Thursday, May 31, 2012

Reflections- James 4:10 ( + a heavy heart)

                                    So today our post is suppose to be a reflection on James 4:10 ...
               "HUMBLE YOURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL LIFT YOU UP"

As I was doing my best to try to think about this all week and "humble myself" I have to admit...I didn't do very well. It is probably alot to do with my self pity right now.(to be expected I know) However this self pity thing is alot of work and takes alot out of me...but why is it so hard to get rid of?!?! I try to take it captive and do it myself but it hasn't really worked. I have cried everyday for nearly 4 months now and not for myself or for feeling bad for me(because like I said in the past thank GOD it's me and my child that I know will be lived up in prayer beyond messure and will be a fantastic testimony to many that I know my husband and I will share and give GOD the glory that he SOO deserves) but feeling bad in a more "general" type of way. Mainly pitying the fact that Luke has to go through all of this, and that we as a family have this huge elephant in our house and every where we go no matter how fun our current surroundings are...there he sits. Sometimes right in front of us...sometimes back in the shadows a bit...but he's always there....remind us of what is going on. It is a heavy burden that is hard to bare. Our hearts are so heavy. It is constitant deap breaths, and signs during moments when we aren't speaking or interacting...it seems like the minute we have a free second one of us is taking a deep breath...almost like we need the oxygen to carry these heavy hearts. Heads have been hung this week preparing for the trip(even our dog seems a little depressed). The luggage, clothes laid out, lists laying around, ect...reminds us that in a few days we will be facing a huge critical situtaion with someone we love more than anyone in the world. So with that being said...it has been very hard to "Humble myself" before the Lord. But even without this situation I think it is hard sometimes. Even when things are doing great in our lives don't we often just go about our way happily head held high enjoying life as we should!?!? Whether our current situation is "heavy" or "light" humbling ourselves before the Lord needs to be a daily routine. Where we lift our heads UP (not down or straight forward) and commit to the Lord that we are His...and everything we have, love, and live for is HIS. Being humbled in that (whether its a good or bad situation) we will be lifted up. With having kids the love from them is almost unbareable...it's a kind of love that fills the inside of you from head to toe and is pouring our of every pore in our bodies. Well as hard as it is to imagine I know that God loves us MUCH MUCH MORE than that! He wants to bless us more than we could have ever hoped for or imagined. I know that it's not easy but when things are hard or good we need to look at Him and build a frame around it. Our pastor mentioned in his sermon a couple weeks ago that when our eyes are on Him in worship everything else just seems to fade away...well that is so true and by humbling myself and keeping my eyes framed around Him (ecspecially in this time of tribulation in my life) I know that everything else will fade away and I will be lifted up (and the elephant will be not be visible). I know this is a daily struggle (just had a huge sigh/ deep breath typing that) but singing Jesus Loves Me around the house or other fun little songs with Lane and Luke will keep my spirits up and remind me of how much He loves me. I am working on meditating on His promises. This week I have been saying "The LORD is Luke's shepard" (or my shepard, or Lane's or Matt's) anytime I have the chance over and over in my head as a constant reminder of his protection. It's a daily thing (even down to the hour or minute) to keep yourself humbled. But when I do...I feel better (obviously lifted up). So...the next few days before we leave and while we are there in the hotel the night before and at the hospital bright and early Monday morning I will be looking UP and focusing the best I can on HIM....because by doing that my heart will be lightened which I so badly desire!
We leave Sunday night to stay in a hotel with my parents and Matt's parents. We have to be at the hospital on Monday morning and in pre-op surgery at 630 am. I am weak and weary and so is my ever so strong husband. Thank you for your prayers as we sooo need them and appriciate them right now. Please lift up those surgeons!
Some of you have asked for the info of where we will be staying :

Comer Childrens Hospital
5841 S Maryland Ave
Chicago, Il 60637
I will keep everyone posted via this blog and will be posting as soon as I can.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

"Blog Land" reflectiong on "Never Once Did We Ever Walk Alone"

