Remember when I said no news is good news, well this holds true yet again!! All is well in our little suburbian corner of the world :). We just had a check up for Madi and everything looked great! She had even gained weight finally! She hadn't since we had left the hospital but I just had to use a few tricks the dietitian gave me and sure enough, weight gain! It's so exciting to see her actually gain weight by eating all on her own, she hasn't done that since she was a newborn! It's so awesome! I prayed and prayed that she would gain weight so she didn't have to have a feeding tube again and then all the sudden....she did! God answered my prayers so faithfully and yet then I began to worry that she wasn't gaining weight but just retaining fluid (bad weight). Why is it when God answers our prayers we still question His doings and let evil creep back into our minds!!! Ugh, I hate that! I tried to remind myself of exactly that, she has a new heart now Tab, it makes no sense she would retain fluid! And then today when we went to our checkup I told Madi's cardiologist that I had sorta been freaking out about the weight gain being water weight and he said "that's a thing of the past" ....music to my ears yet again. Worry is the opposite of Faith missy, so STOP that's what I tell myself.... Almost daily. But hey, at least I'm reminding myself right?
We also just got all of Madi's home health therapists set up; she'll have occupational therapy (help with left arm) twice a week, physical therapy (help with her developmental delays due to stroke and all the darn surgeries) twice and week and speeh therapy once a week! So we'll be busy girls! Not that we aren't already but good stuff to keep us focused and on track! I'm excited :). One of the therapists gave me a chart of the things kids should be doing at 2 and I almost cried bc Madi is so far behind (physically but mentally she's totally a two year old!) but then I remembered they don't include the column for 6 open heart surgeries under two years and what that toddler "should" be doing bc it doesn't exist, nothing about that experience is "normal" so she shouldn't be compared to normal, and then I felt better :). If they did have that column there might be two kids in it and she'd be doing everything and more than expected, thanks to Him :)
Anyway, last week we celebrated Madi's second birthday and it was a day I will never forget! A day that I wondered countless times if it would ever come, a day I thought we might celebrate in the hospital, a day I thought I might be grieving the loss of my precious daughter instead of celebrating her life? But here we are, celebrating this day that is full of life and happiness! Wow! What an understatement that is! I can't even describe what it means to wake up and scoop her up in my arms the morning of her birthday and sing "happy birthday" something I hope I never take for granted. Let's just say birthdays in this house will always be a big deal after this journey :). It was truely a joyous day; we had a camera crew here finishing a story they were doing on our little M&M but most importantly we had two of our nurse friends from TCH join the party. I call them nurses but they are more like Madi's miracle workers who we love and cherish and can't thank God enough for! Just another piece of this miraculous puzzle and of course they spoiled her rotten as well!
Last thing I wanted to mention is all the support from our amazing community back home! Growing up I never could have imagined how such a small community could rally around those they care for! My aunt organized a benefit for Madi and ended up getting over $6,000 in donation from our small hometown. I'm completely speechless and don't even feel like thank you is enough! Just know each and every one of you that has so graciously donated to and prayed for our M&M holds a special place in my heart. I will always call this community my home and know it has helped us get through this hard time. Austin and I plan to put all the donation into a college fund for Madi, I'm sure she'll want to be a doctor someday!! Lol, yeah right!
Well, that's the latest!! A photographer from TCH came and took pictures during Madi's Bday but I haven't gotten them yet so I'll post them once I get them! I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the end of summer (I can't wait till its over.....too hot in Texas for this Wyoming girl, but won't miss the snow during the winter!). Love you all and don't forget to sign up to be an organ donor!!
Tabi
