Some good news coming our way...

So most of you are aware that we got the best news ever today. Briar's surgery has been scheduled for November 30!!! I just thought I would let everyone else know that we are so excited (Daddy is very nervous). So over the next few weeks we will be mentally preparing for Briar to go through surgery since it's been almost a year and half since her last surgery. When she had surgery the first time, we didn't really have time to think it through too much, we just went for it. I am going to hate the waiting but we know the end result will change Briar's life. So our schedule looks kinda like:
November 29, 2010 Rest and relax. I took the day off with Briar so we can cry a little and kiss a .
November 30, 2010 9:30 register at the clinic
11:30 surgery... this is when we play the waiting room game where all the people wait for a doctor to come and tell them their child is in recovery. Briar will be there for an hour or so. Last time I got to go in the recovery area which was surreal to sit with all the people that had just come out of surgery. Briar had been on oxygen for about 5 weeks and it was kinda weird to see her with all the wires and tubes.
2:00 If everything goes well we should go to the post/surgery recovery wing or ward *not too sure as she has never had surgery at Sick Kids. We were able to skip NICU when she had her PDA Ligation and go right to the floor. That was very nice. After surgery I am hoping to stay with Briar for the week, but I don't know the rules at Sick Kids, so I may be in a hotel or with friends.
December 1, 2010 Charles and I will take a class on how to use and clean Briar's insertion site and her GJ tube. I already read the booklet they home with us, but I know I will have million questions. Thankfully, my BFF is a nurse :) JES!!
If everything goes very well, we should be out by Friday or Saturday. I know you will all be with us on that special day and I'll update everyone on the progress.
Any questions, don't hesitate to ask, we love learning and sharing what we have learned with friends and family. Thanks again, PEACE!!!

Merry Christmas!

Okay, so many good things to report, it feels unreal to have this much good news.
First of all, Briar has been working so hard on holding her head up. I posted a video on FB and will post it here of her on the wingbo swing (we are thinking of purchasing for Christmas family, if anyone is interested in going in on it!!) We are so proud of you Miss B!! Also she has started to roll from her back to one side, thinking she is going to make it all the way over very soon, but since she can't hold her head up, I can't see her being very happy on her tummy hehehe. Briar has finally found her hands. She can't keep them apart, they are attached at all times now :) Ans the best news of all! We met with a dietitian, a nurse practitioner and Dr. Kanani, a pediatrician at Sick Kids GI Clinic today. After asking all the history, talking about her calorie intake and swallow study, they decided she is a great candidate for a GJ Tube!!!! We are soooo happy!!! At first I thought they weren't going to recommend it because they were coming up with all these ideas to supplement her diet. When they asked what "I" wanted, it was my breaking point and I started to cry. I told them we were really hoping to get the tube because I was struggling with all the regurge. I often cry, as you probably know when driving with Briar in the van because I can't help her when she vomits. So after my melt down, they were very kind and compassionate. They said that of course we can go ahead with the tube placement but they had other ideas to try, like new meds and a swallow study (which I thought we had had, but nope) while waiting for a surgery date. So that is that, a mother and her child celebrating another surgery (not an unnecessary one like circumcision, hehehehe)

I think I will have some wine, get a good sleep and think about all the amazing pictures I am going to take of Valerie Running (Minnie) at her wedding tomorrow :)
Much love peeps, Ashley

PS CONGRATS CASEY MAMA!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT GENDER YOU HAD BUT WE ARE ALL THINKING OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GI!!!

Great news all around, but let's start with the best news first! So I have been on the phone the past week with Cathy Parker from the GI clinic. She was the liaison between ourselves and Dr. Zlotkin (who is now a VP or something, not seeing patients)So anyways, she called me back last week and said she got a note from general surgery asking about Briar having an upper GI/swallow study (BLECH). Briar had one a week of two after birth to try to figure out why she was regurgitating so much. Cathy said that General Surg wanted to do another one to access her fundoplication. Basically, I let Cathy know that I strongly disagreed, and the best part was she also disagreed. She said as far as she was concerned, Briar needed to have the GJ tube ASAP! I was feeling a little down but not defeated (NEVER!) So I basically said we would come in no problem to have a swallow study, but it needed to be sooner than later.
Cathy left a message tonight on the phone saying that she spoke with Dr. Zlotkon, and they were both in agreeance that a swallow study isn't necessary ***Briar is throwing up a I type this*** I was hooting and howling when I listened to the message, I just kept going "YES!!!" Charles was looking at my funny, saying "WHAT?!?!?" HAHAHA I was so excited. So the plan is for Cathy to send the forms over to surgery, and we wait for a call. They need to access her first but we are one step closer to getting our little dolly at a healthy weight, stopping the regurgitation and hopefully helping her body get the energy it needs!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

We also had Briar's 6 month review at Five Counties, it went well. We made plans to set up some recreation (swimming and a music program.) We are now focusing on communication, physiotherapy and visual stimulation. I love all the people involved in her life, but her physiotherapist Sue, holds a special place in my heart. She is just the most calm, funny, positive thinking person I have ever met. We love her.

Well I think that is all for now, I try to throw out the bad stuff and only take in the good stuff. I want to say Congrats to all the new mothers and all the old ones too :) Casey and Ashley, your time is coming very soon, I am so happy for both of you. Congrats to Melissa and Don on this fine October day. Charles and I just celebrated out 5 wedding anniversary the way we saw fit (dinner and ice cream with the kiddies, watching TV and then early to bed HAHAHA) We may be "comfortable" but we love our lives and value each and every person in them.
MAMA POWERS