whole lot more than that listed here. They have a lot of other things listed including an ablation which makes all of this a lot more serious....they have also added a second Cardiologist to the surgery...but I'm sure they will be in to talk to you about it soon."

 

Which is when I began to panic.

 

So many questions swirled in my mind...

 

What had happened?

 

Had they found something on her heart monitoring?

 

Was something wrong?

 

What is an ablation?

 

What else could be on that 'list'?

 

How from this little basement room can I get people praying?

 

 

Thank fully they have this awesome computer system where Georgia could happily watch movies while her Mama pulled it all together and prayed against fear!

 

Then I remembered that we brought Parker's comptuer device that he uses for his eyes and that I could still access email!

 

Whew.

 

I emailed everyone I could think of!

 

Then got back to the tassk at hand...

 

soaking up time with my little girl.

 

 

 

 

Who walked through everything with such blind, joyful trust...

 

She had no doubt that God held her heart and was in total control!

 

...and decided a silly face photo shoot was way more fun than worry...

 

 

Seriously,

 

I have a TON of photos, she just wanted more and more!

 

 

Remember these guys from last time??? She sure did!

 

 

More than anything...she just kept assking me to take pictures of her giangantic grin....

 

Like this was the most exciting day ever.

 

 

It was like she just couldn't possibly smile big enough for how excited she was to feel better.

 

Well,

 

Finally after about an hour the Cardiologist that had been added to her case came in.

 

He explained that what they were going to do was physioelectric mapping of her heart.

 

They were wanting to see if she was having internal arrythmias because she talks so much about feeling like her heart is going too fast and too slow.

 

If they were going to do it, this was their only chance to access the left ventricle via catheter before they closed the PFO.

 

Then he listed a whole long bunch of stuff he was going to do...

 

She would have three catheters placed in her heart at once, one from the neck and one from each side of the groin...then they would start doing things like:

 

 pumping her heart full of adrenaline to try to induce tachycardia,

 

and slowing it down and doing a whole lot more very technical 'stuff' to try to throw her heart rhythms off...for about 2 hours.

 

I know that may not sound like major stuff,

 

but oh as a Mama to know that they are doing such crazy stuff right into the middle of my baby girl's heart...was so.darned. scary.

 

Then after that her regular Cardiologist (who we love) would come in and start work on placing the asd device.

 

Thus a fairly standard 2 hour surgery quickly doubled to 4.

 

There is just nothing easy for me about handing my baby girl over so that her heart, the very thing that keeps her alive can be poked, prodded, filled with all kinds of chemicals and then physically altered with a 'device' that will be in there permanently.

 

and oh how hard is that time of having to be awake and functioning, trying to have conversation when my whole mind keeps screaming,

 

"they are putting things in her heart!"

 

I'm not sure it will ever get easier.

 

Yet...somehow through it I heard the echo of my Father crying out when I allow people's actions and words or other things in to pierce my own heart.

 

I would have given ANYTHING to lay down on that table instead of Georgia...

 

but she had to walk through it in order to survive.

 

Sometimes the Lord has to walk us through some pretty deep and hard places that go deep into our hearts...

 

but He doesn't lead us there so that we might stay...

 

...but so that we can find the healing we need to walk back out again.

 

Miss Georgia?

 

Sailed through.

 

 

This picture is within minutes of her waking up...

 

...and there it is...

 

...that mega watt smile.

 

As if she has just walked through so much but somehow she knows life is about to get REALLY good.

 

"weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

Psalm 30:5

 

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10

 

So the question I keep pondering is this...

 

Where are the holes in my heart?

 

Because I want to bring them to the One who can heal them because I have a feeling life is about to get REALLY good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Home Sweet Home

I am exhausted but we are home...

 

It was a far more extensive day than first planned but...

 

God is SO good.

 

I promise to write more tomorrow but will leave you with this

 

 

Miss Georgia Mei still smiling after 4.5 hours of surgery...in her wagon ready to go home!



In surgery now- changes please pray!

