Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Gigi is Laughing and Eating!

So much good news! The surgery went exactly as the surgeon expected without any complications. I have been told that Gigi was smiling, laughing and eating within an hour of waking. She is scheduled to have an MRI this morning and based on those results, she may come home tonight! How wonderful!

Keep those faithful prayers coming!

God knows your needs before you even ask, but he loves to hear the sound of your voice talking to Him. Talk to Him today, about Gigi and yourself and spend some time listening to your Father!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Raise Your Hearts and Voices

Hello Everyone

Maybe you already know that Gigi will be having surgery tomorrow, on Monday June 18th.

What the MRI revealed was that the fourth ventricle was not flowing so the neurosurgeion will be going in to fix all that.

She will also have a sac removed from her spinal chord. I cannot remember the correct terminology for the sac but I do remember that although they occur in infancy, the sacs are not usually found until a child reaches their teens and irrepairable damage is done. This MRI was a blessing, in that this sac was found and will be removed now before any damage can occur to the spinal chord.

Jen was at peace when I spoke to her about all of this. She is grateful that the sac will be removed and she remembers Gigi's last surgery, when the flow was adjusted and how quickly she recovered and how much better she did afterwards. Gigi is not showing any signs of this build up of fluid so we pray that she will awaken to even bigger and greater things from this surgery, too.

Please pray for her health in the hospital. Pray specifically for no bleeds and for no menigitis or any illness whatsoever. She will be on a regular ped floor and I think it is a blessing that the surgery is occuring at this time of the year because there should not be too many children in for illness. So please pray for health and no infections.

I will post as soon as I know anything

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Prayers for Friday

Hello Friends

I am writing to ask for prayers for GiGi's MRI on Friday. As you know from the last blog entry, the surgeon did some "neuro fine tuning" (lay term) on the flow from her fourth ventricle. The MRI on Friday is to verify that it is flowing well and that all is well. Sadly, if it is not, our little Gigi will have to have another neuro surgery. Some times I am just to chicken to ask Jen for more information.....so I am not sure what the whole surgery will entail. It was enough for my heart to hear that she would have to have another. Let's all raise our voices and hearts and minds and stay focused on healing scriptures and faithful words. Let's wrap Gigi and the entire family in those words, those thoughts and those songs the rest of the week. Let's rise on Friday without a doubt of the MRI revealing all good things for our little Miss, knowing that she is in God Almighty's own hands. God Bless you on Friday Gigi, we will send all the angels to the MRI with you.

I have never had an MRI. I am such a chicken, I would whine for days if I had to have one and then I would beg for loads of chocolate afterwards. But there goes our little girl (because you know Jen, that she is all of ours in our hearts!) Gigi, in blind faith and trust, to have another. Please Lord, if I can't spoil her with chocolate that day, would you please spoil her with all kinds of good surprises that day for her and her family!! Maybe they will just get a day to not worry about the house or the car or endless lists of things to do except Gigi; to just care for their little miracle. Grant them the much needed family time to just soak in each other!

She is doing so well with all of her therapies and she is such a social little thing. She has started to scoot around on her blanket and is finding her way to other parts of the room...no more laying her down and finding her in the same spot when you turn your back! She is babbling like a champ. She sounds adorable!

Send some verse to be posted for Gigi...healing verses.

I always go to the psalms, what is your favorite?

I just want to end with one of those get you on your way kind of quotes:

No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway to the human spirit."
--Helen Keller, writer, speaker


There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is a miracle.
-- ---Albert Einstein


Have a very happy week everyone, I will be praying and sharing in prayer with you and I hope you will surround and immerse yourself in only the good stuff!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Think Good Thoughts-update on MRI

Hello Everyone

I am relating this through Jen, please forgive me for my lack of medical expertise. Jen is far more learned when it comes to Neurodevelopment terminology and lingo than I am. She is such a good mom and has learned so much in such a short period of time!

Thank you for your continued prayers and your immediate prayers. Gigi is doing wonderful. It seems she was suffering from a virus and the symptoms she was experiencing were similar to or the same as problems that could be associated with her shunt draining. It appears that the symptoms of illness, such as sleepiness, irritability, and being uncomfortable mean an extra check for Gigi, just to make sure that she isn't experiencing problems with the shunt. Let's pray for Jen and Drew on this particular fact. It can be tiring having a sick infant, with these additional checks and balances to take into consideration, let's continue to lift them up for strength in parenting and to know that Gigi is healed and there is nothing to fear!

Gigi's neurologist put the shunt on a "new" setting to allow a better regulation of the fourth ventricle. This was a good thing, because he was scheduled to be out of town and it was probably better that the virus brought them in for this "adjustment" a bit earlier in the week rather than finding she needed at her scheduled appointment for that Friday.

This prepared her for her first car adventure to her grandparents house on the Bay. Jen said she travelled well, both in the car and sleeping and eating somewhere other than home. They had a lovely Memorial Day Weekend visit. However, Gigi did keep everyone on their toes the next few days as she experienced her first ear infection! She is recovering well on antibiotics and Jen reports that she is doing fine.

There are some additional prayer requests from mom and dad. First is for the Neurologist on staff at their children's hospital. He has cared for Gigi for this whole time and he is relocating this summer to the other side of the country, I believe. This has Jen concerned and her heart is anxious over who will be replacing him. So, let's pray for patience and understanding as God's plan unfolds, a plan that will only bring good to Gigi and to the man who has cared for her. Let their hearts not be troubled by this unexpected turn in the events. The second prayer request is for Gigi's eye sight. Please continue to lift up seeing the healing in this area for her. Jen says that Gigi is enjoying her therapies and she is doing quite well and everyone is happy to see her progress.

Trying to type about Neuro issues has taxed my brain...LOL...don't laugh too hard, Jen!!! So I can't come up with anything that seems learned and knowledgeable. My perfectionism is interfering with my posting this message! I thought I needed to think of something earth moving to add to this when all I needed to do was give everyone the update and quite simply add.......Think and surround yourself, Gigi and all of our families with good thoughts and good things will happen! "Think good thoughts about this" one of my primary teachers used to say and what I try to teach my kids....and what I still strive to do each day!

Jen-we are sending GOOD GODLY THOUGHTS!!!