Christmas Day - surgery

...cont'd from last post.

Thanks to friends who were willing to take Lincoln at a moment's notice, as well as another friend who filled in for Nathan on the organ for the Christmas service, also, at a moment's notice, we were able to head towards Toronto without worrying.

And the worries/anxieties and apprehensions for the day were also calmed by the way God spoke to us that morning - through His sunrise. He once again reminded us that He has all things in control, from the magnificent rising sun to our daughter.

While we were headed to the hospital on Christmas Day, there were definitely some benefits. One of them being the traffic, or lack thereof. I don't think I have ever seen the Gardiner Express Way this empty. It was fabulous!

Another benefit of having surgery on a holiday, is that typically the O.R. is empty. And so, as soon as we got there, she got "dressed" for surgery and they were able to wheel her down for surgery fairly quickly. So often I think this girl is getting too big. And then I see her in a hospital bed and she looks so tiny.

That's our brave and smiley girl! She knew what was up, yet didn't have a problem with it at all.

While she was under Dr. Zuker's care, we tried to keep busy, especially Nathan, who was trying hard not to notice it was snowing again. It wasn't that he could do anything while at the hospital in regards to the snow, but he just was really hoping his guys would be able to get a break from it all, as they had been working so hard the last week and half.

Another benefit of being the hospital on Christmas Day is a free lunch!! Stuff like that just tickles our very few Dutch genes to no end. :o)

Keziah came out of surgery just over an hour later, and was pretty perky all afternoon. A present from the hospital may have helped (no, Santa did not drop in....he was warned he would not be greeted too fondly by the little patient in Room 70 :o):

A visit from her cousins also cheered her up as well:

And as if that wasn't enough, a visit from Opa most certainly kept her happy! Especially when he reads her 6 books!!!

Oh, and her broccoli also did a good thing for her.

We were happy to see my dad as well, as he brought food that was cooked by my mom. It was delicious!!

And to top off this day, the fact that it was a holiday meant that Nathan could stay with us all night! The ward was quite empty, which left lots of extra blankets and cots. So stay he did!!

And without any more complications, the next day we were able to head home. We picked up our dear son, Lincoln, who was having a great time, and we looked forward to being home altogether. Once home, Lincoln once again, needed to be near me a lot, wanting lots of snuggles. I didn't mind. :o)

Keziah also needed lots of snuggles later that night, after we tried to clean her incisions. This did not go so well, leaving both her and I in tears. I can happily report that was the last time she fought having them cleaned. Since that night, she has allowed us to clean them without a fight.

That was our Christmas Day and Boxing Day! Despite missing out on celebrating and enjoying this holiday, we have so much to be thankful for. The list could be so extensive, but I will limit it to just a few. We praise and humbly thank our Father in heaven for:

• Dr. Zuker. I sent this man an email Christmas Eve. He called me back 5 minutes later. He came in on Christmas Day to help our daughter. He came in willingly and cheerfully (the platter of homemade baking may have helped :o) not only on Christmas Day, but also on Boxing Day
• God's providential timing. Dr. Zuker left for Florida on Friday. We knew this and were concerned that he may be gone if things went from bad to worse. Thankfully it did go from bad to worse, but before he left
• our friends far and near - who called/emailed/texted during the ups and downs of the days leading up to the surgery, as well as the days after, wondering not only how Keziah was doing, but how we were doing
• our church family who prayed for her at our church service on Christmas Day, which was at the same time Keziah was in surgery
• His Spirit which helps and reminds us to celebrate Christ all through the year, not just on one day
• Toronto Sick Kids and all the nurses that cared for Keziah, as well as those who donated gifts to the hospital, as well as volunteered their time to hand out these gifts
• that her top expander was not affected by the infection, and that another fill could be added
• the disposition of our daughter, that she just rolls with things (much better than her mommy, that's for sure!)
• His presence, which surrounded us and was felt
• that the cleaning of her incisions has gone 1000 times better than the first night

Ah, yes, much to be grateful for. Yes, having that expander taken out is a setback, but after experiencing such uncertainty in the days leading up to the removal, we are relieved to deal with it by removing it.

Keziah will still be on antibiotics for another week, to continue to fight her infection. Please pray that the antibiotics work and that her new incision heals up. 

We are not quite out of the woods, as I noticed today that her top incision has opened a wee bit again. Please pray that it may close and that her top expander also does not have to come out.

Thanks for reading and for caring!! The next post will be her updated pictures for Fill #3 (which was done during surgery).