Well POOP...

The title of this post is meant literally and figuratively. My poor little girl has been dealing with constipation issues since about the time we got home from Florida. I've talked to clinic and urology. I've tried prune juice, apple juice, straight baby food prunes, enemas, miralax, and a medicine called lactulose. I knew of a medicine called Senna, but I also knew once we began Senna we couldn't really go back so we were kind of hesitant. Senna is a laxative. I tried to help Emma out myself and each time I did she screamed. I knew she was uncomfortable, so Friday I called Urology. Well in my unfortunate timing I called about a half hour before they closed. So Saturday I called the doctor on call with Urology he told me to give her 1ml of the Senna and if that didn't work to bring her to the ER. I gave her the medicine on Saturday around 4:45 pm. I told Peter that if she didn't have a BIG poop by Sunday morning we were taking her in. I've never prayed for a blow out before but boy did I that night. Unfortunately I woke up to see, Emma had an empty diaper. I woke Peter up and to the ER we went. We got checked in and were given a room in the ER very quickly. My poor girl inherited my veins and they had to poke her 6 times before finally getting an IV started in her leg. They told us they were going to keep us overnight because they wanted to give her a rather large enema and they wanted to keep an eye on her levels. Around 4:00 pm we were finally getting settled into our room. By 5:30 they had given Emma the enema which to our surprise didn't work. I thought for sure this would solve our issues, the night nurse told us that they had ordered an X-ray but it wouldn't be until Monday morning. So we settled in for the night. The next morning they took her for an X-ray and her urologist and a few of his sweet nurses came with him. We reviewed the X-ray and were given an action plan. I'll stop with the details at this point. Emma likes her privacy. Anyways what they had done worked and we were discharged with a good game plan by 2:00 Tuesday afternoon.

I'm always so very grateful for the care that Cincinnati Children's provides but I'm also always so happy to be home!!!

Thank you to all for your continued prayers. They are always so greatly appreciated. We have always said we have prayer warriors and we love you all. Please continue to lift our family in your prayers and that God would continue to bless our sweet Emma with good health!

MRI, Walk N Roll, Red's Baby Day, and Pumpkin Patches OH MY

Thank you so very much if your still sticking around after my long absence. We've been a busy family in the past few weeks. The first of which was Emma's MRI. We had to get Emma to Children's by 12:00 pm and she couldn't eat formula for about 6 hours prior to this because of the sedation. I thought I might be able to be in the MRI with her the way I had been in the past, but to my disdain I was not. I understand it's their protocol and I respect that but at the same time talk about wrenching my heart out. Kinda took me back to the days in the NICU when I had to entrust my sweet baby to the hands of albeit very competent doctors but it was still very hard. The MRI lasted about three hours. It should have been two but they were having technical difficulties. She came out of the anesthesia like a champ, of course. We took her home and in the next few hours she was back to her sweet spirited self.

As I mentioned in my previous post we had the Spina Bifida Coalition of Cincinnati Walk N Roll. It's one of their biggest fundraisers for the year and it was AMAZING. The amount of support our Team Emmavators had was especially touching for Peter and I. We had family come in from FL and TN just to walk and show support for our baby. Fundraising went well I was quite impressed with myself if I can gloat about it for a moment. We raised a grand total of $1690.00 so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was made possible by the generous people we love!!!! I told my mom that this walk is rather cathartic for us but also for our extended family. I'm not sure how much research they've done but they can see all the abilities and possibilities that are out there for Emma.

The next day we got to go to a Cincinnati Red's game. Since Emma was born at Good Samaritan Hospital we were eligible for a REALLY neat opportunity. We got a free ticket and then discounts on the other ones. We were able to get our pictures taken with the mascots, and we got to parade on the warning track (on the dirt) before the game. It was so neat although the weather stunk as did the Red's it was an awesome day for us as a family!!

We got to meet with Dr. Stevenson on October 1st to discuss Emma's MRI results. It was all good news and a few things that we need to keep an eye on. He commented on how great her hydrocephalus was from April till now.  There is room for her brain to grow which is how it is supposed to be. He said her Chiari II was now considered mild. PRAISE GOD. This was one of the MANY things I worried about and prayed over and to hear him say MILD. WOW. She does have several syrinxes which are fluid filled cavities (these are completely normal and expected in SB kids). She also has a cyst where her repair took place. She will have another MRI in January to monitor these things. He said if they've gotten larger then we will check her shunt, check her shunt, and check her shunt again. Most times if they've gotten larger then it would be shunt related. If its not then he would look at her Chiari. All things considered we have one amazing daughter on our hands and we are so blessed that God chose us to be her parents.

Today we went to the pumpkin patch. It was so fun and a good deal. Peter and I have been commenting on how much fun the holidays are going to be now that we have Emma to share them with. Their charm, and excitement are going to come flooding back as we get to experience them all over for the first time again with her. The pumpkin patch had a hay ride through the woods and to the patch and then back again. It was kind of bumpy but still so much fun!!!! We got some cute pumpkins and are looking forward to carving them.

Thank you so much for hanging out with our family through the world wide web. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. I ask that you continue to pray for our precious girl! She is such a gift to us and we praise God for her everyday. Please pray that her syrinx and cyst go away and that she wouldn't need further intervention. Pray that her shunt continues to function as it should, continue to pray that she doesn't have seizures. But most of all pray for her overall continued good health. Thank you to all for your faith, love and prayers. They are invaluable to us!

Now onto the pics!!!

We were on the jumbo-tron.