   Just a quick note. Georgia is in surgery now. They have decided to o electrophysio mapping of her heart to see if her 'funny boom booms' are actually internal rhythm issues. Could you please pray that they find the source of her mysterious struggles? This is their only shot at access to get left ventricle while the PFO is still open.

Tuesday's The Day! Please pray for Georgia's heart surgery...

Once again the little pink polka dot bag is packed with jammies and stuffed animals to come to the hospital with us tomorrow.

 

 

 

We need to be there at 6am and every time I think about it my stomach churns...

 

I would do just about anything to not have to hand my baby girl over again knowing that they will be entering and repairing her heart.

 

It is so easy to slip into the "what-ifs" and risks of it all....

 

BUT

 

I do have a choice.

 

I am choosing to look upward instead.

 

This last weekend I got to be the emcee at our church's women's retreat...

 

it was an incredible weekend and God was so very close,

 

reminding me exactly whose hands she is in.

 

At one point I mentioned that my little girl had a heart condition and that we cared enough to walk the hard road of handing her over for surgery so that she could be healthy....

 

This is what God does for us to isn't it...calling us to look deeply at the hard stuff that bogs us down?

 

Anyhow...

 

after that session a woman came up to me and said, "I know just how you feel."

 

Her daughter had a heart condition and had been through 2 heart surgeries.

 

Then she introduced me to her stunningly beautiful 24 year old daughter who was just beaming.

 

Oh to see her so vibrant and full of joy!

 

Then just today,

 

I was at church on some business and my friend Teri & I prayed together about the surgery.

 

Right afterwards we were standing in the office and she said, "are these yours?"

 

It was a basket of rocks I had brought to the retreat.

 

At the end of the retreat we had women take one and write on it symbolizing either a burden they had let go of (then thrown the rock in the ocean) or something God had done that they wanted to remember.

 

As we were talking, Teri was running her hands over the rocks....not looking she held one up while saying, "They are so beautiful"

 

The one she held up was a perfect, beautiful heart shaped rock!

 

Now I have my own promise rock to carry around...

 

God's special promise just for me that He holds her heart in the palm of His hand!

 

Georgia is doing great...

 

I explained everything to her tongiht and she said

 

"Oh yeah Mama...I remember everything about this hospital...I'll take a nap and the machine will go up into my heart and fix that hole....then I'll wake up and get a popsicle. I think I want an orange one."

 

Oh her trust is so astounding to me!

 

So....would you please pray for us?

 

* We have to be at the hospital at 6am...this means leaving at 4:30 from our house. Could you pray for alertness and safety as we drive?

 

* For absolute perfection during the whole surgery....that every tool used will go exactly where it is supposed to and do it's job perfectly.

 

* That the device they are implanting would completely hold and block the hole.

 

* That Georgia would have God's perfect peace that transcends understanding.

 

* For her recovery. She really struggled during one of her heart caths...please pray that her heart will do exactly what it is supposed to!

 

* For all of us, that we will keep our minds and hearts fixed on the One who created our beautiful and holds her heart in the palm of His hand.

 



Sometimes it is just hard...

So many times I get on here to write...

 

My heart full and needing to process (which means writing) and yet I have no idea how to start.

 

Today is one of those days.

 

There are just so many heavy things on my heart.

 

 

 

It is starting to sink in that we have to hand Georgia over yet again...

 

I am so thankful that it is for a heart cath and not for open heart surgery,

 

but it still means someone putting a device in her fragile heart.

 

She still continues to struggle.

 

Her oxygen levels keep dipping and no one is sure why.

 

We are recording when we catch them on a heart monitor because it still seems like there is a rythm issue that is not PFO related.

 

Honestly, I am just so scared.

 

This time around I have sort of pushed the idea of surgery out of my mind,

 

dwelled in the warm fuzzy place of denial for as long as possible,

 

but this morning it is hitting me.

 

I don't want to hand my little girl over again.

 

I don't want to sit in that waiting room knowing that someone is entering her heart.

 

I hate that she struggles.

 

I hate that this morning she looked gray and had dark circles under her eyes.

 

That she wakes up saying, "Mama I don't think I've slept yet."

 

That I check on her in the middle of the night and she is drenched in sweat for no reason.

