February 2007

2/5/07 – I know, I know, I’m sorry we’ve been so long at updating the site. Life has officially taken over! Abbey is doing great! As you can see, these are her new shoes/brace! I (Jill) think I have finally figured out all the tricks to getting them on her correctly. She’s been in them since 1/19 so almost 3 weeks. We had to endure some blisters & such but its just all part of it. She is such a tolerant child. Some good news from her Orthopedic surgeon; he does not believe he will do anything to correct her pelvis. This means one less surgery (for now) and recovery of 3 months in a body cast! Praise God! He intends to watch how she grows in this area but is very hopeful we will not have to do anything – EVER! (This is where your continued prayers come in!) More good news from her Urologist; her kidneys look great – no swelling. The recent sonogram showed some “debris in her bladder” but without any infection so he is not concerned at this time. He explained that the debris is due to her bladder not being completely emptied and should infection arise, we will have to catheterize her to ensure her bladder empties correctly. (Prayers here too please!) Overall, Abbey is coming along great. 9.5 pounds and 22 inches long at her last Pediatrician visit. She is a little on the petite side, but certainly on the charts. We ask you to keep us in your thoughts as Jill returns to work; a bittersweet decision that lies heavy on our hearts. Fortunately, her company allows her to work from home. Without this opportunity our options would be limited. Our wonderful sitter has no doubt accepted Abbey and has already adapted to her special needs. Again, God has blessed us with this gift, for we could not do it without her.

2-16-07 New Site, more updates?
OK, so hopefully you've all found us now...please bookmark this new site. The administrator of the other site (who hosts sites as a hobby) has taken another job & doesn't seem to have the time available to meet our needs - we know you want new information fast! :) We'll do our best.
Here's our sweet girl sitting in her "Bumbo" - she loves being upright. She's 4 months old today! You can see her brace here - not that bad huh? The little shoes are actually quite cute! She seems to be doing fine with it. Her heels are still a little red where the shoes tend to rub, but it's just all part of it. When laying on a flat surface like the floor or the couch, she'll lift those legs straight up in the air - it's quite funny! We head back to TSRH next Tuesday for a follow-up appointment with her OS (Orthepedic Surgeon).

Just had to add this photo of Amanda...she was very amused with herself as she stood right in the way of the camera while I was trying to get a shot of Abbey, I must admit I was just as amused. I think Amanda is starting to understand that little sister demands a lot of attention. "Mr. Naughty" is getting too much play time these days as Amanda is finding her own ways to get attention.

2-20-07 Baby's got a new pair of shoes!

Good visit to TSRH today - Abbey got a new pair of shoes! They look exactly the same as the old ones, just a little bigger. Doc thinks her feet are looking great & the sonogram of her hips/pelvis looks good too. Oh my we are blessed. Unless the new shoes cause major blisters or redness that won't go away, we will not return to TSRH for a month! Abbey wears this brace all the time for now. We take it off about 3 times a day for about 30 minutes to allow her to stretch and to check for blisters & redness (to which we cover w/ band aids). She definitely has some battle wounds, but they'll heal.
At next months visit they will do a sonogram of her spinal cord & nerves at the base of her spine so that they can begin to understand and plan for what needs to be done (if anything). The original MRI (while she was at Children's Hospital) showed slight spina bifada (un-exposed & without paralysis) and that the nerves at the base of her spine are tethered; both of these items are thought to be operable - time will tell.
We continue to thank all of you, our dear friends who keep us in your prayers...and also to those wonderful "Tuesday night supper club" participants who have kept us fed for the last 4 months! It may only be a meal to you, but for us it has been a sign of your friendship and generosity, for which we are forever grateful. We look forward to a time when we can return your kindness.