Like I had stated in my first post...before we started going through this situation with Luke, I was kind of wanting to start a blog because I have two girl friends that do a weekly blog about the same subject and link them up getting encouragment from each other and other people involved. Here is my first "Linking up" Blog...Hope I can figure it out....I am new to "BLOG LAND"!
This week it is revolving around Matt Redman's song NEVER ONCE you can view it here.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1bXG4WIesA.
Of course this song SOO REGISTER'S in my life right now with everything we are going through.
To me...this is our victory song that I am singing now in my heart and will be singing loudly at the top of my lungs when this is all said and done. I am already loudly singing "NEVER ONCE DID WE EVER WALK ALONE" because that is so true already and the surgery isn't even done. God is so faithful and never once did HE leave us on our own and we know HE won't either. Here is a little testimony inregards to that...from the day we found our about this of course HE was there...on our way home all I kept thinking about was how in that moment of being a parent myself and needing to be there for my child, that although my husband was there and is so amazing and makes me feel so much better just by hugging me...I felt as though I also wanted the love and touch of my parents(I think we'll always feel that way in certain situations...ecspecially painful ones...) and I couldn't wait to tell them about what I had found out so they could hug me and tell me it was going to be ok. That day when we got home from the doctor my mom was already at my house watching our 2 year old so...check....I knew she was going to be there for me, but my dad was at work...well if you read my first post on here "Introduction to Deckerville and the current situation" then you have already heard this story but if you haven't...when we got home from the doctor and pulled into our garage I got out of the van and looked out the garage door and my dad was walking up the driveway, he was there in that moment when I needed him to be, to catch me as I wanted to fall and hug me when I needed to be held. We were so thankful they were there to tell us our son would be ok and to encourage us. HE knew what I needed...without even asking HE was right there with me, answering the longing desire of my heart and giving me my mom AND my dad in that moment. After we found out we weren't going to be going to Iowa City(due to our insurrance which just changed in January and this is now Febuary) and the doctors office said they'd look into some where in Illinois my husband got on the computer and immediatly went to the internet and looked up Chicago. Matt found and AMAZING neurosurgeon that was not only just that but also a pediatric one and a professor teaching students who desire to become a neurosurgeon. Once we saw his face and read his bio Matt said there is just something about Chicago that gives me a peaceful feeling and sure enough after ONE phone call we got an appointment with that doctor. HE knew just what HE was doing when we switched our insurrance around, HE knew just what HE was doing through my husband when we he looked online giving him that peace with Chicago. HE was right there with us, leading us as we were finding our way. We prayed and prayed for a successful trip into the city to not miss our appoinment or be late as we so badly wanted some information...and low and behold we had a perfect trip. Luke slept the whole way, we had great luck with traffic, we didn't miss a turn and in the midst of construction somehow we turned right into the parking garage and the exact place we were suppose to go and made it right to the correct floor just by getting off the elevator and turning right without even knowing. HE was there during our second appointment as we went to have Luke's ct scan done. We had no knowledge of the fact that we were going to have to spend the night if Luke was awake when it came time for the scan and needed to be sedated. Well sure enough he was awake and of course HE was there...working in the hearts of the nurses who did everything possible to get him to lay still to get it without sedation...and they did and we got to go home.It's the little things folks that we sometimes don't even realize but when we do GLORY BE TO GOD! HE has been there through even more things through our journey but these are just to say a few(believe me I can think of many more situations such as these but that would take up alot more time in blog land.) What it boils down to is... HE IS FAITHFUL. Never once have we felt like we were alone. Even though there are literally "scar's and struggles" on their way...we know we will be carried by HIS constant grace and held within HIS perfect peace. One thing that this song makes me think of is... HE WILL BECAUSE HIS WORD SAYS HE WILL....HE IS ABLE, HE IS WILLING, HE IS FAITHFUL. More than ever my hope is in YOU because YOU ARE FAITHFUL.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Sad...

