4 Month Post-Operation

Today marks the 4 month mark since Keziah had a good part of her freckle removed. 4 months ago already! That means she has been without her freckle longer than with those big ole expanders! Remember those??!

Unreal. I cannot believe that she looked like that at one point. Just the other day I was flipping through this blog and came across the blog where I had each "fill" pictured (find it here: Observations and Reflections ) It left me breathless and in tears. But it also left me with a sense of awe as to how much strength we were given at the time. Sure I noticed her cheek and forehead while going through it all, but not to the extent as I do now when I look at the pictures. Now I can really see what others saw back then. Wow.

But here we are, 4 months later. Her healing continues to go very well without infections. The only complication that is developing is her droop. Now it is quite noticeable compared to a month and half ago. And it will continue to droop more and more as time goes on, until we meet Dr. Zuker in May, where he will deal with it as well as the rest of the birthmark on her face (which by the way is NOT face paint!!! Do you know how often she has been asked what is painted on her face???).

Her skin graft is looking amazing!!!

Most of her scars are not too pronounced except for the ones in her hair. She has quite the wide scar where there isn't any hair growing, which leaves it quite noticeable. The big wide scar is like a backwards "C", going from the top of her head, around and down to meet the top of her skin graft.

And a top view

So doing her hair can be a bit tricky if I want to "hide" the scar. That front chunk of hair in the "C" likes to fall forward and so the only way to have it cover the scar is to pull all the hair back. Even with two simple braids on either side of her head doesn't hide it as that hair in the front loosens and shows the gap.

But really, it's not that big of a deal. All things considering, dealing with a large scar like that and a droopy eye is nothing compared to what others have to deal with. I belong to a nevus support group, where parents and nevus "owners" can gain support from one another, whether they go through removal or not. And let me tell you, what Keziah's birthmark looked/s like is nothing compared to what others have. And the same with the whole process.....we have had nothing but success, whereas others have had one complication after another (and serious ones, too!!). Lately I have been going through a bit of guilt as to how well things have gone for her. I pray my guilt doesn't take over my thankfulness.

Although her face has changed from birthmark to expander to hardly any birthmark, one thing hasn't changed, and that is her beautiful and contagious smile!!

So now what?

Seeing as we don't need to go back to the hospital until next May and if I stick to what this blog was for, that means there won't be a whole lot to update until then. So now what? As you can see from the last three months, I haven't been able to keep the blog to just about Keziah and the removal of her freckle. I have realized over the last 6 months that I enjoy writing; I enjoy documenting things and most of all, I have enjoyed sharing the pictures.

I do feel a bit at a crossroads: do I keep blogging (just for fun) or do I stop? Do I start another one and keep on documenting and sharing pictures of our family? Although I have enjoyed it a lot, what makes me hesitant about starting another blog about us (apart from Keziah's medical journey) is the worry of "self-indulgence/absorption", the worry of how my blog would come across: "Here!! Look at me/us!!! Look what we are doing and how perfectly things seem to be!!!". (I've touched upon this in a previous post here).

And yet, I've enjoyed doing this one for Keziah a lot. So, with trepidition, I will start another blog on one account: that is to remember that everything needs to be done for the glory of God. If I lose that focus, I pray that I will become aware of it (either through my own eyes or by a reminder from you) and the result will be that I will instantly quit blogging. I will quit it as soon as it takes a priority in my life. I will stop writing if I notice a theme of pride in my posts.

For now, I will continue and we'll see how long I do. You can find my new blog here. There isn't anything there yet, but I have some in draft (the Butternut Squash recipe that people have been asking for as well as our Thanksgiving weekend in pictures. Lincoln also woke up this morning with a funny looking rash on his ankle which I wouldn't mind asking about, seeing as there are many knowledgeable people out there! :o). editor's note: it is up and running now with the recipe for the soup

The reason for separating the two blogs is to keep this one as is should be: Keziah's journey. If people are looking and researching about what to do because their child has the same birthmark as Kez, I want it to be easily accessible for them.

And so, without further adieu, I'd like to take this time to thank EVERYONE who has been there in any way, shape or form the last 6 months. Your support has been amazing and was felt not only by us, but also by Keziah.

All the cards and pictures she received while going through the surgeries.

Above all, we praise our Heavenly Father. He is the one who placed this darling daughter into our lives. He is the one who knew all along that she would be born with this birthmark and what she would need to go through to remove it.  We know that through the trials He gives to us, He is refining us, to learn to place all our trust in Him, to lay all our anxieties at His feet. Such a difficult thing to do, to leave things with Him as we like to have a sense of control, but once done, it is so relieving knowing that an almighty God has everything planned out and He is there to carry you through the journey He has placed you on. Trust and obey. Two simple yet hard to do words. We thank Him for giving us His Spirit to do exactly that, trust and obey; and pray that He will continue to do so.

And I will update if necessary as time passes until we get to May, in which I will once again update regularly as we move on to the next phase of removal.

Did you know.......

....this child could look at books all day long?

....you can change the rules for croquet (and that I don't know how to spell 'croquet')? Yup! You can!! If you can't hit the ball with the stick through the wire

then just kick it through!!

...that somebody has found a way into my cupboards

and "re-cleans" everything in them and then dumps it on the floor?

....that a cutting board isn't just for cutting? Nope!! Jumping on it is MUCH more fun!

....this is the best way to eat a chocolate sandwich? You should try it sometime!

...he is 9 months old now??

...that tuft of hair that is sticking straight up on the top is hair that was cut for surgery and is now growing back?

..and that it is VERY hard to make that new hair lie flat?

....I bought this walking toy at a garage sale to give to Lincoln for Christmas, thinking he would need it then, not NOW?!

....that I would fall (and so would you) if I tried to do this with my fingers and toes, all under the door at once?

....that he thinks his bed is a trampoline?

...that he is stubborn and would NOT open his mouth up for my dad (this is his food, people!! Remember those legs of his? That's right. Stubborn. I didn't know that was a nurtured thing rather than a nature thing.....grin :o)

...this is what he does when my dad gives me the spoon?

....that to entertain one child, just put the other child in the corner?

....in case you burn something to the pan (what, me burn food??!) you can just add soap and water and boil it?

..and that it works even better with the lid off (duh)?

Ta-da!! (and did you know I got that tip off of Facebook?? See, Facebook is not ALL bad :o)

....that I don't burn everything but love to make our favourite Autumn soup, Butternut Squash soup?

...this is what it looks like driving up our driveway in Autumn?

...that although they make a picture look nice and serene, we are eager to say "good riddance" to these birds in a week or two?

...that although all seasons are beautiful, I do believe that God shows His glory most in Autumn?

And lastly, did you know that this Thanksgiving weekend is the first "cold" one in a few years? One would know that if one camps every Thanksgiving weekend. Off to pack up all our woolies!!!

May we all have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, remembering and reflecting the many gifts we have received, not because we deserve them (which we so do not), but because God has given them to us out of His good pleasure.