#16 and WOW, Some Good News for Once!

So little miss Emarie had her 16th surgery yesterday. Pretty minor one in our books- just a little ear opening (have to widen her tiny canals each time they put new tubes in), new tubes and a sleep endoscopy. This was all after the dreaded news in this post and the sleep study in this post. 

My brave girl showing no fear as usual in the waiting room

After vitals, dressed and ready to go... still no fear! 

Then came a long wait.... she was supposed to go back by 10:30 and she didn't until close to 12! Which wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't need to get home and clean! We had people coming to look at our apartment that evening and since I'd been having contractions and feeling crumby pretty much since we got back from the trip, I hadn't gotten much done to say the least!  But finally the anesthesiologist came to get my girl.... 

I think maybe she's getting a bit big for them to carry.... 

After that, I quickly got checked in in the waiting area, I ran downstairs to grab something for me and baby boy since it was already lunch time (thought we'd be home in time for lunch!). Then hurried back up since they expected her surgery to take between 45 minutes to an hour. I still wasn't even finished eating when Dr. Muntz came in to say that he'd finished. Everything went well and he was actually surprised by the endoscopy results..... He had my full attention here! Turns out that where he originally thought her obstructions were, mainly her underdeveloped upper jaw and nasal area..... Not it though! And he told me he was a little worried when it all looked good there, that maybe he'd been wrong and that her apnea is in fact central.... I got a little worried here!... But he kept going and then he found her problem, a "floppy voice box" coupled with an "enlarged tongue"..... bottom line is a MUCH, MUCH easier and less invasive fix than a facial reconstruction, but yes she'll still need surgery. But not nearly as bad! Still will need to be admitted afterward, possibly even to the PICU for a bit because it's treated much like a tonsil and adenoid removal.... and well, that didn't go so well for her :/

But all in all a much better outcome that what we were expecting! My first thought when I was told about a facial reconstruction was that I did not want my beautiful girl's face to change..... the face that I've known for well over four years, the face that I kiss endlessly and look at and wonder how she got to be so beautiful. Maybe this is silly, but the fact remained that her tiny nose and small jaw are very much a part of that face that I love, and I was really sad that they were going to change. Now I don't have to worry about that. She will always be my Em of course... but I love her just the way she is! It truly is a miracle that they did not find the obstruction in her palate! Prayers work, hope and faith are real! Especially with our kid who always seems to find her way into the smallest percentages and the most unlikely scenarios.... needing 2 varus osteotomies is proof of that! 

Now after Dr. Muntz left it had been kind of awhile and no one had called me back still to go see her in PACU. And just when I was about to get worried, there was a phone call..... a phone call? It was the nurse in PACU, who said Em was doing just fine SAT-wise, she just was not waking up, so it would still be a bit before they called me. So I decided to get her something for when she woke up, and no I wasn't worried. The anesthesiologist had warned that they were going to use a different method to get her to sleep because of the endoscopy, a method that induced more of a natural sleep and therefor was a little harder to wake from. 

Cute little doll and butterfly balloon from the gift shop

Finally they called me to go back and turns out she was already in recovery when I got back there! Still not quite alert, so she wasn't quite as excited about her presents as I thought she'd be...

And this was pretty much how she was the rest of the time we spent in recovery..... and the hour ride home! But once we were home, she was back to her usual Em self! During said car ride, Dr. Muntz's scheduler called me to set up the next surgery, so we're set for October 3rd. And while we had people looking at our apartment, we went to dinner at Cafe Rio with daddy

And she laughed the whole time we were there! We were celebrating the good news from the surgery and the fact that she had lost one marble at this point.... she lost the other later that night as already mentioned in the last post. 

20 uhh... 23 Week Ultrasound and Marble Scare

The week that I hit 20 weeks, the ultrasonographer did not have any appointments late enough for Steve to be there, and the following week, which was the week of the 24th (Utah's birthday) she was out of town, which only left us with being able to do it when we got back from San Antonio (and yes, I know I should be blogging about that first, but I have about 3 posts still before that one and hopefully once we're moved I will get caught up... and yes, more about the move later too!). So 2 days after we got home, we had our "big ultrasound". 

We picked up daddy from work and then all went to dinner somewhere near the hospital which ended up being Arby's. 

Em's been watching the Olympics with us and really enjoying it! Especially running and gymnastics... and diving. Anyway, she started doing the hands in the air thing around the same time.. so there you have it! When wanting to acknowledge an accomplishment, she raises her arms in the air, pretty funny!

Did you notice the "missionary photo bomber" in the background?? We thought that was pretty funny later, didn't notice he was looking right at the camera (phone) when I took it! 

After dinner, we headed to the appointment. Our little guy is doing well! Not measuring quite as big anymore, though my uterus is still measuring a bit big... so who knows! 

 Ultrasonographer pointed out his defined bicep! 

 Our sweet baby! 

He likes to look at us 

Isn't amazing how much you can love someone you never met! 

After the appointment, we headed to Steve's parents house to see them since we hadn't since we'd been back. Thought it would be nice to show them the video and pictures from the ultrasound too. 

There is a toy that they have that is Em's absolute favorite! In fact she starts asking for it right when we walk in the door! She has been playing with it for years without ever having a problem.... until that evening.... 

We were just getting ready to go, when Steve laid Em down to change her diaper and I noticed her struggling and then going purple.... and then I freaked because I knew she was choking on a marble, I got to her as fast as I could and Steve sat her up.... and at this point everyone had come to the room. It seemed like it took forever, but she finally coughed and then started crying. Another moment to add to the list of "scariest moments of my life". She kept grabbing in her mouth and at her throat though, so we didn't hesitate to take her to the hospital that is right around the corner from their house. Subsequently it is the same hospital where my sister died, and I haven't been there since. Needless to say, it was a little hard on me... 

However....

By this time, Em was pretty much back to herself... 

Just reading a magazine here.... 

Got her back and their first initiative was of course to do an x-ray. Most people I know were thinking we were overreacting.... but she did choke on them.... and she is unique in every aspect! Key one being here... her digestive system. She has issues, and when I say issues, I mean issues. She does not digest things well or without some kind of help every day. So, to say the least, I was almost as worried about her digesting them, as I was about her swallowing them.... almost. 

 Still doing the Olympic Arms... proud of herself I suppose ;)

And daddy taking on my usual role as baby boy and I wait behind the safety glass

After the x-rays, we were sent back to the room to wait where Em and Steve went about their usual business

yeah, don't ask ;)

After a few minutes the Dr came in and told us they didn't find one marble..... they found two!! Yup, two round perfect objects making their way to her abdomen. He told us we should expect their exit in about 48 hours..... haha, yeah right! But he wanted us to watch her and follow up with the pediatrician if in a couple days she hadn't passed them. And then we headed home... 

I checked on her a lot that night! But every time, this is the way I found her... peacefully and soundly asleep! And ten fold, that blanket on Em is the very blanket they placed on my sister at that hospital nearly 18 years ago. Bittersweet. 

Now the reason I waited on this post is because I knew people would be asking if those marbles were still in her.... so that is why I did it tonight. As of tonight which is 8 days later, this girl has finally "lost her marbles", pun intended ;) 

And yeah, seems like this girl is already set out to upstage her brother!