Hello to all our friends and family! Thanks for checking in. Ava had two appointments on Wednesday. We got up very early and made it there by 8 am. She saw her Pulmonary nurse practitioner, Cheryl. We really like her. She takes great care of Ava. She started the day with getting weighed and measured. They were all shocked by how tall she has gotten. Next we went to do her lung function test. She gets better and better each time. She is coming down with a cold but it didn't seem to affect her numbers. She has normal test results of a child her age. I find that Amazing... of course they can't separate your lungs and test them individually, so this means that Ava's good lung functions that of two lungs.
We then saw Dr. Ebach her GI doctor. She too was pleased with how Ava looked. We agreed on backing down on her Prevacid from 30 mg's 2 x's a day to just once a day. Yes you read that right... she was on 60 mg's a day. Her reflux is severe. Prevacid can cause your bones to be fragile so I'm hoping Ava's body does good with this change. If she stops taking the meds then she gets terribly sick and throws up and feels nauseous.... not a good thing at all. She still isn't quite old enough to take her medicines on her own. She does pretty good though. After all she is just 10... almost 11.
After her appointments we decided to check out the lobby of the new children's hospital. They have been building it for a LONG time it seems. It opened a few months ago. It is so nice. (I'm hoping and praying we never have to experience an over night stay.) So please keep the prayers coming.
Doctor visit selfie!
So Cheryl was happy to see her over all jump in height and weight. Her height is 5'0.79 and her weight is 75 pounds. She finally got on the BMI chart (body mass index) We know she is growing and is healthy at that! We are continuing her same medicines. She is on a twice daily Symbicort inhaler. If she gets a cold we then do her regimen of albuterol inhalers and Atrovent. And if that doesn't kick it we bring the Prednisone on board. That too is a hefty amount. (20 mg's twice a day) Thankfully over this Winter we only needed steroid once. (A seven day course.) So that's great!
She still loves to write on the chalk boards. Her writings always consist of her love for me, which blesses my heart. There is no doubt she loves her Mom! And of course her dad and sisters!
We then saw Dr. Ebach her GI doctor. She too was pleased with how Ava looked. We agreed on backing down on her Prevacid from 30 mg's 2 x's a day to just once a day. Yes you read that right... she was on 60 mg's a day. Her reflux is severe. Prevacid can cause your bones to be fragile so I'm hoping Ava's body does good with this change. If she stops taking the meds then she gets terribly sick and throws up and feels nauseous.... not a good thing at all. She still isn't quite old enough to take her medicines on her own. She does pretty good though. After all she is just 10... almost 11.
After her appointments we decided to check out the lobby of the new children's hospital. They have been building it for a LONG time it seems. It opened a few months ago. It is so nice. (I'm hoping and praying we never have to experience an over night stay.) So please keep the prayers coming.
I thought she MUST get a photo near the giraffe as "April" is all over the internet... any day she will have the baby calf. We check in from time to time. They said today is the day... we will see huh?
And the new theater... how big and AMAZING is this?
These were a few cool things on the wall. Ava loved them all.
This lobby is HUGE!
We decided to go shopping afterwards. What girl doesn't like to shop? I love my little Aya-baya!
I've been so busy I haven't had time for much of my passion... PHOTOGRAPHY. So I decided to sit Ava down the other night and get some great shots of her. She adores this bear. I often wonder how I ever got so lucky? Every day this special little girl gives me a huge hug and says this to me... "Mom do you know how much I love you?" And I say, "A LOT Ava." and she shakes her head yes. There is never a day that she doesn't do this? I get emotional at times. It's like she knows I need encouragement too. I give it all day long but getting it... well us moms we NEED it too. God knew I needed this child. Please don't get me wrong I LOVE my other two daughters equally as I do Ava. They are now teenagers and they get caught up in their own lives which is to be expected. And perhaps one day Ava will forget to tell me... and that will be okay. I just savor each and every day. Life is a GIFT!
I always look to the future but occasionally when we make doctor's visits or I see an old photo, or when I'm reminded I can't help but think of this beautiful healthy little lady and the struggles she endured. I still have my facebook page that helps cdhers and their families. It serves as a constant reminder that we just never know if tomorrow will come. I'm so grateful for ALL that God has given me! We've been on quite the journey!
Thank you too all who come here, read about Ava and pray for her. It means so much to us all. God is good! I'll exit with a wonderful Bible verse about Our loving, God's GRACE...
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
~Terri