 

That she will be playing just fine and then slump down and need to rest.

 

I hate the fear that creeps in,

 

the 'what-ifs' that cannot be erased.

 

Everything in me wants to wrap my arms around her and be enough...

 

to somehow transport her to the worlds of 'normal' childhood,

 

where she would not just nod in understanding when I tell her she needs another echo, another heart monitor, another 'happy heart day.'

 

A world where she can run an play without limitations,

 

where if she wanted to she could sprint after boys, play tag, dream of being a sports star...

 

...instead of seeking quiet activities because she gets so worn out.

 

A world where when I ask her how preschool was she will not have to reply,

 

" Good! My friends prayed for me and for the new hole in my heart."

 

But...

 

that is not her story right now.

 

I do not know or understand why.

 

But...

 

I trust someday I will.

 

So today,

 

I choose to pour my heart out to the Lord,

 

to beg Him to come near,

 

to hold me...as He has in this fear and grief so many times before.

 

I will lift my eyes,

 

broken and scared,

 

I will go to the only One who can carry her, comfort her, heal her...

 

and me.

 

I know He is faithful...

 

even when I do not understand.

 

 

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near, calm my fear
And take my doubt

Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let Mercy sing
Her melody over me
God, right here all I bring
Is all of me

'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
The Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
So hold me now

 

 



Stunned - A second heart defect...

    This is not a post that in a million years I thought I would be writing. I am so humbled by God's grace and protection over our little girl.

Tuesday morning Georgia started having a dry cough and feeling a bit punky. I picked her up after an hour of preschool and we cuddled up at home thinking she just had a cold....

 

until she started saying she was dizzy...

 

and the dark circles under her eyes got darker.

 

I threw the pulse ox on her and found that her oxygen was only at 80.

 

It perked up again after a few minutes and she seemed to be ok so I thought maybe I was just paranoid.

 

Then it happened again, and again.

 

Each time her pulse and her oxygen would drop at the same time while she was laying down saying she felt dizzy.

 

So I called the Cardiologist.

 

The nurse suggested we take her to our family practice doctor because surely it was just a cold.

 

Our family practice doctor is amazing.

 

He is a Godly man who loves our family.

 

By the time we got to his office all Georgia wanted to do was lay down.

 

When they put the pulse ox on her the nurse seemed to get nervous.

 

I looked down and saw her oxygen in the 70s and her pulse in the low 50s...

at that point I looked away and focused on comforting Georgia knowing there was no way her heart should be doing these things.

 

What I didn't see was that her pulse dropped to the 40s and her oxygen into the 60s.

 

Dr. Joe came in and spent a long time listening and listening and listening some more to her heart.

 

At one point he asked me to cover the vent in the room with a box because he was trying so hard to listen to her.

 

The he said, " Her heart murmur is so loud this time that I cannot hear her lungs."

 

He called the on call Cardiologist and long story short...after a hospital visit for a chest x-ray and ekg,we wound up in the Cardiologist's office yesterday morning.

 

Before the echo her Cardiologist and I talked. I love that man. He is wise and kind and takes lots of time with families. He gets that Georgia is a, in his words, "bit of a mystery."

 

In talking he just could not figure out how she was getting those numbers.

 

He suggested we may have to go the neurology route again if we couldn't find anything, that maybe she was having seizures.

 

So we went into the "roll, roll, roll" as Georgia calls it (otherwise known as we the echo)

 

All was going along like normal when all of a sudden the Cardiologist said,

 

"Stop! Stop! Go back!"

 

You see the tech had turned the echo wand just right and for the first time caught that she has another hole in her heart!

 

She has a PFO (patent foramen ovale).

 

These are not a huge deal in a 'normal' heart,

 

but in a repaired TOF heart with a failing pulmonary valve they become a big deal.

 

Basically, this PFO is allowing 'blue' unoxygenated blood to flow into Georgia's bloodstream which then causes low oxygen levels.

 

This could be what has been causing her to struggle for the last 2 years!

 

Whether it is or not we are fixing it quickly because it can cause other complications...some of them serious.

 

She bhas been at risk all this time and we did not know it...

but God did.

