Saturday, January 24, 2009

Back to Normal

Brian's work had some balloons delivered to Little Miss--a perfect gift!

The pool is almost complete, we are filling it up this very moment!  
Aubrey was helping Daddy fix the sprinkler system this morning.



Thank you all again for your prayers.  We are doing much better.  

Monday, January 19, 2009

Thanks for Praying

Many of you know and some may not, that Aubrey was in the hospital this past week.  On Tuesday morning, Brian left early in the morning to fly to Oklahoma.  Aubrey hadn't woken up by 8:30 am which was unusual.  I went in to check on her and I knew that something was wrong.  She was staring at me, but didn't say anything.  She was shaking a little and her color was a little off.  When I touched her I immediately noticed she was really cold.  I took her into my room, called Brian, then the pediatrician, and then Brian's mom and we headed to Texas Children's Hospital ER.  I had planned on getting together with a friend that morning so she called and offered to ride with me to the Hospital.  That was such a blessing that helped keep me calm on the drive.  

A whole lot of doctors, nurses, and others quickly worked on Aubrey to get her temperature, blood sugar, and heart rate back up to a normal place.  It was very scary for me and I was SO thankful to have Brian's mom with me.  Once they got her to a more stable condition, they took her in for a brain cat scan and then she was placed in the PICU.  Brian was able to come back that evening and spend the next three days with me at the hospital.  Aubrey was doing much better shortly after getting into the PICU, though she was still very sleepy for the rest of that day.  That night was very scary for Brian and I because after Aubrey's dangerously low blood sugar level, it shot up to a dangerously high level.  Thankfully her body was able to regulate it over the nighttime so she didn't need any help with that.

While in the PICU, Brian and I were offered a room at the Ronald McDonald House located in the hospital.  That was a blessing for us to get to take turns napping and showering there over the night.  Aubrey was out of ICU status early wednesday morning, but it wasn't until late that night that there was a room for her on the Cardiac floor.  We were so glad to be moved to a much larger room with a place for us to sleep and a private bathroom with a shower.  Also they only checked vitals every 4 hours there and Aubrey got to shed most of her cords and stickers and cufs and other tethers.  She only had one iv left and since she was feeling better she was happy for the extra mobility.  

It was a very difficult time for all of us.  Brian and I were very emotionally exhausted from watching Aubrey go through so much poking and prodding.  She became VERY fearful of anyone who would walk through the door (besides Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa.)  It hurt me so much to see her hurting and afraid and not be able to do anything but be there for her.

The doctors are still baffled by what actually caused this incident.  We have talked to lots and lots of doctors.  We are thankful to be in such place with such WONDERFUL doctors.  There are so many doctors reviewing her case and trying to find answers.  She had lots of blood tests, eye exam, hearing exam, liver ultrasound, heart ultrasound and so far everything has turned up normal.  The cardiologists and the geneticists want her to have a few more tests to try and narrow down a diagnosis (or rule out certain other conditions.)  We have to take her back to TCH on Thursday for a big brain MRI  and they are doing a skin biopsy while she is under anesthesia.  They finally let us go home Friday night.  She has been SO happy since we left.  She is completely back to her normal bubbly, loving, smart, silly self. 

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.  Though it has been a difficult time, we have many things to be thankful.  We need prayer for wisdom and peace as parents.  We pray that Aubrey has peace and feels safe despite all the uncomfortable appointments she has to go through.  And of course we pray for healing.  We would like some answers, but we are okay without answers.  We need your prayers of protection: physical, emotional, and spiritual.  God is good.