Up, Up and Away

It is time once again for Abbey's team visit at the Shriner's Hospital in Chicago. For this trip, our local Shriner's set us up with Grace Flights of America. Grace Flights works with another organization called Angel Flights. Both groups use private pilots who donate their time, money, skill and aircraft for medical transportation.

We had two legs to our trip. I was both excited and nervous about the whole adventure. Rodney and his dad flew us for the first leg. They were very friendly men and quickly put us at ease despite their jokes implying their inexperience. We had to step up on the wing to enter the plane (a Piper), and Abbey and I rode in the back. She did great and even took a nap.

The picture below is the Cessna Skyhawk that we flew on the second leg. Since he was flying alone, Mike let me sit in the front passenger/co-pilot seat. Mike gave me a map and showed me how to follow along. He told me about the different gauges and instructed me on some of the basics. It was really interesting. Because the wings are up high on this plane, we got to open the windows and feel the air rush by. I looked back at a very windblown Abbey and saw a big grin on her face.

Since I was in the front seat for the second leg, I wanted Abbey to be able to hear my voice. I didn't know if not seeing my face would upset her. Plus, the second leg promised to be bumpier, since the Windy City had a wind advisory out. That girl didn't fuss a bit--not about me leaving her in the back by herself, not about the bumpy ride, not even about having headphones on her head. She did decide to pull them off about half way there, though. She is a trooper, don't you think?

While we were flying, I mentioned to Mike (a native of Chicago) that I had been to Chicago for three other trips but had never seen anything except the hospital, hotel, Ronald McDonald House and airports. As we got close to Chicago he asked me if I was on a schedule. When I told him I had the rest of the day free, he said he'd fly me by downtown. He pointed out all kinds of landmarks: The Sears Tower, Trump Tower, Navy Pier, the Bean, some museums, stadiums etc. We got to fly over the lake, too. The color of the water was such a beautiful aqua. I had prayed on a prior trip that the Lord would provide a way for me to see some more of this city. I never thought it would be from 2000 feet up in a Cessna! Isn't that great?!

I will admit that the descent and landing into Chicago was a bit scary with the turbulence from all the wind combined with the view from the front seat. I was certainly praying, and it took me a minute to catch my breath after we hit the ground. All in all it was very exciting and fun. I am thankful for two safe flights and to our wonderful pilots. I look forward to doing it again.

Back to School

Going back to school for Jack has been a delight. It is old hat for him, and he hasn't missed a beat. He likes his teacher, Ms. Patti, and to my surprise knows most of the kids in his class. There are only three students (all girls) that were in his class last year, but he knows his other classmates from just being around last year. I am eager to watch him learn as the material becomes more challenging. I just don't know what to do with the quiet house.

Off to School

I started to title this post, "Back to School." Then I realized that wouldn't be accurate. Molly isn't "back to school," rather, she is starting school. If you remember that in February, we decided to start Molly in kindergarten this year. Today was her first day.

Over the summer she wasn't very excited about the idea and focused on how much she would miss me. Buying a Tinkerbell lunch box, a hot pink water bottle and a light pink backpack with a monogrammed, cursive M on it made all the difference. This morning she snuggled with me and told me how excited she was to be going to school "like Jack". Today was just a testing day, and she won't go to meet her teacher and classmates for another week. But, the first day is behind us. She had a great day and told me she had already made a new friend. I found it ironic that her new friend, "Valerie" shares a name with one of Molly's imaginary friends. I am pretty sure that this time, "Valerie" is a real girl.

Back Again

So, I've taken a five month hiatus from my blog. But, I haven't abandoned the idea. I still want family and friends to be able to keep up with our lives across the miles. It has been a busy spring and summer and things have gotten more complicated as Abbey and Caroline have grown in their abilities. They are all over the house, climbing on furniture and bringing me books with commands to, "Read". So, time for blogging has been hard to come by. But, I'll start again and see how it goes. Maybe I'll even have time to post pictures from the two weddings we were able to participate in. Or, maybe not. :o)

Admission, Pre-Op and Plans for Tomorrow

Abbey has done great today. She has been happy and not too slow to warm up to all the strangers she has seen. We’ve interacted with several nurses, a nutritionist, the social worker and the nurse practitioner. Everyone has really focused their attention on her and given her time to warm up to them. There is no rush to see her and move on. They are giving great personal care.