 

And He has protected her every single day.

 

So October 2nd she will have heart surgery via catheter to close this hole and hopefully once again be on the road to recovery!

 

I am stunned at God's goodness for the protection and the revealing of what He has known all along!

 

Fragile Girl...

Well...

 We wouldn't want to stay away from the hospital for too long...

Miss Georgia spiked a 104 temp yesterday afternoon,

and was complaining of bad stomach pain around her belly button.

So, we got to hang out at the local ER where God did a pretty amazing thing!

We saw her curtain open and surprise!

Our amazing family doc happened to get called in to do rounds because they were so slammed (he does not work there often).

He just happened to grab the first chart in the pile, didn't even look at the name and walked into the room!

And there was Miss Georgia looking pretty punky.

Can I just tell you how amazing this is?

He is an AMAZING man who loves the Lord, is an elder at our church and part of the prayer team that has prayed for Georgia for years and knows her history so well!

It was SUCH a gift to see his kind face.

They were able to get her fever down some and we came home with her IV intact.

We are hoping she just has a crummy virus but they are also watching her for appendicitis and endocarditis too.

The doc kept saying "she is such a fragile girl" and in cases like this I am reminded of just what a gift she is.

Her little hear was racing so fast and she was so weak.

She is grumpy and fevery today so we will head back to her doc at 6pm to see where we go from here.

Praying it is just a virus for sure....

3 Amazing Years!!!!!

I woke up this morning to a bright eyed little girl crawling up in my bed for snuggles....

I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than lots of hugs and cuddles.

Holding her close,

celebrating 3 years of being in each others arms.

This little girlie that only a miracle saved,

she is a such a reminder to soak up everyday...

God blessed us far more than we could ever deserve when He kept her safe and moved mountains to get us to her in time!

Oh Georgia Mei..words honestly fail for what a gift you are to us...

So I'll borrow yours that you shower us with tons of times a day,

"I love you past the moon, past everything...except for God!"

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Big Day...

When the appointments for Parker's eyes were scheduled it seemed like July 9th was so far away.

Well, here we are.

This afternoon we meet with the Retinal Specialist to talk about what he thinks we are dealing with in Parker's eyes.

In some ways I want to hurry up and be there and in others I am dreading sitting down to hear the news.

We could really use prayer.

Parker on the other hand just continues to amaze us.

The other day I found his journal from school tucked into his bed.

In reading through it I found this:

It says, "I will be joyful in hope as I wait for God to heal my sisters."

Yesterday, as we pulled up to church we saw a new little pagoda with some benches.

As soon as he saw it Parker shouted out, "Oh cool! A place to sit and talk about Jesus!"

He just amazes me.

I am learning to slowly surrender.

The Lord keeps whispering "I will never leave you or forsake you."

This may not be a road we have chosen,

or one we are strong enough to walk,

but God is strong enough.

He will be our strength.

Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5



Gobbling up sunshine!

We just started the kids playing soccer.

Miss Georgia was having a bit of an off day heart-wise and too worn out to play so she was staying on the sidelines with me.

I looked over at her to find her doing this over and over again

When I asked her what she was doing she said,

"I'm eating sunshine Mama....it tastes like rainbows!"

She is such a gift in our lives constantly reminding us to choose joy no matter what the situation may be.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things

Philippians 4:8



"Mama, I have Jesus to keep me safe..."

 There she lay, big brown eyes looking up at me as I re-tucked the wires of her heart monitor into their little pouch. Miss Georgia Mei with her heart full of love snuggled up in her soft pink blankies. As I leaned over to kiss her goodnight, she gently held my my necklace.
" What is this Mama?"
" It is a necklace that was Grampie Tom's. Grammie Pat gave it to me because she thought I would like it."
" Mama, it keeps you safe."
" Well...I wear it to remember Grampie Tom who I loved very much."
" Mama, I have Jesus who died on the cross to keep me safe."

Then, with those big earnest eyes focus intently on me she said,

" Jesus died on the cross and he promises to come in through our eyes. Then we see him on the inside....Mama he will do that for everybody who asks him to."

" Do you see him baby girl?"

