Jul. 6, 2008 - Rachel's One Year Anniversary . . . Still Tumor Free
July 10 is big day for me so I thought I would open up and share my day with you.
Here is where I posted about my own emotional healing this past spring.
One year ago today, Rachel, all 9 pounds of her, went into surgery to remove a cystic hygroma from her neck.
Her newborn weeks were such a blur, beginning at 3 weeks when I took her to the doctor. I made the appointment even though a call to the doctor earlier that week said the lump was probably fine. My mother's intuition couldn't just wait and see. So off we went to the doctor at 3 weeks of age and it was there I was told Rachel had a benign tumor called a cystic hygroma. The doctor must have been caught up in the uniqueness of the situation because she forgot to even look at me or even ask me if I had any questions. The only information I was given was a referral to a surgeon because it would need to be removed and one quick look in her doctor's illustrated handbook. I had to memorize the name quickly as she read through the handbook. I remember scribbling down some of the consonants so that later I could google the name. I left there bewildered and scared.
Do a google image search of cystic hygromas and you'll see why.
I lost my innocence that day. I truly never expected my family to have to go through something like this. I have expected broken bones and stomach bugs to afflict us, not a potentially disfiguring disease that could harm my child and cause her pain. It is only through this experience that I could truly learn to trust Jesus and lean on Him. I now fully comprehend His sovereignty and His love for us. As much as I hurt during that time, wondering what was going to happen to Rachel, He hurt too.
We have been blessed. Rachel has been blessed. We were told that if the tumor was to return it was most likely to do so in the next 12 months. Every day I have looked at Rachel, looking at her neck, all areas where she has lymph nodes and inspected all of her sweet baby fat rolls. Every day.
It should have come back. The odds are not in our favor with this disease. The information I got online and the people I have corresponded with, all share a long story filled with surgery and pain. She has been spared and for that I am so grateful. I don't know why, but we are so blessed and we know it.
It has been a great year for Rachel but I am glad to be at the end of this year. We learned so much about our God and how to trust Him in our times of suffering and turmoil.
Here is the photo montage I made for her as part of my emotional healing. Since putting the video on Youtube, Rachel's story of hope and healing by Jesus has been able to touch so many people's lives.
It is my hope that you too can walk away today, love on your children, and know that even in the midst of a trial God is there for you. Call on Him and He will answer. Read Jeremiah 33:3.
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Jun. 10, 2008 - Dentist Flashback
Well, I have been convicted recently, after reading Taking Care of the Me in Mommy by Lisa Whelchel, about taking care of myself. I have been doing reasonably well with drinking lots of water and eating healthy. As for exercise, I don't necessarily exercise on purpose, I just live my life with gusto. My quiet times have been pretty regular and my prayer life is full.
The one area that I have been neglecting is the dentist.
It has been over 7 years since I have crossed the threshold of a dental office. I don't have a deep seated fear, I just don't like the dentist. To make me sound even more lazy and neglectful of taking care of myself, I actually have dental insurance that will cover cleanings!
So I made the first appointment and had an exam and xrays. It took quite a bit of courage for me to do that, especially since I have absolutely no discomfort or pain and I'd like to keep it that way.
So, I drive up to the dental office and I go through the front doors and I am immediatley assualted with the dental smell. It was overpowering! Once I was there a few minutes I couldn't even smell it but the memory of it lingered on. The next thing I noticed was that it was FREEZING, not just chilly or cool. My nose was red and was starting to go numb as they called me back. I had to pass through the gauntlet hallway with all the open exam rooms. I had to surpress the gag refelx and a shudder as heard the whizzing, buzzing, grinding drills and who knows what else.
Once I made it to my room, I asked the tech if they had a blanket. She brought me a gauze sheet that would have made for good cheese cloth, not a blanket. I made a note to myself to bring my own blanket and wear sneakers not sandals next time.
Thankfully, I made it to the end of the visit with only a few shed tears, after the newbie dental tech jammed the bitewing into the back of my throat and said hold it until she came back! She really was trying hard but my it hurt.
Overall it went well, I had no cavities and I just need to come back for the deep cleaning they do for people who only see the dentist on a decade basis.
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May. 16, 2008 - 102.5
Miss Lily has been sick today. Bless her heart she was so sweet when I read to the girls this morning and then after the last book I leaned over to kiss her forehead and she was burning up. She went down for a morning and afternoon nap today and then a cat nap in the kitchen swivel chairs. I gave her some ibuprofen after all those naps and her fever came down in 20 minutes.
I witnessed a selfless act on Sam's part today. He graciously brought his feverish sister a bowl of ice cream and in order to not have her feel loney he joined her. 
My guess is that she has some pesky cold virus that will make her sound like a barking seal later on tonight. She always seems to have a croupy cough when she gets a cold.
For now, her fever is gone and she is nibbling at a bowl of chicken casserole with green beans and asking for more crunchies (French's Fried Onions).
Sweet Pitiful Lily
Update later this evening:
Lily's fever rose to 105*. She had been asleep when John got home from work and he picked her up to cradle her as she slept. He said she was burning up and sure enough her fever had come back and it was 105*. We gave her Tyenol this time and took her clothes off to give her a quick warm rinse off in the tub. Her entire body was red like a lobster! She didn't care for her bath but her temp came down to 103*. She is asleep now and hopefully she will be on the mend soon.
Update Saturday morning:
Lily had huge tonsils this am and even though she wasn't running a fever I took her in to the doctor. She ended up having a double ear infection. She never even complained once about ear pain. This is her second bout of ear infections in two and a half weeks.
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May. 12, 2008 - The baby stats . . .
Rachel went in for her one year checkup and ear infection recheck. First of all her previously infected ear looked great but the other ear looks "red". We'll wait and see if anything brews in that one. I am one to postpone any antibiotic treatment unless absolutley necessary. There just seems to be such an overuse of drugs on kids these days. I did feed Rachel lots of yogurt to help with any issues with the good bacteria being killed off as well last week.
I was curious to see how much she weighed. At birth, she was 5 lbs 7 oz and has grown slowly but surely this year. Today she was a whopping 17 lbs 2 oz and 28 3/4 inches long. She did fall off the chart again in weight and her height was a 10%. I think they just need to make the chart bigger instead of having kids "fall off" the chart. I know she is little but she can do everything her peers can do. She is up to 4 steps now and she is ready to run!
Yesterday in sunday school she was a bothersome child as she went around pinching her friends and pulling their pacies out and tugging on their dresses. :) Got to love her though, she just wants to explore her world and experience everything.
PS she still adores the books her siblings made. Sam's book is the Animal Number book and I had it comb bound and laminated. Note to any who might make one too, definetely laminate the book but don't get it comb bound. It kept pulling off when she would drag it around and look through it, so I recycled a spiral edging from another book and threaded that on. It is staying together much better.