We have gotten to play in the play room and around the playground. Ed has even gotten to do a bit of Wii bowling. We have eaten our meals in the cafeteria, and they have been helpful in providing food that suits Abbey’s tastes.

We get the double occupancy room to ourselves, since she is an infant. I’m not quite sure why they do it that way, but I am glad we don’t have to worry about her cries bothering a neighbor. Plus we have room to spread out. Sadly, I don’t get to use the extra bed that is sitting empty on the other side of the room, but am consigned to the pull out chair.

Tomorrow things will start around 6:15ish. Thankfully, she is the first on the schedule. The plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist will each come to check in with us. We will have to sign consents. They will probably take her to be prepped at about 6:45. They said that she will be prepped and ready to begin surgery by about 7:30. It should take 2.5 hours or so.

They will be “freeing up the muscles and tissue” that she already has. They will repair the nasal mucosa (tissue that is the floor of the nasal cavity), reconnect the muscles of the soft palate, and repair the oral mucosa. She will be in the ICU tomorrow night.

We will keep you updated. Thanks so much for your concern, love and prayers!

Ronald McDonald House

All I can say is put your spare change in the box next time your are in McDonalds. I'm sitting here on the queen sized Select Comfort bed at the Loyola Ronald McDonald House. I couldn't be more impressed. The house is so nice and comfortable. They have all kinds of food that volunteers have provided. Everything is so clean and organized. They have anticipated our needs, and we are able to relax. Although our stay is short, many stay a long time. We met a family who is going on their fifth month here. I can't imagine having to deal with that kind of medical circumstance, but I know that this house would be a bright spot in a difficult time. Ed will be staying here each night, and I will stay with Abbey in the hospital. (At least that is the plan.)

So, we are thankful for this organization. We are thankful for a safe trip. We are very thankful that Abbey only had one major meltdown. (She got fussy a few times but books, snacks and my entertainment staved off too much crying until the last 30 minutes.) We are thankful the snow ended earlier in the day, so we didn't run into road trouble, either.

Here's hoping for a good night sleep in preparation for all of the preop. stuff we will endure tomorrow.

Lots

Well, lots has happened since I last posted a bunch of pictures. We had Abbey and Caroline's birthday; my sister's family came for their first Memphis visit and got to meet the twins; there were many Christmas festivities; and we are still deicing from our big winter storm. But, there has been lots of other stuff going on to keep me from posting the pictures and stories from all of this fun stuff. The two main things are that Abbey and Caroline have learned to walk and that both my iphone and laptop computer have broken. So, now I only get snippets of time to come upstairs and do all of my computing.

In addition to all of that, we have had lots of appointments to schedule and attend. Jack's attention and anxiety problems may be serious enough to merit some sort of intervention. So, Ed and I are getting some help with making those decisions. Also, he has had several dental appointments with more to come. He is in the process of getting braces on six of his top front teeth and the first of two expanders. He will get the expander for the lower teeth first. Then he'll get the upper one, just like Molly had. Right now, he has spacers, and his appointment for the braces and lower expander is in the next few weeks.

Abbey has just entered the Tennessee Early Intervention Program. This morning I worked on creating a Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) with her care coordinator. (Thankfully, that professional comes to our home.) Abbey is delayed in four of the five areas they test: adaptive, speech, motor and cognition. Of course, speech is the main area of concern. In a month or so, she will have a early interventionist come to our house on a weekly basis to work with her, and she will probably also have a speech therapist coming, too.

Caroline still has a flat spot on the back of her head. If it is severe enough, then it could hurt her brain growth. The pediatrician thought it was borderline, so she referred Caroline to a specialist to be sure. We have an appointment with the neurosurgeon on Thursday. If the neurosurgeon feels like it is significant enough, then Caroline will probably have to wear a helmet to correct it. Hopefully it will be fine, and we will be done with this issue after the one appointment.

Thankfully, Molly isn't seeing any specialists. Nevertheless, her growth and development have been on my heart and mind and in our discussions lots recently. Ed and I have decided to put her in kindergarten instead of first grade next year. She is doing great with homeschool kindergarten, so that isn't the reason. We just feel like she will be at more of an advantage down the road if she is one of the oldest in her class, instead of one of the youngest. Also, we think it will be better for both her and Jack if they are two grades apart. She won't be immediately following behind him, which will be good for both of them. This has taken a lot of thought, but we have decided it will be best.

