Saturday, January 28, 2012
Gabi said, "He's the same!"
This is one family who is watching American Idol this year! Look at that face when she saw that Ramiro Garcia was born with Microtia; the same thing that Gabi was born with. Not only has he overcome, but now he's giving hope to all the other kids with Microtia. Way to be an inspiration, Ramiro! You have OUR vote!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Today was the day!
Gabi was soooo excited to go into surgery. One might think that's strange but she is well aware that it was the final touch-up on her outer ear so she was happy about it. She was also really excited when they told her they wouldn't put the IV in until after she was asleep. That made her grin ear to ear and she was literally giggling all the way back to surgery!
So this time (Stage 4) was a little more complicated than I had originally thought. They did form the tragus, and they formed part of the canal (not all the way in) so that the ear will now look complete. They take cartilage and skin from the opposite ear, which does not change the look or shape of the other ear, but gives them the shape to form the new ear. Not sure how that works, but that's what I'm told. So in reality, she had surgery on both ears this time. Ugh.
I really thought this was going to be a simple little touch up so I was planning on continuing life as it was a mole removal or something. I guess not. She has a cast on each ear (to be removed next Thursday).
The good news? We can now say we are done with the 4th of 4 stages. Her bear, which has also been in every surgery, came out with casts on both ears as well.
So this time (Stage 4) was a little more complicated than I had originally thought. They did form the tragus, and they formed part of the canal (not all the way in) so that the ear will now look complete. They take cartilage and skin from the opposite ear, which does not change the look or shape of the other ear, but gives them the shape to form the new ear. Not sure how that works, but that's what I'm told. So in reality, she had surgery on both ears this time. Ugh.
I really thought this was going to be a simple little touch up so I was planning on continuing life as it was a mole removal or something. I guess not. She has a cast on each ear (to be removed next Thursday).
Monday, December 12, 2011
Final Surgery
Hey everyone, this week I get my final surgery on Wednesday. The good thing is that I'm out of school for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then Christmas break starts. I'm so excited. They're going to make my tragus, which I have no idea what that does. The second good thing is the ice cream and the chicken noodle soup they feed me! Third good thing, is that its a one-day-er which means that I get to come home soon after its done. This time its in North Carolina so we don't have to go allllll the way to California. Mom and Dad both get to come this time so it's gonna be a lot of fun. The surgery won't be fun, but mom and dad will be there so the rest will be. FINAL SURGERY! :o) Yippeeeee! ...until they do the inside. Love, Gabi and Mom
(Mom says pray! Even though it's a much smaller ordeal, there is still anesthesia, etc...ugh...so prayers would be appreciated!)
(Mom says pray! Even though it's a much smaller ordeal, there is still anesthesia, etc...ugh...so prayers would be appreciated!)
Monday, October 24, 2011
Hearing aid again!
Hello everybody! I haven't used my hearing aid for a really long time because I had an infection after my surgeries. Now I am using it again. Today was my first day using it and I love it still! I love all the colorful designs that my grandma made me. I also love how I can change the designs every day if I want to.
I also wanted to tell you that I just had a laser surgery for the hair growing on my ear. That was exciting. I got two popsicles and luckily it was a short surgery. I also have another surgery coming up on December 14th and it is for my fourth stage of my ear. It's right here in North Carolina and I don't have to go to California again. :( I like California. I hope this is a short one too. It's supposed to be the last surgery I have on my outer ear.
I love and miss you. Gabi
I also wanted to tell you that I just had a laser surgery for the hair growing on my ear. That was exciting. I got two popsicles and luckily it was a short surgery. I also have another surgery coming up on December 14th and it is for my fourth stage of my ear. It's right here in North Carolina and I don't have to go to California again. :( I like California. I hope this is a short one too. It's supposed to be the last surgery I have on my outer ear.
I love and miss you. Gabi
Friday, November 19, 2010
Still in the hospital...but now we know...
After having a major party up here yesterday, today seems pretty quiet. Yesterday was the telethon for the UNC Children's hospital which is why we have a million pictures of Gabi and all these famous people like country western stars and Santa Claus. Life was so fun. We even went to two concerts. They asked Gabi if she wanted to pull the sheet off of something during their big unveiling ceremony and she said, "No way! Too shy!" We never did hear what they unveiled. Her siblings would have jumped at that chance! :)
Today Gabi was scheduled for surgery so they could scrape out her wound. Ugh. But when the skin doctor came he said he was not going to mess with it, so no surgery. Mom told the skin doctor of her non-medical trained diagnosis and guess what? The doctor said that mom was absolutely RIGHT!!! Wah-hoo mommy! We are going to continue on these heavy duty IV antibiotics for another 24 hours then we are going to try to move to oral antibiotics...then HOPEFULLY will get out of here on Sunday afternoon. These meds make her have "red mans syndrome" which means her face and neck get bright red. So they also have her on Benedryl to counteract that. We kind of put up with it because those meds have to be the super strong ones. When we move to orals then there will be no more red mans.
