GRACIE'S HEART CATHETERIZATION 8/27/07

Well, Gracie did amazing and waaaay better than we could have hoped for! Apparently, very often children who have Tetralogy of Fallot have their left or right pulmonary arteries that are not connected to the main pulmonary artery but thankfully hers are. This is good! It turns out her left pulmonary artery is half the size of her right one though and this is definitely not good. They will repair it during her open heart surgery. They will do this by cutting part of it straight down the middle and then put a patch over it to enlarge it. As more blood flows through it then it should continue to grow over time. The doctor did say that they will monitor it very closely after surgery and that almost definitely it will need more procedures and/or medication to treat it. We don't understand this completely and will need to ask more questions for clarity. We were definitely "sidetracked" by the repair the doctor ended up doing that none of us knew would need done. The doctor came out of the operating room to request our permission to carterize (by implanting a tiny coil) in a blood vessel that had enlarged. It had enlarged due to trying to compensate for her pulmonary arteries not pumping the amount of blood to the lungs that it should be. We are still unsure whether they will be able to do all the repairs during her surgery in a few weeks but we are hoping to get a call tomorrow. We will try to post some pictures from today soon but I need to get to bed since I have to get up early in the morn to take the boys to their first day of school. Thank you for all your prayers.

CRAZY CLIMBER!!!

CHASING OUR CAT MOSES
WALKING GREAT WITH THE SHOPPING CART
YEAH!! GRACIE LOVES BOOKS!!!
SISTERS HAVING FUN IN THE BATH!
HER NEW "POSING FOR THE CAMERA" FACE!!!!

GRACIE & DADDY AT HER DEDICATION
GRACIE WITH PASTOR JERRY

AUNT MICHELLE, GMA LINDA, G & G MEYER, MOMMY & GRACIE, COUSIN ANDREW, DADDY, LUCAS, CHLOE, KALEB (AND UNCLE BRIAN TAKING THE PICTURE)
FLYING WITH DADDY

BABY BURRITO!!! THIS IS WORKING GREAT & WE'RE ALL GETTING MUCH MORE & BETTER SLEEP!!!

THE KIDS LOVED RIDING ON PASTOR JOHN'S 4-WHEELER!!! FIRST SUCKER FROM GRANDMA LINDA!!
SNUGGLING UP WITH AUNT MICHELLE
MEETING GREAT GRANDMA & GRANDPA MEYER

LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

We have had a very busy last few weeks of summer! Scott went to Spokane 8/9-8/11 for a Leadership Conference so I had my hands full with holding down the fort here. I did brave taking all four of them to my first YaYa Mommyhood gathering while he was gone (this is a group of families in the Tri-cities area that have all adopted from China). We had a really good time and it was so nice to finally meet many people I've talked to online for months! The next weekend we headed to Spokane together to introduce Gracie to all our family and friends there. My friend Jessica organized a big get together for us Thursday night, we spent all day Friday at Silverwood Theme Park with our friends Aaron & Kelli and their 4 kiddos, had a picnic with Scott's family Sat. afternoon, had dinner with the Buckleys Sat. night, and then headed back to Kennewick that night. It was a 3-day whirlwind but we had a great time! This past week I got the boys officially registered at school & they got to meet their teachers. We found out Chloe got a spot at the Montessori Preschool we were hoping for! Yahoo! Gracie had her first Pediatrician apt. & got 3 shots--she was not happy about that but she did get a sucker so then she was good!! We enjoyed spending the day on Friday at a local Aquatic Park with our Pastor, Jerry, and one of his son's, Remi. I've tried to squeeze in some "catching-up" and trying to get somewhat organized for school to start. Our house is coming right along. The interior got painted and the cabinets installed this past week. I'm planning to get a head start on packing this next week while the boys are in school. Well, just wanted to write a quick update and post some pictures before we head out in a few hours back to Spokane for Gracie's heart cath procedure she is having done in the morning.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG SISTER!!!

Gracie lovin' the whip cream Scott shot in her mouth!!!
HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY PRINCESS, BIG SISTER CHLOE LINN!!!

GRACIE LOVES TO SWING!!!!

LOVIN' THE WATER!!!

CRAWLIN' LIKE A PRO!!!

HELPIN' MAMMA DO THE DISHES!!!

GRACIE LOVES APPLES!!!

I got several pictures of Gracie climbing all over Lucas and he was cracking up!!! Then I realized what she was after--his apple!!!

