Holy journal entry!

So, guess what?! Thanks to the young women needing pictures from my camera, I finally buckled down and figured out what the deal was. It took a call to customer service (luckily they weren't in India and I could actually understand them), a few minutes online and bam! My pictures are now on my computer! So, even though there is lots to catch up on, I am going to start with the most recent. Life has been a bit crazy the past few weeks. I mentioned in the last post that Ava has scoliosis so after many failed attempts to schedule a cast to help because she kept getting colds, it finally happened.
The hospital scheduled the cast and it ended up being that Justin was out of town that day for work. Yikes, I really didn't want to do it without him seeing as they would have to use general anesthesia but that's just when they could do it. Ava actually ended up getting another cold and me, thinking they would cancel it again because of the cold, didn't get a babysitter for Cooper. Well, the pre-op nurse said to come to the hospital anyway the next morning to have the anesthesiologist check her to see if they would be able to do it. So, the next morning Justin left for the aiport at 4:00 and I had to get the kids up at 5 and drive to Salt Lake to be at the hospital by 6. AM that is. They checked Ava in and took us to her room. We got x-rays, they took pictures of her back so we would be able to see the before and after, we put her in her little tiny gown and then waited for the anesthesiologist. The hospitla is awesome. Ava and Cooper got a stuffed animal with sunglasses, Ava got a princess coloring book and new crayons, Cooper got matchbox cars and a lego car to play with. The anesthesiologist came in to see if Ava's cold was too bad to do the cast. He had her do a breathing treatment and decided her lungs may be clear enough to do it. While they do the cast there is a little while where they can't breathe very well because it is too tight until they cut a hole in it, that's why it is so crucial she can breathe well before. So, they went ahead. Part of me was hoping they would cancel because I really, really wanted Justin there, and it was going to be such a long day for Coop, and I know it needs to be done but really? Who wants to see their baby girl in a cast from shoulders to hip?

I was so nervous I would have to hold her while they figured out an i.v. but luckily they did it while she was out. About 9 they took her in. They gave her some medication and we took her from her room to the another room where they put on mesh like dress that goes under the cast. She was getting pretty groggy and sleepy from the meds and I was close to tears the whole morning so that pretty much did me in. They let me hold her for a bit and then I handed her over to the PA to take to the operating room. I was crying before I handed her over. Then I watched her drugged up and being carried down the hall by some stranger. More crying. It was good Cooper was there to distract me. He was SO, SO good. No crying, no complaining. They gave me a beeper so when she was done we could go back to the room to talk to the dr to see how it went. So we went to the playroom. It's huge! Children's hospitals are the best! There were tricycles, cars, basketball hoop, pool table, soccer net. He loved it. about 45 min later they beeped me so we went back to talk to the dr. He said it went well and she was in recovery waking up. They wouldn't let me in the recovery room-argh. Not too excited about that. So we hung out for an hour or so until she was up and they gave her 2 more breathing treatments and they finally brought her back. She looked so tiny in her little crib and she started to cry for Mom. The nurse commented that she was a lot happier with me than with them. Huh, complete strangers or Mom? Well, they had her foot wrapped in purple tape to hold her i.v. in. She just kept saying, "Purple, off!" They had to keep the i.v. in for over an hour just in case they needed it they didn't want to poke her again. We also had to give her oxygen because it was a bit low for a little while. Her voice was raspy for a while because they intubated her during the cast but once they took the i.v. out and she got a popsicle she perked up a little. We were able to go eat abt 1:00 and then once they knew she was peeing and eating they let us go home. All of us exhausted we finally got to go home 8 hours later! Holy moly. I still can't believe Cooper did so well! They both crashed on the way home, I wish I could have and was majorly missing Justin. Ava was super cranky and Coop was a little to when we got home because they woke up when we got home. Ava would try to do something and get so frustrated because she can't bend down very well, and the cast is pretty dang tight she would just cry and say, "Brace off" She'd back up to me because that's how we would take her brace off. So, that week was pretty rough. She cried a lot and so did I, and wanted to be held, got really sick on Wednesday -throwing up which made it super fun to try to keep the cast clean and dry. Better Thursday, then the rest of us, minus Justin, got sick again Friday and went to my sister in laws wedding Saturday. Wow
I didn't get any pictures after she came back from recovery. A little busy you know? I will have to take one of what the cast looks like. It's purple of course! So, despite the major inconvenience we are really blessed to have such talented doctors so close to us. Her doctor was one of very few in the country who are willing to do this. They usually go to surgery. Yikes! There was no cutting and i was still a mess! People come from Canada and Japan to get this done by her doctor. Wow! We are blessed

Last bath before the cast, we had to make it special with bubbles and extra long!

In her little gown getting her blood pressure checked with big brother by her side

Playing with the new toys before getting the cast. They made out like bandits!

Filling up the cars with gas in the playroom. I love that smile!

Being sick a few days after. This is pretty much what she did all day. Throw up and sleep. poor kid!

Whew! That was long! We also had an awesome Thanksgiving, Justin and I were able to go to Park City for a night and enjoy a fancy dinner at Ruth's Chris (yummy), a little shopping at the outlets, and some quiet stress free time! Much needed. We are also in the process of selling our beloved Toyota Tacoma because we can't fit 3 in there. Kids that is. Because we are having a baby girl! Due in March in case you didn't know. So, that's what we are up to. What about you?