Last week I got to speak to the neurosurgeon on the phone. I felt some what honored to be speaking to him directly and on his personal cell phone and at 10:00 at night. He went over a bunch of my questions we had about the surgery and helped us get this into perspective a little bit. So before you continue reading this post I need to warn you that once u read it you may feel slightly haunted knowing what Luke will have to endure during this surgery (I know I sure am). The surgery will be approximately 6-7 hours. What they will have to do is make an incission behind his hairline from one ear across the top of his head to the other ear. Then they will peal his skin back and remove all the bones from his forehead and cut apart the suture that is prematurely closed. They will also remove his eyebrow bone and the bones all above his eye socket. Once everything is taken out by the neurosurgeon the plastic surgeon will step in and put all the bones in their correct place spreading them out to the space that they should be and he will secure All those bones with pins an screws and wires. Then he will have his blood transfusion (which I was able to donate since Luke and I have the same blood type) and then he will sew up his incision using stiches. This is so disturbing to type and even think of the fact that this is actuallly going to happen. It makes me sick to even think about it.... So I often try not too. I usually do ok except when I am alone. The other day I was in the shower by myself an it was quiet and I couldnt hear the kids and everything just started flooding me all at once. I quickly turned off the water and had to get out of there because I  almost dropped to my knees at the thought of it. (and I am sure that day I will)Later on that day I took the towel off my head and realized I hadn't even rinsed my hair out. It isn't easy to be alone sometimes at the thought of all of this. Anyways the surgeon also said the pin and screws Are dissolvable and the stiches should be also. He said that the worst part is that when we see Luke it won't even look like our baby. He will be bandaged and his eyes will be so swollen. They will even be swollen shut for a few days. We can hold him right away and they usually want to be held. The back of his head will be ok but the top and the front will be very tender. I can try to nurse him right away or give him some of the milk I have froze for him but he said there is a chance he wont eat. Most babies don't want to eat for a few days but some will breast feed right away so we shall see. I can stay in ICU with him... We will have our own room with a fridge in it for me to bring all his stored milk. Luke will be in ICU for a couple days and then he should be able to go to regular recovery. Then we will stay there unil he is eating normal and can open his eyes well. Some babies do well by the 5th or 6th day and some babies take longer. I am believing Luke will be the fastest healer they've ever seen (by the grace of God of course ) The surgeon also informed me that he will be on morphine for a day or two then tylenol with codeine and then regular Tylenol as needed. I asked him how they will tell if he needs more or less pain medicine and for how long and he said that is where the mom and dad come in. Of course they have a pretty good idea of what he will need but they trust us parents & want us to tell them how he is doing since mom& dad know best. He will be very groggy from the anistetic & won't seem or look like himself for a while (this makes me so sad) Once the swelling goes down he won't look exactly like himself either. The hard ridge on his forehead will be gone and his eyes and everything will be more spread out. I told the surgeon this was hard for me to phathom because I think he looks perfect but he reminded me that he will be a new version of perfect and his brain will thank us that it's not squished and his eyes will have less Likly of a chance to have vision problems later. With that being said I keep trying to remind myself that he has to have this and it's for his own good.... But that DEFINATLY doesn't take away how sad I am. SAD is what I am. Worried.... Yes! Scared..... Yes!! But above all just plain down right sad!! God has been working in me... Helping me with fears, giving me peace , and holding me in His arms but the sadness is still deep in me. I realized though that it's ok to be sad. God understands that I am sad... After all he made me this way and every mother this way. Of course I am going to be sad and have this deep devastation in me... I am suppose to I'm his mommy and he is going through a major surgery. So everyday that it gets closer it seems to hurt even more(how that is possible is beyond me because I don't know much more I can take) We are on our way home from Chicago now. I had to go in to donate my blood for his transfusion and he had to have blood redrawn for his pre surgery lab work since the last blood they took clotted. It took three nurses to get it this time too. He cried his eyes out. I have never seen a baby cry that hard and I just cried along with him. After we got done his daddy even told him that he was so strong .... Even stronger than his parents. Two weeks from today is the day. I am dreading it so much. I just so badly want this all to go away. I am just soooo thankful for Luke and approximatly three weeks from today we will be heading home with our two normal completely healthy boys and I am REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT!
Here is a picture of Luke and I today after our blood work....
And here is a picture of our happy boy even though his vein blew and it took 3 nurses to get the blood drawn! Such a strong happy boy:)

Monday, May 14, 2012

REALITY....