SUMMER FUN & TRYING TO SETTLE IN!!!!!

I don't think I have EVER been so ready for school to start!!! Between setting up doctors appointments for all the kids, Gracie's heart cath & surgery appts, working to get Gracie added to insurance (which she finally did last week--PRAISE GOD!!!), researching what lender & insurance co. to go with, dealing with building problems (which I think are squared away!!!), registering the boys for school, looking for a preschool for Chloe, ...blah, blah, blah. And with four kids who want & need my attention this has really been a challenge to say the least! Not to mention all the daily house hold things that need done-which have been highly neglected! But--we have found some time to go to a few parks and have some fun family time. Our apartment pool has been a life saver too! Several times, I have put Gracie in the stroller at her morning nap time, park her in the shade, and then the rest of us frolic in the pool while she naps. When she wakes up she gets in too and absolutely loves the water!! We thought she would be walking by now especially since on a Saturday a few weeks ago she was taking up to 10 steps on her own. But no--she will not do it again!! We think it may be a power control thing for her because we know she can do it but we aren't pushing it. She will walk when she is good and ready. She does however climb on anything and everything she possibly can and has taken a few headers because of it! But it has not slowed her down!! She is quite a handful and like her paperwork said "can be obstinate at times"!! But she is a total joy and loves to make us laugh!! Kaleb, Lucas and Chloe just can't get enough of her!! She will make funny noises and Chloe will say teasingly "Is that your China cry??!!!" She uses the signs we taught her very well and she seems to totally understand exactly what we are talking about. She is really a very bright and intelligent little girl and we've had several people comment on that including the cardiologist. She totally responds to Gracie now but we still call her Mei, Mei occassionally. I have finally got her into a good napping & bedtime routine--about an hour to an hour and a half morning nap, the same in an afternoon nap, bedtime at around 8 or 8:30 and then she wakes up anywhere between 7:30 and 8:30 am. She starts out in her portable crib at bedtime but inevitably she ends up in bed with us. Co-sleeping is what we wanted with her to help with the bonding process but we didn't bank on a baby who LITERALLY tosses, turns, flips, flops, sits-up, climbs all over our heads, fusses, etc, etc!! None of us have been getting any kind of restful sleep. We swaddled all three of our other children and so I finally decided to give that a try last night. It is suppose to make them feel more safe and secure--like they're in the womb. Of course a little receiving blanket wasn't going to work on an almost 16 month old so we swaddled her like a burrito in a queen size sheet. She slept ALL NIGHT in her crib and we never heard a single peep out of her!!! I am soooooo hoping this was not a fluke and that we found the breakthrough resolution to our sleeping problems!!! I woke up at 5:45 am totally rested since I hadn't been wrestling with her all night!! I will try to post some more pictues in a few days---goodness knows I have plenty!!!!

GRACIE'S FIRST SUNDAY AT CHURCH

Of course, there was much ooooing and ahhhing over her which was fun! She loved the music and seemed right at home! I did end up taking her to the "cry room" because she was being quite restless and needed to crawl and move around. This is where we have been each Sunday since and I'm sure for many Sundays to come! But it's a nice room and I can still hear the sermon so it works great for both of us!

KALEB & GRACIE AT THE AIRPORT

GRACIE & LUCAS WITH THE SELF INFLICTED RUG BURN ON HIS FOREHEAD

CHLOE AND GRACIE AT THE AIRPORT

SISTERS

Chloe put cheerios in the tray to keep Gracie in her doll stroller playing the part of her "baby".

