Reattachment Surgery!

Tomorrow's the day! No more stoma bag for our girl as she will be getting her intestines reattached. We have waited 12 long weeks for this day to come and are sooo excited! This will mean no more dumping and painful bag changes, and hopefully she can go up on her feed amounts as her body should absorb all the nutrients again 🙏🏼 Our prayer with this surgery is that with increased feed amounts and nutrients absorption, she will get to stop IV nourishments (TPN) which has been so hard on her liver. Her liver has definitely taken a hit, and we are praying that it will start to heal itself once we come down on TPN.

Her surgery will be at 11am, and she will be reintubated before then in preparation. She has also been getting Lasix (a diuretic called Furosemide) in order to reduce any fluid retention she may be having and optimize her for the surgery. I am not quite sure how I feel about using Lasix as the side effects are extensive, and a serious side effect is pale-clay coloured stool, which I noticed Grace had today. I was told it was necessary by her doctor, and she will get her last dose tomorrow. I will just have to trust that they know best in this department.

I am a bit nervous about her being reintubated as it's definitely not comfortable and Grace has been known to be difficult in regards to getting it in. But I also know it's necessary as part of the surgery. I continue to trust God's plan for her life and that he is guiding the hands of the doctors and all those involved in her care. This is a daily surrender for me as I really struggle to give up control and have faith that His plan is best. One day though, I will get to see the other side of the completed tapestry!

Grace looking up at Nana

Also, a huge answer to prayers this week was Grace's hearing test results. It was an impromptu test, as Grace was flagged a priority because of her Meningitis. It was long and Grace really did not like it, but the results were very assuring. They said that as of now Grace's hearing is where it should be and is in the normal range.

Big yawn!

God is moving in ways we could have only dreamed and we are so thankful He gave us the strength and courage to choose life all those days ago when we saw her scary MRI images and heard nothing but hopelessness from her doctors. A quote I heard once was, "Bravery (or courage) is moving scared". And all God asks us in uncertain or scary times is, "Do you trust me?" To be honest I don't know if I always trust Him. Sometimes the mountain in front of me looks way to difficult and daunting to climb, and it's really hard to believe that his plan is good and He only has what's best in store for me when I am walking through the trenches of this broken world. I may not get it this side of heaven, and that's okay. It's my job to keep showing up, praising Him, and shining Jesus' light for all the world to see.

Not by my strength but by His alone, and through the people he has put into our lives. Those who show up. Who sit with us through the tears, who pray over us when we are scared, and laugh with us in moments of joy. I thank God every day for the friends and family he has blessed us with, because without them I would have given up long ago.

Celebrating brother Sam's birthday with a bike ride

Prayer Requests:

• For Grace, that she would feel God's nearness through the scary parts of surgery and the moments leading up to it.

• For us, that we have courage as her parents in the face of uncertainty as our daughter goes for another surgery.

• That God would guide the doctors and nurses hands.

• That the surgery is successful!

• Peace through it all 🙏🏼