Finally, there is me. While I don't have appointments of my own, I have been in transition with my work. I was getting canceled over 50% of the time with my old speech job, so I have branched out. I will still be working some days for Baptist Rehab, but I will be putting in the majority of my time at HealthSouth Rehab. in downtown Memphis. So, I have had several meetings and orientations with them. Ironically, I was unable to make it to my first real day on the job at HealthSouth this past Saturday, because of the ice storm. They didn't cancel me , but the ice prevented me from getting there that day. I am wondering if the Lord is trying to tell me not to trust in my ability to make extra money for the family. :o)

Thankfully, Ed isn't taking on anything too new. He always has meetings and appointments that fluctuate, so we are used to his busy schedule.

So, sorry for the lack of posts and pictures. I haven't given up on blogging. I doubt I'll be able to get caught up on what I've missed and that makes me sad. But, hopefully, I'll be able to get back on track. As you can see, though, we have had lots going on.

Once Again

Yep, Abbey's surgery has been cancelled again. She got a cold a week ago Sunday. She really only has a bit of a runny nose right now. But, even a bit is enough to cancel. They don't want any swollen nasal passages when they are working to create the floor of her nasal cavity. They don't want any chance of infection around the surgery site. They want 100% health when she goes under anesthesia. They reminded me that while this is important surgery, it is "elective". So we need to wait for it to be as risk free as possible.

So, I am frustrated once again. There is so much coordination that has to happen. Ed has to get someone to preach two Sundays for him. Mom and MaryAnn have to clear their schedules and travel. The church folks make themselves available to help. Jack's teacher and carpool folks have to be informed. The several weeks beforehand we have to be careful about who we have over to the house. Jack couldn't have any play dates during his fall break or during Christmas break. Now, her new surgery date is right after his spring break. So, he won't be able to have play dates then. Plus, we have to miss church at least one Sunday. We have tried a 3 week quarantine and just living normal life but being careful. She has gotten sick both times. There is all of this, not to mention the emotional build up of thinking about giving my daughter to strangers who are going to hurt her, even if it is for her own good.

I trust that she is in the Lord's hands, and that we all are, but I don't want to have to do this again. Yet, even as I type this, I am reminded that this is so small in the scheme of things. It is so fixable and such a blessing to have the Shriner's help. There are so many worse things we could be dealing with right now. So, I guess I'll snuggle with Molly and not worry about all the things that were still on my to do list today.

Thanks for caring about our journey.

Major Cuteness

It has been a while since I posted anything. I think I was pretty discouraged after Abbey's surgery was postponed, plus we were recovering from illness. Then we geared up for Thanksgiving and Ed's birthday. That just rolled into the December Christmas push. So, sorry for the absence of thoughts and pictures.

On Sunday, the kids were actually wearing coordinated outfits and looked so cute that I took them into the sanctuary to snap a few pictures. Here are a few of my favorites:

Jack and Molly love their little sisters. Sometimes they can't get enough and have to chase our new walkers. It is a good thing that Caroline is getting faster.



Isn't Abbey a sweetie?



This is the best of the four of them. It is hard to get a good one of everyone. If you enlarge the photo, you can see Abbey's cleft. If all goes according to plan, that will be gone on January 7th.



Now, for you family travelers, does all this cuteness make the preparations more worth it?

Frustrated

I'm trying to look on the bright side, but I am still frustrated. Many of you know that Abbey's surgery was officially cancelled and rescheduled today. The fever that she had over the weekend was an automatic cancellation. The bad thing is that the first available date to reschedule it isn't until the beginning of January. The surgeon wanted to do it between ten and twelve months. Now it will be at 14.5 months. (If the weather or another fever doesn't postpone it again.)

I am frustrated and concerned about how this will hinder her speech and language development. In the past month and a half I could already tell that she was making more and more sounds that are characteristic of children with clefts. So, she will have to unlearn the bad habits that she picks up in the next two and a half months.

Plus, they were going to put tubes in her ears. People with a cleft palate can't maintain proper ear pressure, because their eustachian tube doesn't work correctly. So, they often have fluid in the middle ear that interferes with hearing. At times, I can tell that this is happening to her. She doesn't react as quickly to her name or other sounds. So, now we have two and a half months more of her not having normal hearing.