So here is the story...this is a strep infection. You and I get it in our throat, but Gabi gets it in her skin. She may continue to get this, but now that we know what is causing it, this neurotic mother can hopefully get her on meds at the first sign of a sniffle and avoid the hospital. Not only does she get it on her skin...but she gets it right behind her ear that had surgery earlier this year. That is another reason to be super careful. If we aren't careful that strep infection could spread to that ear and then we would lose the ear completely.
We really thank God for giving us such smart doctors to help us with a plan of attack. We also thank God for giving Gabi the courage to have her blood drawn WITHOUT being held down today! There was only a little bit of screaming this time! Yeah!
So after I said it was quiet here today, I went down to get some mom lunch, and I left the room for a whole 15 minutes. During that time Gabi had the UNC football team in here. I hope this type of behavior doesn't continue! Gabi said..."It wasn't the WHOLE team, mom. It was only like 12 of them." There you have it. The Lacross team followed...pompoms and popsicles. Life is good.
Gabi and Beary have been through everything together this year. He's a good friend. Her new bear...she named Sky. She thought that was the best name to go along with the dog she got from here during the hospitalization in August. The dog had been named Cloud...so now we have Cloud and Sky.
I don't know if you can see this, but she painted a picture (of this little boy) for the little boy in this room because has to be isolated so we feel sorry for him. You can maybe see that he is in the crib, and the picture she painted of him has the same outfit and everything. :)
In this picture she put the hunter hiding in the tree with a gun so he can shoot the turkey for his Thanksgiving dinner. Lovely.
We LoVe NurSe TaYLoR! <3
Today Gabi was scheduled for surgery so they could scrape out her wound. Ugh. But when the skin doctor came he said he was not going to mess with it, so no surgery. Mom told the skin doctor of her non-medical trained diagnosis and guess what? The doctor said that mom was absolutely RIGHT!!! Wah-hoo mommy! We are going to continue on these heavy duty IV antibiotics for another 24 hours then we are going to try to move to oral antibiotics...then HOPEFULLY will get out of here on Sunday afternoon. These meds make her have "red mans syndrome" which means her face and neck get bright red. So they also have her on Benedryl to counteract that. We kind of put up with it because those meds have to be the super strong ones. When we move to orals then there will be no more red mans.
So here is the story...this is a strep infection. You and I get it in our throat, but Gabi gets it in her skin. She may continue to get this, but now that we know what is causing it, this neurotic mother can hopefully get her on meds at the first sign of a sniffle and avoid the hospital. Not only does she get it on her skin...but she gets it right behind her ear that had surgery earlier this year. That is another reason to be super careful. If we aren't careful that strep infection could spread to that ear and then we would lose the ear completely.
We really thank God for giving us such smart doctors to help us with a plan of attack. We also thank God for giving Gabi the courage to have her blood drawn WITHOUT being held down today! There was only a little bit of screaming this time! Yeah!
So after I said it was quiet here today, I went down to get some mom lunch, and I left the room for a whole 15 minutes. During that time Gabi had the UNC football team in here. I hope this type of behavior doesn't continue! Gabi said..."It wasn't the WHOLE team, mom. It was only like 12 of them." There you have it. The Lacross team followed...pompoms and popsicles. Life is good.
Gabi and Beary have been through everything together this year. He's a good friend. Her new bear...she named Sky. She thought that was the best name to go along with the dog she got from here during the hospitalization in August. The dog had been named Cloud...so now we have Cloud and Sky.
I don't know if you can see this, but she painted a picture (of this little boy) for the little boy in this room because has to be isolated so we feel sorry for him. You can maybe see that he is in the crib, and the picture she painted of him has the same outfit and everything. :)
In this picture she put the hunter hiding in the tree with a gun so he can shoot the turkey for his Thanksgiving dinner. Lovely.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Frowny Face :(
Hi it's me Gabi and I'm in the hospital again. The ceiling is covered with butterfly paintings on it. Mom is in bed with me right now. I got a new teddy bear that is blue with a white nose. I haven't named him yet. Please write names down for him as a response. please please please! love, Gabi
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
...and again...
Here we thought we were sooooo far beyond that infection. Again, Gabi has something going on with the area behind her ear. I don't understand it. It's not even the ear itself! She sees her UNC doc Thursday a.m. and while I am convinced they will put her back in the hospital, I am praying that they don't!!! I rubbed bacitracin on the area and her skin just peeled off. Ugh. :(
Please pray!!!
Please pray!!!
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