Does it ever stop?!?!

So, this is what we woke up to this morning...

The street in front of our house.

A neighbor's truck sitting on the street (before the plow's).

Right in front of the garage, about 6" deep.

It drifted up to about 2ft. deep in places.

It started snowing yesterday afternoon around 3PM, & by 8PM they were already delaying school! So, of course all the kids are having a ball with a snow day today. I went out & cleared off the driveway with the snow blower & still couldn't get all of it because I ran out of gas! Don't think I'll be running out to get any anytime soon!

On another note, Vaeh's stoma is COMPLETELY CLOSED!!! The nurse from the surgeon's office called the Tuesday after they took it out & said to watch for a possible "leak" but she still hasn't had ANY drainage from it!! I can't believe what a good healer Vaeh is:0) Sorry, but I can't seem to get a good close up picture of it... I need to get the ole manual out for the camera & read up! Maybe once I'm done cleaning for the birthday party this weekend... (Gabby will be 5!!!)

On another note, please keep Gracie & her family in your prayers. Michael & Amber took her for a third opinion & now have a scheduled surgery date - March 12th. I'm sure they'd appreciate any prayers you can offer!

Cool Give-away!

I just found this give-away on another blog & I'd love to win!! You should pop over here & check it out!

Our climber!

Here we go with another first for Miss V. Since the button is no longer a concern, she's started climbing. Today, she was able to get up onto the couch without any help! I think she's aged (as far as development) about 15 months since May! Take a look at our climbing monkey...

*** Make sure you pause the music & you can hear her say "can't."***

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

After we took this video, her & Gabby were climbing all over that poor couch! (I say poor couch 'cause the silly thing is nearly 40 years old - no joke!)Its just so much fun to see her doing "normal" things.

On another note, here's a picture of what Vaeh's stoma looks like:



She had broken out in a rash after her cath, but we weren't sure what its from. Jon & I think it had something to do with the stoma dressing they put on, but the tape that we have to put on it keeps it from healing up. Its already closed from what I can tell! They said it may ooze/seep for a few weeks, but she hasn't had any drainage from it so far. So, my guess is that we're well on our way to having one less hole!

More news...

So, I'm sure you've all seen the great news that Vaeh doesn't need that silly cannula any more! She's finally free. Well, while she was in the cath lab, there was some other work done that I neglected to mention. We didn't really find out that this was a possibility until literally minutes before they took her in here:

I photographed it, but I must warn you...











This photo may be somewhat graphic...







Wait for it...

Introducing for the first time since she was approximately 4 weeks old...

THE TUBE-LESS WONDER!!!



This is the only "mic-key" you'll ever see on me again!

Yep. She's COMPLETELY tube-less. As Dr. Butto was going over the consent for treatment, etc., he asked if we had any questions. Jon asked about when we could have her button taken out. Dr. Butto asked 1.) does she eat okay?, & 2.) how long has it been since you used it (nearly 5 months!)? He then asked who (MD) put it in, & since the doc who did it was at this hospital, he set it up so they could take it out while she was under anesthesia. So, now all we have to do is wait for the stoma to close. If its not closed (which it will close on its own!) by her follow up with Dr. Butto then we'll talk about surgical closure. But for now... NO TUBES!!!

For as lousy as 2009 started out for us, its sure shaping up this week! Hopefully everyone else is having a wonderful year, too!

Cath... over!

Are you all chomping at the bit yet?!?! Well, here's how our day went...

Feeling quite relaxed & ready for a nap.

Daddy talking to Dr. Butto before the cath

The day started off not so hot, but once someone finally told them that we were there, it improved. They actually started her about a half an hour late, which I didn't think was too bad. Dr. Butto told us that he was going in with the intent of ballooning, but that if things looked okay, then he may not have to balloon anything.

So after the cath & following discussion, we got to look at the moving version of this...

They were actually able to print out a still shot from her cath film (sorry about the poor quality pic - I didn't have a scanner). Doesn't she look like she has an octopus in her chest?! (lol) The ring is her valve inside her conduit. Then of course there are the sternal wires & the catheter wires. He actually said everything looked really good & he didn't feel he needed to balloon anything. He did check the pressures on room air & said that there wasn't that much difference. Then he noticed she still had one little collateral left that they weren't able to move (too difficult per Dr. Bove her surgeon) in the left lower lung area. He checked, & basically she was getting double blood supply to that lung with that collateral still being connected. He checked its pressure & she was getting a lot of pressure from the aorta via the collateral, so... he coiled it.

So after she was up on the floor & the residents okayed it with Dr. Butto, she now looks like...

"Look, Momma... no cannula!"

He said that she no longer has to wear the oxygen! So, when we go somewhere I can just pick her up & GO!! I'm not sure I'll know how to act or what to do! Thank you so much for all your prayers. The pictures above & how our day went are proof positive that prayer DOES WORK!!! Thank you all again!
(Here you go, Vanessa!)

CT down, Cath to go...