GRACIE SNOOZING THROUGH HER ECHO

GRACIE'S "BROKEN" HEART

This is what Lucas calls it...too sweet! Our hearts have been pretty broken this week too as we learned that Gracie's heart condition is not mild at all like was determined by the Tongu Hospital in China. But God has been strengthening, reassuring, and giving us peace as we turn to Him. Much of this has been in the form of encouraging and loving words & prayers from our family and friends--Thank You! The condition they thought she had was just a slight pulmonary stenosis which didn't need surgery or medication. So, basically it was nothing but we should have this confirmed when we returned home which is what we thought would happen when I took her to the cardiologist last Wednesday, 8/1. However, the cardiologist said right away just by looking at her color, listening to her heart, and by her heart rate that this was not an accurate diagnosis. So, I went into the echo with her already anxious and it only got worse as I sat there watching the technician shake his head. Finally, he began explaining to me that her stenosis was very severe, that she had a very large Ventricular Septal Defect (hole in the septal wall between her right and left ventricles) which had caused her right ventricle to become thickened and her aorta to override the septal wall. All of these things combined are a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot and would need open heart surgery to repair. He was very kind & compassionate as I sat there and wept (thankfully Gracie hadn't had her second nap that day and slept through the entire 1 1/2 hour echo while Chloe watched Baby Einstein in the same room and Scott had the boys at youth group). He was still taking pictures of her heart and seemed to be confused as Gracie's cardiologist came in (I think to see what was taking so long). The tech explained what he had found but discussed with him the fact that he couldn't seem to find her left pulmonary artery. He finally found what he wasn't sure was either part of it or if it is just extremely small. Dr. Garabedian, the cardiologist, sat there and explained more to me and went over a diagram. He said every Tuesday morning he, other cardiologists & surgeons from Sacred Heart meet and discuss certain cases and one of those would be Gracie's that next Tuesday (8/7) and that he would call us and let us know what test they collectively decided would be the most effective to get all the info on her heart before surgery. It was a difficult wait but we did receive a call from him at around 8:30 am and he said they decided that a heart catheterization would be best. So, she is scheduled for that on Monday, August 27th in Spokane at Sacred Heart. If they determine that her arteries & blood flow are strong enough then they will do a full repair during her open heart surgery scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 11th. We are praying that is what the case will be as one open heart surgery is invasive enough.

The girls and I left the cardiologist office at 8 pm last Wednesday with my head spinning, my stomach in knots, and my heart aching. After I got them buckled in and started the car the VBS CD we had been listening to on the way there continued playing. The song that began playing is called "God is Good" and it goes like this:

GOD IS GOOD....ALL THE TIME. PUT A SONG OF PRAISE IN THIS HEART OF MINE! GOD IS GOOD....ALL THE TIME. THROUGH THE DARKEST NIGHT, HIS LIGHT WILL SHINE. GOD IS GOOD, GOD IS GOOD, ALLLLLL THE TIME! WHEN YOU WALK, THROUGH THE VALLEY, THERE ARE SHADOWS ALL AROUND. DO NOT FEAR! HE WILL GUIDE YOU. HE WILL KEEP YOU SAFE FROM HARM. FOR HE HAS PROMISED TO NEVER LEAVE, YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU....AND HIS WORD IS TRUE!!!! GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!!!!

I know He put that song on for me at just that momment when I needed His reassurance, comfort and peace and this song has continued to minister to my heart through this roller coaster ride that has just begun.

THANKS FOR ALL THE PRESENTS!!!

My Dad, Barb, our friends' son Jordan, Lucas and me opening presents for Gracie.

LOVIN' THE CAKE!!!

A WELCOME HOME RECEPTION FOR GRACIE

Thank you Hester and Pernille for putting together this reception, Paul for BBQ'ing, and to everyone for coming!

GRANDMA KINDALL, GRANDMA CONNIE & GRACIE AND LUCAS

CHLOE LOVES TO BE MY BIG HELPER

WALKING WITH HELP FROM KALEB

LUCAS, KALEB, CHLOE & GRACIE

LEAVING THE AIRPORT

HOME UPDATE

Hello everyone! Sorry it's been a while but I am still adjusting to life as a Mom of 4! We are back at our apartment and all adjusting well. The kids absolutely adore Gracie and just can't get enough of her! They love to help her walk around, make her laugh, feed her, etc. They have taught her to play peek-a-boo and it's so cute! I think my favorite thing is when we're in the van and the kids are singing at the top of their lungs to the Apologetics or the VBS CD and Gracie tries to chime in! She is an expert crawler and climber and actually took many steps on her own yesterday! It will not be long before she is running! She is doing better with our cat now but still doesn't love him. She looks around for him and says "ca-ca-ca???" I think mostly she just wants to make sure she knows where he is so she can be prepared! The cat wants NOTHING to do with her and is the one who is more petrified now. She says ma-ma and da-da now and is babbling a lot! She loves to go outside and we've already checked out 3 new parks this week! I think her favorites are the swing and slide. We have gone to our pool a few times too and she loves the water too! We have a floatie that she sits in and loves to kick her feet dangling below and watch her siblings jump and swim!

I will update on her heart later this week but please be praying for her as it is much more serious than the cardiologists in China discovered.