I chose the title "Reality" because...obviously this is all becoming just that.... a reality. Today the neurosurgeon emailed me and said that we are for certain the surgery is scheduled for Monday June 4th at 7:30am. He will be calling me on Thursday to go over all the details and answer our one thousand questions(literally)! On top of that email today....we also recieved a phone call from a social worker setting up our stay with the Ronald Mc Donald house. As I sit here and reflect on those two things I feel overwhelmed by it all. For some reason I keep trying to "wrap my mind" around this whole situation and I don't know why I am because clearly I can't. I am so appriciative for our wonderful Pastor who told us that God gives us enough grace for today...not for tomorrow, tomorrow he will give us grace for tomorrow. I need to keep reminding myself that everyday. And that His mercies are made new each morning. I find myself keep trying to "process" or "understand" or "get a grip" on the "REALITY" that our son will have to endure this surgery and for some reason...I just can't. I suppose it is a good thing I can't "wrap my mind around it" because if I could it would hurt so much more today than it already does. Maybe after our conversation with the doctors I will be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together a little more and feel a little more knowledgeable about everything. There is peace in planning for some of us(mostly women I would say). As I get a "plan" for the time we are gone maybe I will feel a little less uneasy. (and then again maybe not). But I do know that with me being the neurotic mother I am on Lane's snack time, nap time, ect....it will be nice to know more about it all....nice to know so YES ....I can let  all of that go out the window for the time being and I am completly ok with it all...truley I am. I am so thankful my toddler is SO EASY GOING for as scheduled as I have made his life. He is such a sweet happy boy and I know as long as he is with us all is right in the world. Let me go on this tangent real quick....how cool is it that kids don't understand and know fear?! As adults all we do is WORRY WORRY WORRY!  But not children...they are fearless. 
 LOOK AT THIS ADORABLE FEARLESS FACE ON A MERRY GO ROUND!!

I am so greatful for that...ecspecially now. Because Lane doesn't understand what a hospital or surgery is. He of course will sense our sadness....but here is the good thing...we will be there with him and being strong for him and making it as happy as a situation as we can and he will make it happier for us in return. (and for the times we need to be sad or emotional as parents our parents will be there to step in as grandparnents and help with Lane...Thank God for them!!) But I am not worried about Lane at all....even tho he won't have his normal eating times and snack times and naptimes ect...how would this be any different than going on vacation for him? He as a child knows no different. We won't be away from home but we will all be together. Yes there will be sad times but around him we will be happy because we don't want to crush his wonderful happy spirit....and listen up folks.....THAT IS HOW GOD FEELS FOR US!! It is not easy I know....but God calls  us His children does He not? and He wants us to live in fear of Him but in fear of NOTHING in this world...just as a child does. He wants our spirits to live with happiness and not be crushed....just like Matt and I do as Lane's parents. Lane knows no fear, he finds the good in every situation, he trusts that we will be there for him and give and provide everything he needs for the day, and at night he rests knowing he still in our pressence caring for him even as he sleeps. We as children of God need to do the same thing... know no fear, find good in every situation, trust that He will be there and give and provide everything we need for the day and at night rest knowing He is in our pressence caring for us even as we sleep. It is hard to do that because like I said we WORRY, WORRY, WORRY, but I think I will start letting my 2 year old teach me a thing or two over the next 3 weeks as I try to prepare for this surgery. And as I say "prepare" I mean....living each day with today's grace only, thank God every morning that His mercies are made new for me today, and to live "fearless" the best I can as my wonderful 2 year old does. I will continue to blog and let you all know how that goes. I know it won't be easy but I am REALLY going to try to focus on each day at a time. These past few days I have been so WORRIED about the next couple months(and what mother wouldn't be) but I NEED to TRY (need to try, need to try, need to try,) to only deal with today and live in this moment because I think I will feel alot less sad, scared, and WORRIED! So here's to right now...and right now it's time for bed...good night!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Introduction to Deckerville and the current situation...

THE INTRODUCTION...

Well here I go....my very first Blog post. Wow where to begin? I so love reading other peoples blogs but as I sit here to begin my own I can't really think of any clever punchlines or opening statements?!? Guess it's a good thing this isn't getting a grade:) I have been reading a few of my friends blogs  and have really enjoyed keeping up with them and have been wanting to start my own for a while now. Recently my husband and I have been put into a situation that is by far the hardest thing either of us have had to go through(and we haven't even got to the half way mark) and that has lead me to want to blog even more. Before I begin to share that....let me catch you up to speed. Matt and I have been married for 3 years now and he is the most amazing person in the entire world! I am always humbled by the calmness and paitence that he brings into my life of "busyness". We had our first son "Lane" April 16, 2010. Here we are on his 2nd birthday! Isn't he so adorable!! Our lives changed forever the day he was born in the best way! We are sooo blessed to have him! He is the funniest, smartest, greatest little 2 year old on the planet!
On Valentiens day this year we were blessed with our 2nd son "Luke". We were again lovestruck and are now doubly blessed!!! He is such a GREAT baby and almost 3 months old now!!
Here he is on the day he was dedicated to the Lord!
We are SO thankful for our children and SO greatful for the happiness they bring to our lives!
 I feel absoluly complete being a wife to this wonderful man...
                                            and a mommy to these beautiful boys....

