Things are Great

It's hard to believe that only one week ago, Quilla had her big surgery. She's quietly sleeping beside me as I type this. It's a big deal that she sounds quiet now because before the surgery, she was so loud when she slept, it would keep you up all night. She still makes a soft noise when she breathes, but it's so much better than it was. She also is showing her happier self these days. She's clearly feeling much better but can't eat as much all at once as she did pre-surgery. So, she gets mad when I cut her off. However, we do more frequent meals and in the end, she's getting more calories than she did pre-surgery. A home health nurse came to see her Monday. The most important news from her visit was that Quilla weighed 11 pounds, 1 ounce!! That's a tad better than what she weighed before the surgery. I had been really worried that the surgery would result in a bit of a weight loss because she couldn't eat much for several days. However, it's clear that she's on the rebound and is going to chunk up quite nicely.

A quick Zeke story from last week. He didn't know all the particulars about Quilla's surgery but he knew they were going to "work on her body" to make her better. He knew there were doctors involved. Thus, he kept going around the hospital saying loudly, "I'm not sick!" I think he was afraid that someone was going to look in his ear or take his temperature. He's not a big fan of what happens at the doctor's office but he seems to like our pediatrician, a sweet and lovely Vietnamese American named Tuyet Vo. Her first name is pronounced TWEE and everyone calls her Dr. Tuyet. So, in St Louis, Zeke kept asking if Dr. Tuyet was there and if she was coming to help. I told him no, that Dr. Tuyet works at a different hospital and she would see Quilla when we go back home. It's amazing how much Zeke "gets" and processes, even at his age!

Zeke has decided that he's three, even though his birthday isn't until October. When it comes to talking and mobility, he could meet or beat any three year old, so he has every right to say he's three. Of course, I can't believe my baby is going to be THREE years old. We celebrate Zeke's Forever Family Day September 19th...Wow! It's been two years since we got our little guy. Can't imagine life without either one of our babies!!

Wow!!

That's all I can say...Wow, God!!! Quilla is practically back to her old self today. She is still being stingy with her smiles because I don't think she wants anyone to think she actually likes being in the hospital. Still, she is sitting up and is drinking her bottle like a champ. She took 3 ounces at once in record time this morning and you couldn't hear her breathing!! I so wish all the nannies, nurses, doctors, and America World staff could see this AMAZING result of her surgery!! God is so good!!! I cried the first time she took a bottle yesterday. It was so EASY for her. I think it freaked her out a little because it was so effortless, especially compared to what it was like to drink formula pre-surgery. She would suck and work up a sweat and gasp for air. Awful! All of that is gone. Also, she has continued to burp some by mouth, a great indication that the fundoplication (wrap around the top of her stomach) is not too tight. This has been a big concern of mine so I'm thankful that it's not overly tight. We expect her to stay one more night and go home tomorrow. Will continue to update the blog!!

The Day After Surgery

So, Quilla is doing GREAT! She just drank an ounce of formula and she DID NOT HAVE TO WORK HARD. It was so amazing that I actually cried!!!! She drank it so easily. No gasping for air, no sweating, no intense breathing. THANK YOU LORD! She has mostly rested today. The regular floors are crowded so they're keeping her in the PICU. I'm actually really happy about this. Once she gets comfortable around midnight, I'll head back to my room and sleep there. She will share a nurse with only one other patient and her nurse will be right by her bed. We're staying at a hotel attached to the hospital so if they need me, I can be there super fast. We are so thankful for her progress. We continue to pray that everything will go well as she recovers.

Quilla is great today. Going to see if she will drink.

Holding her and she is doing great!

All done. All is well.

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Update!

We have had two updates from the surgery nurse and everything is progressing well. She went under easily and both surgeries have gone well so far. They are finishing up the Nissen fundoplication and will then insert the g-tube. Keep praying. We are praising God for all the good news.

Update from the Surgeon!