So Vaeh had her CT scan this morning. Everything went well, except for the IV. Poor Vaeh & poor nurse, it took 3 pokes to finally get it in. The first two they were able to get a vein, but when they tried to flush it the vein blew! Again, she has such scared veins, which makes for hard sticks:0( But the 3rd time was a charm today.

They gave her noctech (sp?) for sedation, which usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to take effect. Oh no, not Vaeh! Little stinker was asleep in 3 minutes, & not just sleepy - completely out! Jon & I had to get blood work done, so we took off to do that while they did the test. When we got back, Little Miss V was still quite sleepy, & fell asleep nearly as soon as she hit the car seat.

We finally got her awake around 3 PM. She & Gabby played until... the belly flop on the floor interrupted! Poor thing was still a little woozy from the drugs that her reflexes are a little sluggish yet. She did a belly flop & ended up with a bloody nose! What a fun day. But now she's really starting to wake up & return to ornery, normal Vaeh:0)

So, now we just hang out until tomorrow morning. We have to be at the next hospital on the list at 10 AM. The beginning to another long day. Hopefully everyone else is having an uneventful week! I promise (Kathy :0) ) that I'll update periodically tomorrow! Until then...

Here we go...

Well, tomorrow begins a week that I'm dreading. Vaeh has angioplasty on Thursday. She's been through this so much that it should be a snap to get through one of these. Realistically the cath or CT scan doesn'tbother me. Its the thought of putting her under anesthesia & intubating her again. I know she won't wake up on a vent, but I'm just not looking forward to the whole scenario.

Not to mention the fact that we have to return to a hospital that I don't really trust. This will be the third time she's been there & the two previous times before, something has gone wrong. The first stay, they dried her out because she got back from the cath lab so late they didn't have any way to get her formula ready. Then the next day while performing a scan they pulled her mic-key button out. The second visit the radiology tech & I about went rounds - meaning that had I not used every ounce of self control she would have ended up looking at the ceiling! I'm praying that this time everything goes smoothly & we get out of there without any problems.

Although tomorrow isn't such a big deal (Vaeh has her routine date with Dr. Butto!) it is the start of our crazy week, & I'm not quite back to 100% - lifting her is going to be quite a task! All this, & we just finished a crazy weekend with my cousin getting married - & both girls were in the ceremony! I'll try to get pictures of them up soon! Too precious!

Hope everyone had a great weekend & all are doing well. I'll try to keep everyone updated about Vaeh's CT scan & angio later in the week. Please send up an extra prayer or two for us this week - we really appreciate them!

Finally, something fun!

It seems as though all we've been posting about on here is surgeries, complications, upcoming tests, etc. Well its finally time for something lighthearted & Vaeh related. She's really been taking off as far as her speech, & her personality is just flourishing. So, today Jon was finally able to capture this new thing she's been doing, & its just so darn cute I had to share it.

So, here she is... the NEXT American Idol!
(**Be sure to scroll to the bottom & pause the music so you can hear the songbird!)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hope you're all enjoying the new year!

Back in the saddle... again!

I'm finally home, again (lol)! It took all day to get my lovenox approved, but finally this afternoon they were able to give me the meds so that I could leave. One of our family friends came up to visit with me today, & then offered to bring me home - Thanks Bill!

So around 5 this afternoon I got home, & had to give myself a shot! As Jon said, the CT scan was negative (thank GOD!) so the ER doc wanted to do a doppler (ultrasound) of my leg just in case. Good thing he was being so cautious. So, with that they found the clot in my left calf. Once I was admitted (after all the craziness - ugh!) the doc said that thankfully it wasn't a DVT or deep vein clot, but just a superficial clot. Basically it meant that I still needed the blood thinners, but the clot is in a spot that can't travel anywhere... again, thank GOD!!

I'm now taking coumadin along with the lovenox injections, & have to have my INR checked on Monday. Then they'll adjust my coumadin from there. Like Jon said in his post, if it isn't one thing its another! They also said that the clot is most likely from the hysterectomy. So, now we just have to get past this & then we get to get Vaeh past her cath!

Thank you all sooooo much for your thoughts, prayers & support! We couldn't make it through without all of you!

If it ain't one thing...

Hey everybody, Jon here, hope you had a better start to the New Year. Tina and I spent the day at the hospital. She woke me up this morning with chest pains, and trouble breathing, so I called my mom, and she came over to sit with the girls, and off we went. To make a long story short, trust me, it was a very LONG day, I thank God for giving me the patience, and strength to control myself, but anywho, Tina has a blood clot in her left leg, and the doc said she may have thrown a couple smaller ones through her lungs but, the ct scan didn't show anything. He sent us home, but, we ran into some trouble getting one of her two scripts filled, any guesses on why, if you said insurance, you are the 10 million dollar winner! Big shock huh?! Basically, the best thing to do right now was to admit her, surprisingly enough, the insurance approved that! Again I ask you to keep us in your prayers, and Tina or I will update again real soon! God Bless every single one of you and have a Happy New Year!! Jon

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wishing everyone a blessed, healthy & Happy New Year!

Love,

Jon, Tina, Gabby & Vaeh:0)