Feeling so blessed to share this beautiful season with those I love the most.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Easter
We had a wonderful Easter! The weather was perfect... plenty of sunshine and warm enough to kick off your shoes after church. The kids took turns hiding and finding eggs. Little Miss Abbey wasn't really interested in the whole "egg hunt" thing. She was probably wondering why we were getting so excited when she found an egg?? She did find a use for her bandaged arm... it made a really great "hanger" for her Easter basket!
Feeling so blessed to share this beautiful season with those I love the most.
Feeling so blessed to share this beautiful season with those I love the most.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Surgery Update
Sorry it has taken me so long to sit down and post an update on Abbey. Things got a little crazy around here mid-week. Abbey did great once again during surgery. This surgery was a bit more extensive--involving all 5 fingers undergoing Z-plasty for the banding and removal of several areas of excess tissue on a few fingers. The areas that were excised were formed when the bands constricted those areas of her fingers. They looked like little "knots" on her fingers, but they weren't exactly little. We go for our post-op check-up on Tuesday.
We probably won't see her hand until 2 weeks from now. I know her hand will look completely different from the little hand I held the first time she filled my arms. Being sentimental, I know.
We did find out however that Abbey does NOT tolerate codeine in pain medication. We discovered this after spending a very LONG night with her screaming, crying, fussing and basically miserable. She also was pulling at her ears and waking up every time we laid her down in her crib. So... the next morning I make an appt. with our pediatrician and guess what..... she has a double ear infection AND the codeine was most likely the culprit of her not sleeping. Some people can tolerate it, and others it makes jittery, agitated, and unable to sleep. Guess we know which category Miss Abbey falls into now!
She finally seems to be getting back to herself and actually slept through the night last night. Whewww... talk about your answered prayers.( I think Mike and I walked around here like zombies over 48 hours).
I actually got out this afternoon and took Madeline to a movie and did some shopping. I needed a break, but of course I started to feel guilty for being away all afternoon. I always do that!
Looking forward to our Easter weekend and being together.
We probably won't see her hand until 2 weeks from now. I know her hand will look completely different from the little hand I held the first time she filled my arms. Being sentimental, I know.
We did find out however that Abbey does NOT tolerate codeine in pain medication. We discovered this after spending a very LONG night with her screaming, crying, fussing and basically miserable. She also was pulling at her ears and waking up every time we laid her down in her crib. So... the next morning I make an appt. with our pediatrician and guess what..... she has a double ear infection AND the codeine was most likely the culprit of her not sleeping. Some people can tolerate it, and others it makes jittery, agitated, and unable to sleep. Guess we know which category Miss Abbey falls into now!
She finally seems to be getting back to herself and actually slept through the night last night. Whewww... talk about your answered prayers.( I think Mike and I walked around here like zombies over 48 hours).
I actually got out this afternoon and took Madeline to a movie and did some shopping. I needed a break, but of course I started to feel guilty for being away all afternoon. I always do that!
Looking forward to our Easter weekend and being together.
Friday, April 15, 2011
19 mo old and Surgery on the 19th
19...seems to be the magical number around here. Abbey is 19 mo. old as of April the 14th. She is doing so well that I sometimes forget she has only been with us since January 17th. It seems like she has always been here... I guess she has in a way... she has always been in this momma's heart just waiting for the day to hold her.
Speaking of holding her... she does like to be held... a LOT! I have resigned myself to the fact she must need this extra 'mommy' time to feel secure. I have tried to fight it and it always results in her needing me even more. I know she is still adjusting and becoming secure in her environment. Like I said, I just sometimes forget she hasn't been here with us forever. But I can say, this past week she has done better at playing and doing things without wanting me to hold her. So.. for now (and however long it takes) I will have my Abbey on my hip, around my neck, holding onto my leg, etc.. (you get the picture).
Abbey's 2nd surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, the 19th. The doctor will do several Z-plasty procedures on her right hand. Not looking forward to the cast again, but hopefully we learned a few lessons the 1st time around. Her hand is looking better from the 1st surgery, but I still cannot see the
full correction that we are aiming for. As long as this procedure improves the appearance and function of her hand I am all for it. But, gosh it sure is hard watching her endure this.
Remember when I couldn't wait for her to say "momma", well now she says it A LOT. And if I don't answer she says it until I acknowledge her. But we have this really cute thing we do when she says "momma" , I say "yes, sweetie" and she then smacks her lips together like she is kissing me. Of course, I "kiss" her back and say "I love you Abbey". She now sends "kisses" to the boys and Madeline. It is the cutest thing in the world.
I love this little girl so much.
Lord, never let me tire of hearing the words "momma".
Speaking of holding her... she does like to be held... a LOT! I have resigned myself to the fact she must need this extra 'mommy' time to feel secure. I have tried to fight it and it always results in her needing me even more. I know she is still adjusting and becoming secure in her environment. Like I said, I just sometimes forget she hasn't been here with us forever. But I can say, this past week she has done better at playing and doing things without wanting me to hold her. So.. for now (and however long it takes) I will have my Abbey on my hip, around my neck, holding onto my leg, etc.. (you get the picture).
