Hooray

Today Miss Blakely had her final tumor resection. Jeff and I got to the hospital around 6:30 a.m. and sat with her until the surgical team got there. Talk about intimidating....16 surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologist, surrounding your 4 pound 4 ounce daughters bedside. I actually got choked up finally realizing what was about to take place. We followed the team down the elevator and then we parted ways. They took her in to the opearting room at 7:45 a.m. We sat in the surgical waiting room until 1:00 p.m. What a long long wait.

Dr. Lim came and met with us after the surgery. First words out of his mounth..."It was a success" the whole tumor was removed! I threw my arms in the air as if I were saying "Touch Down" and squeeled Hooray! A weight had been immediately lifted off of our shoulders. Literally I felt myself relax and smile with true joy for the first time in several weeks. He continued to tell us how he resected it, what all was involved, and what we were to expect when seeing her.

She has a catheter so that she doesn't pee on the dressing, she has another drainage tube coming from her belly where the tumor used to reside to drain out any possible infection that way arise, and she still is intubated and pretty sedated with pain medication. She lost about a ounce of blood and they were replacing it when we were there tonight. She was given a lot of fluid and is super swollen but that will eventually go away.

This afternoon she was pretty sedated and didn't interact with us, but looked painless and calm. Jeff and I left to take a much needed break and when I went back with mother & daddy she was a little more aware and tried to open her eyes, but they are just too swollen. Bless her heart.

She will remain on TPN and no formula for 7-10 more days. That is a long time without food but the doctor does not want to risk infection from her bowels at the incision sight. She will continue to have the catheter and drainage tube for another week as well. They will try and take out the intubation tube in the next 48 hours depending on her pain level.

Dr. Lim feels like she will heal well from the surgery in about 2-3 weeks. While she is healing they will begin feeding her again and the occupational therapy will come in and work with her on oral stimulation and feeding. She does well with a pacifier so she should and hopefully catch on quickly. So our best case scenario for getting back to Birmingham is 4 weeks and worst case is well who knows. We have complete faith and have no reason to believe we are going to have any problems. She has proven to be a trooper and push through.

They are going to eventually move her to one of their "private rooms". They will have a schedule where Palmer and AK can come to visit. They want to co-bed Palmer & Blake so that they can reconnect. They feel like the twin relationship promotes healing.

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers especially today during her surgery. Continue to keep her on your mind for a good and uncomplicated recovery. Our battle is more than half over. We hope to be in Birmingham by October! Praise the Lord for he is good!