Quilla is doing great! The ear, nose, and throat doc just came out. She said everything is going very well. She said everything looked normal except for the floppy larynx. She expects the supraglottoplasty will help her not to have to work so hard when she eats. She said she will still have the stridor for a few more months but won't have to work so hard just to breathe. We are thanking God for this wonderful news! Now, the other surgeon is starting the abdominal surgery.

Q just went into the operating room.

Surgery Tomorrow

We are peaceful tonight as we prepare for Quilla's big surgery tomorrow. We know she is covered in prayer and God will be right there with her through the entire process. We ask for prayers for her recovery. We pray that she will be eager to eat and drink soon afterwards so that she doesn't lose much of the weight she has gained. I was dressing her the other day and I was marveling at the rolls of fat on her legs. She has made such strides since coming home. We praise God for that! They weighed her today and she weighed ELEVEN pounds!! She weighed 9.1 pounds the day after we arrived. Wow! Thank you God for the ways you have watched over our precious Quilla. We have seen how you have worked miracles in her life already. We pray for the surgeons, doctors, nurses, and others who will work on her tomorrow. We claim victory over this surgery and the recovery process, affirming that you are the Great Physician. We wait with expectancy, Lord!

Zeke has been a doll through this entire transition. He is such a loving child! He is so openly affectionate with "Baby Quilla," as he always calls her. Last night, he helped me bathe her, gently helping suds up her hair. He smiled at me and said, "I have a sister!" it was like he was newly appreciating this sweet baby being a part of our family. He's been having Brad read a book to him about a new kid at a new school who isn't treated nice at first (Mom, it's that book by Katie Couric you got me!). He loves to look at the book and talk about how HE warts to be Laszlo's friend and how the kids making fun of him are making really bad choices. He has such a tender heart!

Q&Z

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Surgery Next Week

Quills will have surgery next Tuesday to repair her hiatal hernia, deal with her acid reflux, insert a tube in her stomach (temporarily), and improve her strider (noisy breathing). Please join us in praying that all goes well and that she makes a quick recovery. We are so glad she is home where we can get her the medical care she needs.

Coming soon: Photos of Q and Z!

Still at the doctor's office.

The Latest

Well, Quilla will be seeing a surgeon in St Louis Monday. An x-ray last Friday revealed half her stomach is in her chest cavity. It's a hiatal hernia that will certainly have to be repaired. We ask for your prayers as we move forward and get our baby girl better. Despite this rather dramatic development, she's eating well and is happy most of the time. The big exception is when she's eating baby food. The hernia and associated acid reflux causes her to be in terrible pain at times during feedings. We are trying to manage it with medicine and by giving her small bites. It's horrible to see her in pain like this and we are wondering if she can get the surgery done next week. We'll know more after Monday's appointment so stay tuned.

Zeke is adjusting very well to being a big brother. He is beginning to embrace that role whereas initially, he had insisted he was the big baby, not the big brother. He knows baby Quilla's tummy is "sick" and like the rest of us, he's praying for her to get better soon.

Health Update!

Quilla weighed 10.2 ounces and change this morning!! PRAISE THE LORD! Dr. Vo thinks she's doing well. However, we found out Friday that she has a hiatal hernia and acid reflux. We've been waiting for the scheduler to call us back about a swallow test. Our pediatrician found out the speech pathologist who has to order the swallow test is out for like three weeks. So, she got us in TOMORROW for an upper GI test. I guess this is supposed to be EVEN BETTER than a swallow test, though we'll probably end up doing that too later. Please keep baby girl in your prayers. We pray that we the results of the test tomorrow are good and that we won't have to have surgery for her hernia.

More Quilla!

More super sweet cuteness! Will try to get Z and Q together...

Photos from today!

A MUST READ

I posted this on Facebook but I MUST share this here too. Click here to read this awesome blog entry about adoption. So, so important.

By the way, I'm waiting for Brad to email me some photos from church this weekend. Miss Q was dressed to the 9s. As soon as I get the photos, I'll post them here.

Stay Tuned!

I expect to have new photos to post today. Here are a couple to tide you over! These were taken last Friday at a retirement potluck lunch for our department director.