Children's Hospital Visit

     Children's Hospital is an amazing place!  I cannot tell you how thankful I am that I switched surgeons and now have had to privilege of being served by these wonderful people.  More on that later.  On to the visit itself.  This was our second visit there and it was going to be a long day.  We had appointments for Miss France at 9 with the ENT, at 9:30 with the audiologist and at 1:30 with the surgeon, Dr. Alex Kane.

     After many changes of plans I finally sent the older kids with a friend (thank you dear friend).  The kids always love being in her home and I am totally at ease with them with her.  She's fun, just plain and simple fun! I got our sitter Lydiah to come for Ky and Caleb was at school.  I went to my parents on Tuesday night (Jan. 11th) with Miss France and spent the night.  We had dinner and a nice quiet night.  The next morning my mom and I left for Dallas at 6:30.  My dad was originally set to go, but they switched when my mom didn't need to babysit Ky.  We arrived early enough to get her diaper changed and hair properly fixed after being in a carseat (this is a big deal for a black baby with loads of hair and a white mom who wants to meet the challenge).  I still cannot lift so my mom basically did it all with me standing by feeling useless.  Miss France charmed everyone she met and flirted everywhere.

     Everything looked good to the ENT and then we were off to the audiologist.  She only had one hearing aid due to one being in the shop getting repaired after she tried to eat it.  Apparently they taste good or are good for teething purposes.  I must add that a hearing aid is a VERY EXPENSIVE teething ring.  I don't recommend it.  The audiologist tested her without the aid in a booth test.  It was amazing.  She was hearing things she has never heard before without the aids.  She can only be attributed to the tubes being put in.  Dr. Rotzler in Longview told us that he encountered way more fluid behind her eardrum that he anticipated so it should improve her hearing some. Well, she tested in the MILD range!  Her last test was in the Moderate to Severe range.  This is incredible news.  In one area she tested normal.  A sedated ABR will be done while she has the cleft palate surgery.  Don't even get me started on the ABR tests.  Argh....how we fought for which one to do and which one would be approved.   Since she will already be sedated, it's easy to just DO IT!  So JUST DO IT!  This will give us an accurate reading on what she is hearing.....through the brain.  She can't exactly TELL us what she hears at this point.  Whohoo!  My mom and I left pretty excited.  On we went to lunch.  I knew there was a PF Changs on Northwest Highway and my mom had never been so off we went.  Praise the Lord for GPS.  I knew for the most part how to get there, but this took the thinking out of it.  We loved it and Miss France ate almost more than we did.  She's a big fan now!

     We get back in time for our next appointment and get the same friendly greeting from the front desk like we are all old friends.  Have I mentioned how much I love this place?  We feel like rock stars when we are there.  Of course it helps that we have the most beautiful baby in the area!   Up we go.  In the waiting room we are faced with some pretty severe needs.  I observed one such baby with a cleft palate like you see on TV.  It covered her entire face....a large gaping hole that showed no nose and a drooping eye.  The mother just crooned and hugged her in between giving her oxygen treatments when she began to wheeze.  She had a therapist with her who loved on her just as well.  What  a joy it was to watch!  This baby knows she is loved and knows she is beautiful!  When looking at Miss France you see nothing wrong.  Hers is completely in her mouth.  A complete soft palate and partial hard palate cleft.  The surgery will take 3 1/2 hours give or take a little and more than likely will only happen once.  There is a 17% chance that a hole will find it's way into the stitch line.  We are praying that will not happen.  If it does then the surgery will need to be done again.  Once again we are greeted like we are family.  Everyone oohs and ahs over Miss France and treats us with utmost respect.  This is VERY different from the OTHER surgeon's office.  After almost no wait at all in all of the appointments we are back on the road.  We are tired, but overjoyed.  IN the meantime Colin is bitten by a dog.  Nothing serious, no blood even, just a scrape and bruising that looked much worse than it was.  It scared the poor little dog who was only playing and the owners of the dog more than anything.  Colin was soon playing happily.  Praise the Lord again.  There is nothing worse than the fear of something happening to your child AND it happening when they are with someone else.  The trauma to that family is far too great.  Trauma averted here!

     Surgery is set for February 1st.  The "caseworker" for us will set us up at the Ronald McDonald House for the night before and she will stay one night.  I will stay in the room with her and more than likely with Caroline as well.  Mom will come to the house to take care of kids.

     Back to Children's Hospital.  The treatment there is by every single person we come into contact with, not just the front desk. Everywhere we go people are friendly and helpful.  It makes me realize how often I AM NOT.  I don't mean to be unfriendly, but I get so self absorbed in getting my 5 children places that I forget to look up and be friendly.  Shame on me!  I do this at church with the excuse of getting us all in.  I could take a few seconds to greet people and to smile and to go out of my way to look for those who might be new.  This is a challenge to me.  I want to be like Children's!  I am on a mission! Thank you for making me aware of a flow that needs working on.  It doesn't take much time, no money and very little effort.  It is just being aware and putting on a smile for someone who just might be desperate for one.