Abbey's 2nd surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, the 19th. The doctor will do several Z-plasty procedures on her right hand. Not looking forward to the cast again, but hopefully we learned a few lessons the 1st time around. Her hand is looking better from the 1st surgery, but I still cannot see the
full correction that we are aiming for. As long as this procedure improves the appearance and function of her hand I am all for it. But, gosh it sure is hard watching her endure this.
Remember when I couldn't wait for her to say "momma", well now she says it A LOT. And if I don't answer she says it until I acknowledge her. But we have this really cute thing we do when she says "momma" , I say "yes, sweetie" and she then smacks her lips together like she is kissing me. Of course, I "kiss" her back and say "I love you Abbey". She now sends "kisses" to the boys and Madeline. It is the cutest thing in the world.
I love this little girl so much.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Abbey's surgery update Part II
We had our second follow-up appt. yesterday with Abbey's hand surgeon. Everything looks great and her hand is healing well. Of course, the sutures and scabbing looks less than great to me! But I am not the doctor... I am the MOM! She is using her hand more and more each day. That is a good thing, because we have our NEXT surgery tentatively scheduled for the week before Easter.
Back to the cast and bathtime next to the sink... uugghh.
This surgery will be much like the last one, minus the finger separation.
I pray she does as well with this surgery as she did with the 1st one. I know the surgeries are necessary, but it sure is hard to see my baby have to go through this. And really this is sooo minor to what many families have to do once they bring their adopted child home needing corrective surgery of some type.
Please keep us in your prayers as her little hand continues to heal. We all love her so much....
Back to the cast and bathtime next to the sink... uugghh.
This surgery will be much like the last one, minus the finger separation.
I pray she does as well with this surgery as she did with the 1st one. I know the surgeries are necessary, but it sure is hard to see my baby have to go through this. And really this is sooo minor to what many families have to do once they bring their adopted child home needing corrective surgery of some type.
Please keep us in your prayers as her little hand continues to heal. We all love her so much....
Sunday, April 3, 2011
No More Braces
Hand Surgery update
We had our first look at Abbey's hand on Friday at the doctors office. I was holding her in my lap and the doctor began cutting away the cast and uwrapping the bandages. I was fine until....I saw her hand.
I broke out in a cold sweat
I began to feel dizzy
I felt like I was about to throw-up
Me... the medical person here. I've watched and assisted with sutures, bone marrow aspirations, biopsies, etc. AND I'm about to faint at the site of my daughter's hand after surgery.
I really was not prepared to see her hand as bruised and discolored as it was. Not to mention all the dried blood on the bandages. And the sutures.
I took some deep breathes and forced myself to hold it together.
This sweet little hand is not the hand she came to us with. It looks so pitiful right now. I am having a really hard time imagining what it will look like once the swelling and bruising goes away. I know it will be OK... I have seen before and after pics of children who have had this type of surgery for ABS. But right now, I am a momma that just wants to make everything alright for Abbey. I would trade places with her in a milli-second to not have her endure the surgery, casts, stitches, and healing that lie ahead.
But my little Abbey is tough. She barely wimpered when the bandages were removed. She sat still while he wrapped her arm back up... and for those of you who know Abbey...being STILL is not on her agenda these days! Right?
She accidentally got her new bandage wet this afternoon while playing outside. So Mike and I decided to take it off, let her have a 'real' bath in the bathtub, then we re-wrap it back up.
Oh my did she love her bath!! Much better than the baths we had to give her on the bathroom counter next to the sink to keep her cast from getting wet!
She looked at her hand a few times, then looked at me, then back at her hand with a confused look on her face. More like a questioning look I guess. I of course teared up and bit my lip to keep from falling apart. She proceeded to slap BOTH hands on the water for a SPLASH and laughed.
Like I said... my sweet Abbey is tough.
I broke out in a cold sweat
I began to feel dizzy
I felt like I was about to throw-up
Me... the medical person here. I've watched and assisted with sutures, bone marrow aspirations, biopsies, etc. AND I'm about to faint at the site of my daughter's hand after surgery.
I really was not prepared to see her hand as bruised and discolored as it was. Not to mention all the dried blood on the bandages. And the sutures.
I took some deep breathes and forced myself to hold it together.
This sweet little hand is not the hand she came to us with. It looks so pitiful right now. I am having a really hard time imagining what it will look like once the swelling and bruising goes away. I know it will be OK... I have seen before and after pics of children who have had this type of surgery for ABS. But right now, I am a momma that just wants to make everything alright for Abbey. I would trade places with her in a milli-second to not have her endure the surgery, casts, stitches, and healing that lie ahead.
But my little Abbey is tough. She barely wimpered when the bandages were removed. She sat still while he wrapped her arm back up... and for those of you who know Abbey...being STILL is not on her agenda these days! Right?
She accidentally got her new bandage wet this afternoon while playing outside. So Mike and I decided to take it off, let her have a 'real' bath in the bathtub, then we re-wrap it back up.
Oh my did she love her bath!! Much better than the baths we had to give her on the bathroom counter next to the sink to keep her cast from getting wet!
She looked at her hand a few times, then looked at me, then back at her hand with a confused look on her face. More like a questioning look I guess. I of course teared up and bit my lip to keep from falling apart. She proceeded to slap BOTH hands on the water for a SPLASH and laughed.
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