"Oh yes Mama, on the inside all the time."

Then she nestled her head into her pillow and closed her eyes...
I leaned down to kiss that sweet cheek of the little girl who teaches me so much everday.

Jumping back in....

OK...so I sort of fell off the face of the earth for awhile :) I promise that I am now jumping back in! I just took awhile to be tired, to soak up God's love and to get some things straight in my heart and mind...Mr. Parker tripped over the computer cord (where all of my pictures are) and brought it crashing to the ground :( So, no pictures for a little while until my wonderful husband figures out how to get them off the hard drive.

Georgia seems to be holding her own. We go back on the 10th for another echo etc. and will know more about how she is responding to her last surgery then. Her monitor readings all came back normal and I am choosing to trust that is because God chose to heal what was happening! If not only He is strong enough to walk through more heart stuff anyhow so I'm leaning on the fact that He will carry us through whatever might crop up next!

Beyond that....we are just soaking up life together. I am reminded all of the time that each day is a gift, that this little family of mine is a gift and I just love every moment we get to have together!

More tomorrow hopefully :)

Not out of the woods yet...

This is SO not the post that I have been planning to write for the last week. Because Miss Georgia was doing awesome. She was running and jumping and playing so hard that she actually would look up at me and wonderingly say, "Mama...my legs hurt?" Because her heart had always worn out before her legs had a chance to tire. It has been incredible.
   Then on Saturday I found her slumped in the corner of her room looking super pale with big dark circles under her eyes...and she said her chest hurt. I scooped her up and grabbed the pulse oximeter. Her heart rate was in the 40-50 range (her normal resting rate is 80-90s), her oxygen was at 80. I tried the machine over and over to make sure it was working right. We curled up on her bed and I watched those darned numbers. After a few minutes her rates slowly went back up. She then looked at me and said, "I'm just so tired Mama."...and put herself to bed in the middle of the afternoon for 45 minutes.
...so we're back to scratching our heads. The on call Cardiologist thinks she was having Bradycadia and that possibly the surgery threw her heart rhythms out of whack. She seems pretty good now (more tired and cranky than normal) and has not had another episode like that but tomorrow we are running in to the Cardiologist to get another 48 hour Holter monitor in hopes of catching whatever is going on....so once again, would you mind praying?
Thanks!

Immeasurably More...The Happiest Heart Day Ever!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20

Georgia woke up giving me kisses and hugs, throwing her arms open and saying "Hooray it's my Happy Heart Day!"

So she changed into her new jammies...

and we headed out.

She could have juice for another hour so we stopped at the store,

when I asked what kind of juice she wanted she said, "Pink!"

I had no idea pink juice existed but thank the Lord it did...

She wouldn't let me carry it, she was so proud!

Last week some friends prayed for us and our friend Scott shared that as he prayed he got a picture in his mind. The picture was of the Lord's arms from the elbows down, His hands together....and in the middle of His palms sat Georgia giggling and playing. Nothing could describe the day better. She was so full of JOY.

As we checked in she hopped and spun and pretended to be a magic kitty who could talk and swim. The waiting room became a giant beach...over and over she would run and hug my legs saying, "I love you Mama!" wanting up to cover my face with kisses.

and made 'sand' angels on the floor...

So proud to find Ni Hao on the welcome desk!

We chilled out and watched Winnie the Pooh

I just kept trying to soak up her sweet face, kissing those sweet cheeks as she played.

Surgrey got bumped twice and she was one hungry little girl!

But they had awesome cars and she rode every single one of them...

Loving when her Daddy would make her do wheelies!

with an almost 2 hour delay we had lots of time to kill!

 but Georgia just kept right on smiling and playing!

Then she discovered the dinosaur and dog at the nurses desk....

oh my!

They opened a whole new playscape for her!

Have I grown since I've been here?

Yes she measured the dinosaur and doggie too!

Yes, we must see how much they weigh too!

Our brave girl walking back to the room to talk to Dr. Kyser

Hugs with Mama...

Waiting for the goofy juice....

Getting hooked up to go...

The surgery?

Went PERFECTLY.

