Thanksgiving - My Heart Overflows

We had a great Thanksgiving!  It just doesn't get much better than family and food right?  I am overwhelmed as I think about all God has entrusted me with and all he has blessed me with.  I truly have so much to be thankful for.

 

 my family

 

 the boys

 

 gosh i am blessed - family of 8

 

 us girls

 

Me and my sister's kids

My parents are the grandkids

 Jonathon and Allie

 



My sister and best friend

Great Post Op Report

Olivia had her post op report today and it went great.  She is healing wonderfully and all her restrictons have been lifted.  God is so good! We have so much to be thankful for. 

We celebrated by joining Grace for her Thanksgiving party at school.

Chris Tomlin - Oh Yeah!

Last weekend was so much fun and a great night out before having to head to the hospital for Olivia's surgery (which by the way she is doing fabulous!  she did spike a fever the day we got home, but broke it by evening praise GOD!).  Me, my sister, and two great friends Tina and Jeni and our husbands (who weren't all about the camera) went to dinner for some great Italian and then to the Chris Tomlin concert.  It was so much fun and the worship was amazing!  My friend Jeni and I both celebrated birthdays last week and it was a great birthday night celebration too - Tina even surprised us with a cake at dinner.  Thanks Tina! 

We are HOME!!!

Let me tell you our sweet little Oliva so loving, kind and gentle is one heck of a fighter.  Don't let her fool you she is strong, and has the perseverance and might of a warrior.  We went in Monday morning for her surgery.  She was calm and trusting in what we shared would be done and that she would be ok.  Amazing the trust this child has in just my word.  Below you can see she has had some medicine to relax her before surgery - can you tell she is just a bit silly? 

 

 

Then we entrusted her to the great Physician

 

And HE was faithful and delivered our princess to us.  She is below in recovery and her daddy is giving her juice and she was mowing down some ice chips.  Her first question was (1) do I have a hole in my head  - of which we assured her what was done - the hole she as reffering to, was underneath the surface of her head and she would not see it,but only what looked like a scratch (2) her second question as he cut my bangs off, did he cut off  my hair?  We explained two things 1- the doctor decided NOT to shave her - wahoo right!?  and 2- her bangs were just matted to her head with ointment but still there.

 Then on to her room.  Her big brother, Jonathon and his girlfriend, Allie spent the entire day at the hospital.  I would say she is well loved for them to give up their day off school to spend this way.  Allie was curled up in the bed with Olivia every minute she could.  She adores her and Oliva loves Allie. Jonathon's heart was full and he was overwhelmed and could not wait to see her when she came out of surgery.  Our tough guy is really a softy as it was time for them to leave Jonathon gave her a big kiss!

 

 

Our dear friend from church came early and stayed with us and prayed for Olivia as she went off to surgery.  My bestest friend Kelly spent the day with us as well.  Mom was up to visit when her and Guy split shift as we were settled in our room and my sister and niece came up and my sister spent the night with me to keep me company.  We are blessed! 

Olivia only once said her head hurt and over the counter tylonal was all it took.  She is taking NOTHING for pain!  Amazing or what?  Brain surgery and no pain! 

She had a ct scan bright and early at 5:30am this morning and the results were good so we are home and she is resting.  Very thankful.  Thanks for all your prayers. 

Olivia's Surgery Tomorrow

Well tomorrow is the big day.  Olivia will have her second surgery since home here in America.  We hope this to be her last!  She will be having a ETV surgery for her hydrocephalus.  Praise God she is not symptomatic.  We are doing this procedure to ensure she stays that way.  Olivia's issue is with the 3rd ventricle of her brain.  All of her ventricles are larger than normal, but the 3rd one is the largest.  This means fluid does not flow through like it should (your brain processes a pint of spinal fluid through each day!). 

So tomorrow in this surgery they will open a hole inside the brain to re-establish effective flow of the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid).  The fluid flows from the lateral ventricle in your brain to the third ventricle (that is the largest one for her ) and then finally out the fourth ventricle. If there is an obstruction or this ventricle is too narrow (this is what is the case for Olivia here at the third ventricle) then ETV is a good option in lieu of shunting her.  They will make a single small dime size in her skull and use an endoscope. The will put a small hole in the front part of the third ventricle which will allow the fluid to leave the third ventricle, by bypassing the obstructed part. Surgery should only take about an hour to an hour and a half...nothing like the untethering surgery which was LONG!  we should also only be in the hospital one night.
Please pray specifically for: 1. That God guides the hands of the surgeon.
2.  For peace for Olivia, the doctor and us!
3.  No complications - like, stroke, bleeding, death - you know all the unlikely but scary things they have to tell you.  And that that dont' get in there and find the anatomy is not conducive for the ETV (the most natural way to do this) and they determine they need to shunt her.
4.  The surgery is a success and recovery goes well.


As scary as some of this sounds, it is the brain after all!  I feel peace and I know that is God.  We have also shared with Olivia in a way that she has peace as well.  I thank you all for your prayers for her.  Will keep you updated along the way. 

Thanks to all of you for all the support it has meant a lot!

More Halloween Fun

Olivia and Grace enjoyed an evening of trick or treating on Halloween.  It was Olivia's first and she loved it - the dressing up, the candy, all of it! But how can you not?  Now some of the "Scary" stuff she saw she was a little unsure of - well scared, and had to remind her it was pretend.  Not sure she understood why anyone would want to do that and how that is fun.  Below are the girls with friends and neighbors.

 

Jonathon and Allie dressed as Mickey and Minnie - he must really like her to dress as Mickey just sayin - she does put that lip out pretty far and has a cute little pouty face and I'd say it worked.

Jonathon and Allie with Olivia and Grace and their friends Kaitlyn and Karissa (minus Christian who didn't dress up and hung with friends & Logan who went trick or treating with a friend in another neighborhood)

these girls are so their momma - look at them sorting their candy after they got home. I so had to laugh.

 

Logan and his friend Justin head out

they had a blast as well

 

It was a fun Halloween .....