I could not be happier....
I am so in love,
and that is why it hurts so bad when something goes wrong....

LUKE:                                                                                                             
So here begins our journey...once Luke was born he of course seemed absolutly perfect to us! We had a great two days in the hospital and Lane was so happy and in love with his new little brother. The day we were getting to come home our pediatric nurse in the hospital (who we had with Lane also and absolutly love) came into our room and asked the discharge nurse if she could have a few minutes alone with Matt and I. The minute that nurse left the room tears entered her eyes. She told us that Luke's head was not normal and that she had asked our pediatrician to do an xray and he refused thinking everything was ok. She informed us that about 30 years ago she had a baby boy born in that hospital who had a bone on his forehead that was hard, and not soft and pliable as it should be. She suggested to his doctor to get an xray and he also refused thinking it was fine. The nurse however did not agree and she went above that doctor and found some one to give a second opinoin and do some imaging on that baby. Come to find out....one of his facial sutures had closed prematurely and he was going to need major surgery to fix it in order for his brain to grow properly in his head . With this being said...she told us that she thought Luke had the same condition....and well, unfortunatly she was right.

We left the hospital scared as could be but spent that entire weekend praying and asking God to give our pediatrician the wisdom to know if Luke needed some imaging done. We left the hospital on a Thursday and had Luke's check up on Monday. As we entered into the room we had high hopes that it was nothing....within seconds of looking at Luke our doctor placed his hands on his head and said "You are going to have to go to Iowa City." Shock immediatly came over us and we were both in tears. As most of you know Iowa City holds one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country...and as great as that is, hearing you are going there with your new PRECIOUS baby was the most awful thing we had ever heard. Our pediatrician told us that he did indeed think that Luke's skull had closed and that he would need to get a ct scan done to find out if he would need surgery. That was one of the hardest days ever...I think the initial finding out is something I will NEVER forget or beable to erase from my memory. We left there so sad, and scared. On the way home we agreed not to get on the internet and start "googling" because we know that would only make things worse. We decided that we were going to go home and call that nurse from the hospital and ask her to give us as much information as she could so we didn't have to frighten ourselves anymore by reading horror stories online. When we pulled into our garage from the appointment I was trying to gear myself up to get out of our van and go inside and tell my mom(who was watching Lane at our house for us) without crying and scaring my toddler. As I got out of the van and I looked out of my open garage door and my Dad just so happened to be walking up the driveway...and I just lost it. Something about being a daddy's girl and having him there in that moment just about brought me to my knees....as soon as I saw him I dropped my head and before I even made my first gasp of tears he said "What's wrong baby?" and in a second he caught me in his arms as I just exploded into tears. It took me a little bit to even say the words..."We have to go to Iowa City"....as my mom opened the door holding our 1 year old she instantly was scared and panicked too seeing us all upset as we walked in from our "well baby check up" in complete tears.
That evening was pretty awful...we called our immediate family and informed them of what we had found out and it was so hard saying it over the phone. Matt called his dad and as he tried to tell him his voice cracked and he broke down into tears, and luckily my amazing father in law just hung up the phone and came right over and prayed with us and for us. When our nurse got off of work she came over with information she had printed off of the internet that was informative about "Craniosynotosis" and a website that she called "safe" where you could see children that had this before surgery and then see them after surgery. (We still haven't ever had the strength to look at all those pictures.) We did however find comfort in knowing a little bit about it. From what we gathered it sounded like Luke's "metopic" facial suture had closed in my womb.(The closing of the metopic facial suture is the rarest form of this.) We did read that it is fixible...PRAISE THE LORD....but he would need a surgery in doing so. The next day I woke up feeling as those I had just had a nightmare....I literally had to sit and think a second if this was all true. I had to call my insurrance company and tell them that Luke was born and to add him to our plan and that he was going to need "special attention". I cried just saying that and again just now as I typed it. Such a hard thing to speak out of your mouth. I struggled alot(and still am not perfect) with wondering why this happened my baby. The baby I prayed for EVERY SINGLE DAY as I carried him in my womb...that he would be "healthy whole and strong in everyway"....but I have managed to get a grip on that and now be thankful it is my baby.