Urologist Part 2

We had our results appointment from Abigail's DSMA scan. Here's what happened that day. If you want to know more about why were seeing a Urologist click here.

We go to the hospital and all checked in and then we were called back. The Nuclear Medicine nurse injected a radiation medicine into Abigail's hand and sent us on our way to wait for 3 hours. She didn't even cry from the injection. In fact she criend when the nurse took the needle out, We decided to not wait around the hospital all day and went to Target to look at more Christmas decorations. Plus I needed to pick up some stuff.

After we were done there we headed back to the hospital and caught a quick nap in the car. Abigail and daddy were taking a nap so I figured I would too lol! At 10:30 we went back up to radiology and checked in. We walked around the halls for like 30 minutes and the nurse called us back. We walked into this room that was seriously like the size of a closet. I was like wow how do they fit anything in here??!!

The nurse asked us to lay Abigail on her stomach and she proceeded to TAPE HER TO THE BED!! I was like ummm what are you doing?!! She said it was to keep her still. So than the test began 35 minutes later and a baby covered in vomit and we were done. It was insane. It was horrible. I felt so bad for her. When I was finally able to hold her we very quickly went and found a bathroom and cleaned up. Thank goodness I brought some of my wipes that I make because Huggies wipes weren't cutting it. We needed something with soap.

We met daddy downstairs and made our journey home and went to go celebrate Christmas Eve with family and friends at church.

So the doctors appointment was friday (i know im slightly behind). He came in with a smile and said that her kidneys were free from damage and scars. She has 100% function!! I was like whoa did you just tell me something good! I had the hardest time containing myself for the rest of the day. Even now as I write this I feel that bubbly feeling. I prayed so hard for a good result. It's been a while since we have had anything other than we she's making progress from doctors or therapists so this was just WOW!!!!

We go back in august for a follow up VCUG. As long as everything starts getting smaller there will be no surgery! We will talk about the rest at our follow up appointment!

Meet Bella..

The newest addition into the Cope Family..

She gets to come home in a couple of weeks. My wonderful mom and I were on the phone this morning and I was telling her that Shawn and I were in the market of a Purebred English Bulldog. Well she found an add in her local paper. Called the guy and we get to meet my mom in Blythe, CA to get our newest addition in a couple of weeks!

Have you seen this??

Well you should check

this out. It's a movie made by my church.

It's pretty amazing. Comes out in theaters January 22nd.

Check your area for availability. It's is definetly worth seeing.

I was asked a question...

And I wanted to give everyone the answer.

How can you watch your husband deploy over and over and still be able to do what you do?

Would you like to know what I do?

Day 1 looks a little something like this. Apply adhesive to the back of my phone and stick it to my palm as it never leaves my hand for fear I will miss his call. Cry, yell, cry some more and then pass out because I have cried so much and my heart literally aches for the unknown. Pray that the dreams are of good memories and no nightmares. Tell the kids it's going to be ok. Daddy will be home before we know it, and begin our chain of days.

Day 2. Day 1 and day 2 really run into each other because you never really know if you fell asleep.

Week 1 is the easiest. It's getting through the next 7 months that is the hardest.

Soon enough the crying is only when you watch the news. Or you see a bus on base full of Marines in my case and you say it will be your turn next and then you go home and look through every picture you have ever taken.  Repeat day 1 and 2 here.

Soon enough you get excited to staple that strip of construction paper to the rest of them because it is growing so much that it means daddy is coming home soon.

Before you know it you find yourself sitting up late googling everything you can for Military homecomings. Where you can get signs made, decorations etc.

Then you look in your inbox for THAT email with your date of arrival, or you answer your phone and it's someone on the other end to give you your dates. It's an amazing and almost a more overwhelming feeling at that moment.

If you think you nested when you were pregnant?! You have no idea. If so much as one thing finds itself out of place you turn the whole house upside down just to fix that one thing. It all has to be perfect, no matter what. And yet they don't even care (well they do just not as much as you think).