But, I trust the Lord is in control. His plans and purposes are higher than mine. I know that and trust it, but my heart still hurts for my little girl. Plus, I don't want to have to go through this waiting and anticipation again. Please pray for me, Abbey and the rest of our family. Thanks!

All Dressed Up With No Place To Go

The clothes are clean and put aside, the instructions written out, the quarantine almost over, the teachers notified, the reservations made, the departure date approaching, and...Abbey has a fever. Last night she was warm and it was only 99.8, so not technically a fever. I thought it was probably the two new teeth that she is cutting. :o) But, this morning it was 101.4, so not likely the teeth. Plus, her appetite is dropping off, she is a bit fussier than usual and she has a runny nose.

So, I called the hospital and talked to the charge nurse. She said that if Abbey gets better quickly and never really seems that sick, then there is about a 20% chance that they will go through with it. We have to wait until Monday to talk to the nurse practitioner.

But, l know the Lord is in control and we will have the surgery in His timing. Like one friend said, maybe the person that is going to encourage us, or vice versa, won't be having surgery until later. We will see.

By the way, Abbey is all dressed up for her birthday!! She is one today. I can't believe it. It has been a wonderful year. We are going to have a little celebration later this afternoon. I hope to have pictures and thoughts up soon.

Exciting News and Bad News

The exciting news is that Caroline took her first steps. Actually, she took them for Jack. He said he saw her take a step yesterday. Then, last night, she took three for Ed and me. Today she took four for me one time. Yea for Caroline!

Now, the bad news--Jack has a low fever. He has had cold symptoms, and this evening he has complained of an earache. We are supposed to leave for Chicago in just over a week. Of course, Abbey can't be sick, but I am sure they won't let Ed or me in the hospital if we have cold symptoms. The Ronald McDonald House said we have to be completely well to stay there. (I haven't been feeling well either and am not sure it it is allergies or a cold.) So, please pray that Jack will heal quickly and that the rest of us will stay well.

That's our update for now. Thanks

Jack's First School Project

Jack had to pick an animal, research it and create a 3D representation of it in it's habitat. He also had to show it's food. He chose a tiger. Thankfully, we had a lot of orange and black playdough from Halloween last year.



He wanted the tiger to be eating a wild boar. He also wanted some snakes for fun. He had the idea for how the grass would look.



He also had the idea of having the tree on the back of the box so that it would stand up when the box was opened. Isn't he creative and handsome?!

Chicago Plans

Well, the plans are coming together to take Abbey to Shriner's Hospital for her palate repair at the end of this month. This morning, I talked with our local Shriner and firmed up the travel details. They are going to reimburse us for our gas, and Ed is going to drive us up. This takes a bit of the pressure off, as we don't have to worry about an upset baby making the trip miserable for two other folks (if she cries, that is). It is a nine hour drive without stops. We have no idea what it will be like trying to drive back with her after the surgery. It could be a nightmare, or the pain meds could make her sleep most of the way.

Ed will be a saying at a Ronald McDonald house for all four nights. Abbey and I will be with him the first night and then in the hospital the other three nights. I am really amazed at the Ronald McDonald house. The photo tour of it looks so nice. It only costs $10 per night and volunteers often bring food for supper. You can bet I'll be putting my spare change in the collection bin next time I am at McDonalds! Our local Shriners are going to pay for Ed's lodging and for my meals in the hospital. So, we shouldn't have very much out of pocket expense.

Both my mom and Ed's mom are planning to come help care for the other three kids while we are gone. This is a huge help to us and our family. Originally we were planning for Ed to stay home, but the compassionate elders at our church encouraged Ed to go with me and Abbey. From what I have read about other moms' experiences with the surgery, I think that was so wise of the elders. It is a huge relief to me to not have to deal with the emotional stress of it all by myself. So, Mom and MaryAnn are going to drive from SC and be here a whole week.

Our family started a self-imposed quarantine last week. If Abbey even has the least little bit of a cold, then we will have to reschedule everything. So, we want to do the best we can to stay well. Jack is still going to school, of course, and Molly gets to go to her ballet class. We are cutting out everything else and staying home as much as possible. I did get out to eat lunch with some other pastor's wives last week and I have a women's meeting at church on Tuesday, so I'm not going stir crazy, thankfully. I am not feeling great, though. I hope it is just allergies and not a cold or the start of something else. I'd love it if you'd pray for the health of our family--especially Abbey, Ed and me. Thanks.

