Monday, August 31, 2015

Happy 9th Birthday Ava!


 
These two top photos were taken this morning before school.

 
Hello! Ava is still fighting her cough but she is the happiest I've ever seen her today. She is thrilled today is her birthday. She went to school and I'll be taking her for her birthday lunch. Special day for a Miracle girl!
 
Today is bitter sweet for us. Ava joined the world and we knew that she would be fighting a very hard fight. Some doctors told us that her diaphragmatic hernia was so severe that her odds of surviving were 30-35%. They suggested termination. We trusted God and are thrilled that today she turns 9. I often wondered if stories of Miracles from the Bible happened today.... Ava is just that! All the signs pointed that her body would not be able to sustain it's self. Yet over and over in her 9 years she's faced over 6 major surgeries, countless hospital stays and many "close to death moments"... God has blessed us all more than I could ever try to describe in words. Today our entire family raise her up and thank God for this AMAZING Miracle. So many prayers were said over her lifetime and He heard and answered each one and we are so grateful!
 
~Terri


Saturday, August 29, 2015

A lot of August

Hello friends! Well this has been a busy month. I hope you are all happy and healthy! Ava has had two illnesses. In the middle of August she got a weird virus that lasted 48 hours. It was like a stomach virus and then it turned into a sore throat with a fever of 103. The good things was it left as fast as it came! Then last week she started coughing. No other symptoms just a cough. I can't ever recall she's ever just had a cough. I was a little baffled so after starting her on her "asthma regimen" after a few days of her getting worse I took her to our local doctor. She said she sounded junky. She wanted me to switch up our usual regimen with Iowa City and I got a little worried so I called her pulmonologist at the University. They told me to have her call them so they could explain their reasoning. She declined. That was fine by me although I was a little disappointed as I love our local doctor and she has saved us countless trips to Iowa City. However I'm still going to use her we will just have to agree to disagree on her Prednisone care in the future. On Wednesday Ava was getting much worse. I got her in to see her specialists in IC. They did a lung function test and it was compromised from her last healthy one. She has (acute) protracted bacterial bronchitis. It's due to her "non-normal" (my new word) lungs due to her diaphragmatic hernia at birth. It makes me sad to think she has to deal with the after affects of (congenital diaphragmatic hernia) her birth defect her entire life. They prescribed her two weeks of antibiotics. So hopefully we will see results soon.



Other HAPPY and EXCITING things that have happened this month.

We went to the annual Iowa Make a Wish reunion. We made it into a mini vacation.

 
 
 
If you look really close you can see Ava in the glove... I love the world of photo shop!


 
Then we went to Adventureland. What a fun family time!

 
 




 
 
Ava also started school this month. She was very excited to get back to a normal everyday routine! I love and adore her teacher. A strange but true fact. The year Ava was in the hospital in 2008 with her reherniation and bowel issues was the year her teacher was in the same hospital battling for her life with cancer. They share something very common... they are both strong fighters! So she was very excited to have Ava in her class. Most importantly she is exactly like me on the "germ" issues. (I LOVE that!) Oddly Emeline had gotten her as a teacher and the entire year had a sub due to her fighting cancer. If I haven't said this a million times on here I'll say it again. God has perfect timing and He knows exactly what we need when we need it!
 
Of course Miss Ava has to have perfect, back to hair style. So I managed to pull off this really cute look at home!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I also took the girls yearly photos. I have been blessed with the most beautiful girls inside and out. They all have genuine caring hearts. They always think of others before thinking of themselves. I thank God daily that he brought Lexis, Emeline and Ava into our lives!



 
 
 
 
Please keep praying that Ava gets over this cough. As always thank for your love, support and prayers. I believe all that pray God hears! Blessings to you as you walk in God's perfect path for your life.
 
~Terri