And then they are there. Turning in their weapons and waiting for that one fantastic word that I couldn't wait to hear when I was in school..

Dismissed.

That one very tiny word means so much. Thats when your heart starts aching again, thats when the tears start to flow faster than the did the day they left. Thats when you get to say....

Look!! There's daddy!!!

To be able to say those words means more than anyone will ever know. To see those smiles is worth everything. Some may say how though? How is that worth it? Is it worth you kids missing the dad for that long?

Yes. It teaches them something different. That something that we all know.

Freedom.

And that my fellow blog readers is how I can stand by and watch my husband deploy over and over again. When he is home it's family time. And we are able to get those 7 months back. Trust me!! Plus you learn something about yourself that you never knew. A new strength and a new weakness!

Results of injection part 1

Wanna see something pretty amazing??

Im sure you will love it. Because it's Michelle sitting on her "bum bum" as we call it! And it's her standing without scissoring!!

What a way to bring in the new year!!

Don't mind my pajamas or her lack of pants. We were having issues lol!

Umm hello independent sitting!!!! In less than 72 hours!! YES!!!!!

So proud of herself!

Kristen I thought you and Mike would enjoy this...

TOUCHDOWN!!

I love how when she stands now she is no longer pitched and there is NO scissoring.

Happy 2010 everyone!

:)

Injection surgery #1

Surgery was a HIT!!!!!!! Let me just tell you that Michelle has opened up already and is able to walk (assisted) without scissoring!!!

She did fantastic. Regardless of the fact that we were up before the sun was. It took 30 minutes and the doctor was even able to inject Botox into her arm to help her tone their too!

Here's some information from my perspective. *Remember I am not a doctor. You make take or leave my advice but please do not go telling anyone I told you to go do this. It may not be for you or your child*

Fenol (sp?). Is injected into the nerves in her legs (next time they will use it in her arm too). With a nerve stimulator they seek out the newve and inject into it. This reaction is immediate. 

*We have already seen the results of the Fenol and are completely impressed. As weak as Michelle is at this point she still has so much strength that we have never seen before.*

The botox. This takes a little while longer to take effect so I don't know how it's going to work with her. If it works anything like they suggest it will than im sure we will be just as impressed.

Here's how this is supposed to work...

With the combination of these two toxins (yes they are toxins) patients like Michelle are able to strengthen the muscle (she is high tone cp) instead of using her tone. The fenol helps so that she stops scissoring when she walks or stands (legs crossing of one another involuntarily).  When she uses her tone instead of her muscle she doesn't bulid as much muscle as fast as she should. She has it just not alot of it. This now allows her to relax and get going on becoming a body builder as we joke.

Is their pain or discomfort?? Their seems to be more discomfort. However Michelle has a VERY HIGH pain tolerance. Use your better judgement if you stub your toe and you need tylenol. Im serious I have seen full grown adults stub their toe on a toy and need something for it (call me crazy but I step on matchbox cars at least 20 times a day and it doesnt hurt). Their is risk of hitting a sensory branch from the nerve that can cause EXTREME pain. They say that as soon as the patient is awake they will know if they have hit it or not. There is no way to avoid this. They cannot see the branches.

Why did we opt for this?

Michelle WANTS more than anything to walk. Her therapist, myself, our whole family, and almost everyone we meet believes that she will walk. I prayed multiple times and got the same answer everytime. This was what was right for her. It's what can help her. We are already seeing an improvement.

What comes after??

A rigorous schedule of therapy and stretching. Re-teaching her to crawl because she hops everywhere. Getting her to sit differently and ultimately her learning to walk.

Does this need to be repeated??

Ask your doctor if ou were to seek this treatment out for yourself or your child.

Up at 5 AM for our hour long drive to RCHSD.

Michelle and daddy in front of RCHSD.

Some of the Christmas lights at RCHSD.

Me and my amazing little girl!!

*Notice the hair cut??*

*RCHSD, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego.*

Happy Birthday to you...

My sweet, beautiful, loving baby girl.

December 29, 2008

December 29, 2009

Birthday party to follow

:)