(Sounds a little crazy but I will explain more in a little bit). Anyways after calling my insurrance and family and being prepared to go to Iowa City...we found out our insurrance was not accepted out there and we were going to have to find some where else. This set us into another whirlwind of emotions. Knowing how excellent Iowa City is we were scared at the thought of going anywhere else. Our doctors office said it would be a little bit and they would do some research in Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford and try to find us somewhere to go. Well when they said it would "be a little bit" that didn't sit well with my husband. He instantly got on the computer and starting researching himself and found a "cranio facial clinic" that specialized in this. He found an amazing doctor who is not only a Pediatric Neurosurgeon but he is also a professor and teaches students how to do what he will do to our son. We felt great about his Bio and the information we found about the University of Chicago Medicine and the Comer Children's Hospital and asked our doctor to refer us there...and they did that day. The next day we recieved a call from the neurosurgeon's nurse setting us up with an appoinment on March 5th to go in to the University of Chicago Medicine and meet with the pediatric neurosurgeon, pediatric plastic surgeon, and the pediatrician and geneticist to discuss Luke's condition. It was a LONG 3 weeks until we got to go and meet with them all and learn what we were dealing with. It took alot of prayers on our behalf and on the behalf of those that love us....to help us get through the fear of unknowing what to expect. I robbed myself of some of that precious time with my newborn crying everytime I looked at him rather than smiling and staring in awe of him. It took a while but I finally (with God's grace) I recieved the peace that passes understanding in my heart that God himself will take care of Luke and this entire sitution. I am not going to lie...at first I was mad....I prayed everyday for my unborn child believing he was fearfully and wonderfully made! That he was perfect in everyway...and after all of that he isn't perfect. I took a little bit of time to have a pitty party but was QUICKLY humbled by the fact that Luke is in NO pain what so ever, that even tho he will need surgery that he IS fine and will continue to be FINE after it is all said and done. Some children are born with issues and condtions that effect them their whole lives....but not my child! My child has a condition that WILL be fixed and he will live a LONG, HEALTHY, NORMAL LIFE!! Am I still sad?....YES....am I still scared? .....ABSOLUTLY! But the flesh I walk in is sad and scared...but my spirit and soul is at peace. However....it is much easier to walk in the flesh of this world and not in faith...it is harder to be a Christian and walk in faith than it is to not be....but I wouldn't have it any other way! I will continue to feed my faith and pray for my child, the doctors, nurses, and every person and thing that ever comes in contact with Luke. So better my child than someone who doesn't have a parent of faith. After I noticed in Luke's ultrasound(about a month ago) that it was fused even at 20weeks and I could see it on the ultrasound I realized that he was made this way....made this way just for me and my husband! So everyday I surrender this to God and ask him to make me strong for my children. Somedays are hard and some are easier....but everyday God is with me...even when I'm mad, scared, sad, ect...He is with me, covering me with his grace and paving a perfect path for us all to walk down as we face this trial. "NOTHING AHEAD OF YOU IS BIGGER OR STRONGER THAN THE POWER OF GOD BEHIND YOU"
On March 5th we went to Chicago (and were blessed with a perfect ride there and home with Luke) and had a great experience with our doctors. We spent an hour and a half total talking to them and learning about this. We set up a Ct scan for Monday May 7th to be done so they could see perfect imaging of Luke's prematurely closed suture. Just the other day we went again to Chicago but this time to the Childrens Hospital...and let me tell you that is a wonderful place. Every inch of that huge building is made for kids...it is so sad being in there knowing it is filled with children that have problems but more importantly it is such a happy feeling that an amazing place like that exsists and that it is filled with educated people that love kids and are there to help them.
Luke was suppose to be sedated and have a Ct Scan. We prayed like crazy that everything would go perfectly! We were in tears at the thought of him needing to be put to sleep to have it...but we had come to terms with the fact that it had to be done so they could get the absolute perfect picture of what needed to be done. Well GOD IS SO GOOD....and blessed us with more than what we could have asked for....wonderful rad techs that did everything they could to get it WITHOUT SEDATION! Thanks be to God! Luke did great! They had lights, music, toys, vibration tools, ect....to assist with keeping his still. They got the imaging they needed and then Luke had to have blood drawn to do some lab testing. The first nurse that tried to draw it couldn't get it so they called in doctor. She finally got the blood they needed but called me 2 days after and said it clotted and we will need to have it redrawn.
(Which we can do locally if need be.)
So now I think I have caught everyone up to date. We are waiting to have the surgery date finalized, and then I will have more information to update everyone with. As for now...thanks for reading, and please pray for our wonderful little boy! We surely appriciate it!!!