They were able to relieve the pressure on her pulmonary valve by 50%!!!

The Cardiologist was also able to get a good look at Georgia's heart,

and she is a really good candidate for having her valve replaced via cather!!!!

They could do it now if need be but hopefully she will grow a bit more before needing it.

Which means a good possibility

of not having another open heart surgery in her childhood!

Seriously, it could not have gone better.

She smiled through the whole thing with peace and JOY

recovery went great

and once again I am reminded of how faithful God is,

how He can do Immeasurably MORE than we ask or imagine.

My brave little girl teaches me everyday,

her faith and her trust

astound me.

Love and joy just flow out of her...

it is SUCH an honor to be her Mama!

Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Georgia is doing wonderfully, we are beat! Will post more tomorrow!

Out of surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!

    She is out of surgery and did GREAT!!!! The surgeon felt like they were able to make a huge improvement in her pulmonary valve pressures. We should be able to see her soon!
  I ran into the anesthesiologist in the hallway and he said, " She is so darned cute! She just chatted away and when we gave her stuffed animal 'sleepy medicine' someone asked 'is it a good animal?' She responded 'Yes! She is but don't listen to Satan...he is bad!" Atta girl Georgia!
     So thrilled that she did so well and SO ready to go and kiss those sweet Georgia cheeks!

Update

Miss Georgia is still in surgery, haven't heard anything yet but had a second to update. Thanks for your prayers!

Here at the hospital!

Here at the hospital where Georgia is charming everyone as a magic talking kitty cat. She just amazes me as she tells everyone it is her happy heart day. Surgery now bumped to 10:45. She is one hungry kiddo so would love prayers for that. Amazed by her and the joy God has given her about all of this!

Georgia's Happy Heart Day (Please Pray)

Tomorrow is the big day!

Miss Georgia will be having her 3rd heart surgery,

this one is via catheter to hopefully break up and clean up scar tissue covering her pulmonary valve.

She is so excited

Seriously.

When I told her about it she started pumping her arms and shouting "Yeah! Yeah!' I get to feel better soon!

She also said she does not want it to be called a surgery but her "Happy Heart Day!"

She even wants the doctors to call it that.

We know she needs this,

and will feel so much better afterwards,

but it is never even close to easy to hand a child over for a heart procedure.

There is a lot on the line with this one.

They are being more agressive,

which makes it more risky.

So would you mind praying?

For absolute perfection and precision for the surgeon and the tools,

that her heart will remain stable (last time we almost lost her)

for peace for us all too.

We know that God is WAY bigger and WAY stronger and anything is possible through Him!

I will update when I can tomorrow.

Whew...that was one heck of a long day!

     I am choosing today to be thankful that it is not yesterday :) It was a doozy of a day. 2 girls and 4 medical appointments has taught me to next time bring one kid at a time even if it means more driving!

Miss Georgia went first. The results were pretty much what I expected, poor baby has scar tissue covering her pulmonary valve. She will have surgery on Good Friday to 'more aggressively' open up her pulmonary valve. Then we wait and see how she does. Hopefully this will buy us more time before we need to have the valve replaced!

Miss Ravenna actually has a condition in her mouth that causes her to be 4 times as likely to get cavities than the typical child! Add ontop of that that her blood disorder makes even a normal cavitiy have to be fixed under general anesthesia...we have a twice a day 7 step process we are now doing to protect her teeth!

Then it was time for her blood draw...honestly, it was the roughest one yet. They had me hold her on my lap facing away. She bucked so hard and for so long that it messed up my back! At one point she even cracked her head on the wall :( Then poor thing raged and kicked and screamed for 45 minutes afterwards. I am praying hard and trying to find some way to help her. She is not a candidate for anti-anxiety meds so I am looking into some type of therapy. I just hate that she has to go through this and am praying for an answer...

In between we celebrated all we could....ran up and down hallways spinning like fairies, ate yummy treats, got surprises, sparkly nail polish and ended the day with smiles and ice cream!

Anyhow...I am one tired and sore Mama but oh so beyond thankful for my very brave kiddos!

I read this recently and love it....

" Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." Corrie Ten Boom