Cedar Hill Farms

I really don't feel like writing a lot right now, but I know some family has been eager to see pictures from our outing to the pumpkin patch. We didn't really go to the "patch," because we spent most of our time enjoying the other fun things that Cedar Hill Farms has to offer.

Ed and Jack loved the corn cob shooter.



Molly had so much fun riding the pony that she used Jack's ticket and rode twice.



The corn box was novel fun. I even got in and enjoyed it a bit.



Jack and Molly were king and queen of the hay fort.



I was super surprised that the spider-shaped corn maze was the main thing that Jack wanted to do. He and Ed were able to answer the spider questions and find their way out fairly quickly. Did you know that spider blood is blue?



The girls and I waited outside the maze and had fun taking pictures. Caroline was glad to receive Molly's affection.



Aunt Weez sent the cute outfits. We decided it was the perfect day to wear them. Poor Abbey, on the right, probably won't get much more festive this season, as we will be traveling back from her surgery on Halloween.



We all rode the tractor-pulled "train." Abbey sat with Molly and me.



Caroline hung with the fellas.



Even though we didn't get them from the field, we did leave with pumpkins. Even the littlest Eubanks (Abbey) got a pumpkin.



Maybe next year Caroline will be able to join in more of the fun. Despite going during their nap time, both babies did really well.

Finally

For the past several months I have been thinking it would happen any day. This is the day! Caroline finally has a tooth poking through the surface. I haven't been able to check Abbey's gums yet this morning.

Also, this week is the week for first words. Caroline has said "mo" for more and "ba" for bottle. Most of the times it has been an imitation of my question, "Do you want more?" or "Do you want a bottle?". This morning, I think that she initiated "mo". Molly's first word was "crack" for cracker and "coke". What is it with my kids and food words? :o)

One of the girls (Abbey, I think) was babbling in her crib this morning and said, "muhmuh". Now, I think she was calling for me, but I'm not sure. So, I won't claim that one, yet.

I think we are headed to the pumpkin patch this afternoon. If disobedience doesn't reign and we really get there, then I'll post some pictures.

More Fun With the Babes

They are just so cute and fun that I couldn't resist snapping some photos and posting them. (Disclaimer: I know that the photo quality isn't that great, so I apologize.)

It's another, "who me?" moment. In addition to dumping out the diaper bin multiple times a day, my little rascally Caroline likes to play her daddy's bass.



Abbey loves this rocking horse in the church nursery. I have literally had to pry her hands from it on occasion.



My sweet, helpful Molly is willing to help feed Caroline if it means that it will free me to feed a screaming Abbey. This is partly due to her desire to hear the cartoons she watches in the morning. Whatever the motivation, it brings peace to our home.



We haven't been able to resist the beautiful, fall weather. The other day we got outside to swing. Both girls loved it. The belly laughs they made when Molly pushed them high were just priceless. Abbey is the little Gamecock below.

The Joys of Having a Daughter, Part 2

Who me?

The Joys of Having a Daughter

Maybe, it is not that she is a girl. Maybe, it is her unique personality. Or, maybe, it is just a stage. Regardless, I am loving Molly's desire to be helpful and to organize. Here is her "surprise" for me and Jack:

Cutie Pies

I thought it had been awhile since I'd posted photos of the two cuties. They are growing so fast and learning so much. Ann Louise and Dave were here last weekend. They were amazed at all that Abbey and Caroline had learned in the month between visits. When they came in August, the babies were still immobile. Now they are sitting, crawling, pulling up, and cruising.

The other morning I left them in the den to go into my bathroom for something. The next thing I knew, Caroline was crawling across my room. One afternoon I was bringing Caroline in from the car, after having brought Abbey in first. Instead of sitting in the den where I'd left her, Abbey had crawled to the front door, where she met me.

They are just beginning to get the hang of getting the Cheerios into their mouths now. The quicker they master that, the better. Then I can stop being the momma bird putting each little piece of cereal into the open (sometimes, crying) mouth.

Here are pictures of them. Abbey is first:

They are so precious and so fun. Their first birthday will be here in the blink of an eye. It is so hard to believe that we didn't know them this time last year. I really do love them so very much and I enjoy them immensely.