Gabi's Next Round

Well we found out the date.  Her next surgery will be July 1st.  Yikes!  We have to be out there the 29th of June and return on July 9th.  Not sure of all the details yet...but at least we have the dates.  Chloe is thrilled that everyone will be home in time for her birthday mid-July.  I'm trying to post pictures but the cord doesn't work so I'm going to have to get creative.  We are now more than a month post-op and she looks GREAT!  I'll try to get pictures up as soon as possible.  jane (gabi's mom) 

11 days post op

Mom says:  These are pictures from 11 days post op.  This was the first time she was allowed to wash her hair.  Mom and dad are soooo relieved to see that the dirt actually all washed out! 
The ear was first uncovered in Dr. Brent's office last week on Thursday (7 days post op) and if we compare 7 days to 11 days it is absolutely amazing.  Remember that Dr. Brent said it will be like looking at a magic show while we watch it heal.  We now see what he means!  Unfortunately, there are no 7 day pictures to show you, but we will continue to share our "magic show" through the next few weeks. 
You can see her "little ear" in front of her new ear.  That will stay in place until July.  In July they will take off her little ear and raise the new ear off her head.  You can see two dots under her ear where her tubes used to come out.  She looks like she was bit by a vampire!  If we look at her from across the room, you can't even tell that the ear is flat against her head.
I told some of you that she bruised really bad and you can see that it is now healing.  That green is a bruise on the mend.  She obviously takes after Grandma Ginny, who gets bruises like that and never knows where they came from. 
Gabi said she wants her pictures on the blog, "But I have no idea what to write!"  So there you have it.  Gabi ala her mama.  :)  ~jane

HOME!!!

Home at last!  This is a list of ways we were blessed:  safe travels, good doctor, nice place to stay, good friends to stay with, no air pockets on airplane, presents/cards, nice rental car, nice people in Cali, new friends, did not hurt to get tubes out, yummy yummy food, nice nurses, fun nails, fun toes, beautiful new dress, fun art projects, nice people from North Carolina, stitches tickled to get out, family, family, family, family, family,
and
last but not least
FAMILY!
Love, Gabi

Mom says:  Here's the scoop.  On Monday we get to take her bandage off for the second time since her surgery, and this time she gets to keep it off!  Dr Brent said it will be like watching a magic show because when it first comes off it will still look pretty rough as it is black/blue and swollen, but it will get better every day and transform as it goes.  He said she bruised more than anyone he's seen (this coming from the best doctor in the world with TONS of experience!)  The doctor has decided to do her next surgery in July.  The reason he chose the month of July is because he plans to do surgery number two and surgery number three at the same time (all in one surgery rather than two separate surgeries.)  We see that as a GOOD thing!  I can't really tell you about the emotional part of all this...because it's hard to put it into words.  I think the fact that she puked in the bushes on the way into get her stitches out says a lot.  I asked her if she wanted to explain that on here and she said, "No.  Too personal."  So I have a brave eight year old who is also wise and has good boundaries.  Who wudda thunk it?  We also need to thank Messiah Lutheran Church for being supportive to Eric and the kids while Mom and Gabi were out of town.  They ate well!  :)  We'll post pictures of her ear once it is unbandaged...and when Gabi is comfortable showing it off.  Thanks again for all the many many well wishes and prayers!  We ARE blessed!  jane

Fun Day

Today we went to the Jelly Belly jellybean factory.  Auntie Meme said that a president made Jelly Beans popular so we decided that she is really smart.  I bought my class some presents.  I'm going to give a speech on Jelly Belly's when I get back.  If Mrs. Kiergaard says it's ok. 

This is a picture of me at a store in a valley.  It's the same valley that had Jelly Belly in it.  At this store we bought Dad a present. 

This is me getting my pedicure.  The lady who did it for me was really nice.  She did my nails too and I didn't even ask her to do those!  I have purple toes and fingers with white stripes like a tiger. 

This is a picture of me in my 3D glasses.  Mom and I went to see Avitar at the Imax theater today.  Avitar was SOOOOO good. 

Love, Movie Theater Gabi 

No More Tubes!

Gabi had a very stressful day because she worried all day long about the doctor taking out those tubes.  Our appointment wasn't until 3:30 in the afternoon.  When we got to the doctor's office there was a girl screaming and screaming in her doctor appointment.  She did that for the entire 10 minutes we sat there in the waiting room and Gabi looked pretty white.  When we got in there, it took about 1/2 of a second to pull the tubes out and there was no screaming from my brave little Gabi.  :)  The appointment was over in no time.  We think that other girl was being a little drama queen. 
On Thursday we go back and they will take off the bandage and we will get to see her ear post-surgery for the first time!  Tomorrow we hope to go to the Jelly Belly factory to see how they make Jelly Belly jellybeans.  Grandma Donna likes Raspberry and Chocolate and Grandma Ginny likes Strawberry and Lemon.  We plan to buy LOTS of Jelly Belly Beans!  We've been hanging at home a lot so it will be our first "sightseeing" that we will have done. 
Thanks to all of you for your support!  Gabi reads the comments and smiles huge.  She told someone the other day "I have lots and lots of people praying for me!"  There is nothing better than knowing that!  We are very fortunate to have friends to stay with but it's still VERY stressful and I spend a lot of time just looking at Gabi, wondering if she is okay.  She walks around stiffly, looks like she's in pain most of the time, and holds her head to the side which also looks very sore.  In bed at night I'm constantly grabbing her arm so she stops itching at her bandages.  Mom is getting tired.  It really really is a good feeling to know that our family and friends are behind us...and going through this with us.  Today we talked about the fact that she should come back mid-April and it makes me want to cry.  I think I need my own bed.  :) 
Gabi didn't feel like writing today but maybe when we have some Jelly Belly pictures she will feel like telling all about it.  Thanks again for all your prayers and support....jane

Friends From Other Countries

This is me, Camila (from Panama), Camila's sister Daniela, and Amisha (from Canada).  I went out to eat with them and their families.  The food was not really good there.  They're my new friends. 



Love, Gabi

Swollen Face :(

I have a swollen face on the side of my surgery.  It doesn't hurt.  Under my eye is starting to get purple and puffy.  You can't really see it in the picture though.  I can see my cheek when I smile.  It puffs up. 

This is a picture of Kiki, Alaina and I.  We picked the lemons fresh from Alaina and Kiki's back yard.  They didn't like them, but I did.  In this picture Alaina is in the middle, Kiki is left and I'm right.  We are on Lisa's table squishing the lemons into lemonaide.  This is me and my great aunt Chris, which means this is my mom's aunt.  She lives in California.  She is really nice.  She has a huge cactus on the side of her house.  We could see it from her bedroom window.  This is the cactus Great Aunt Chris has at the side of her house.  Isn't it big?  I think it's huge.  It's way taller than mom.  Some of the peices are cracked open.  It's just black inside.  It's kinda boring, but it's cool.

Love, Swolleny Lemony Aunt Chrissy Cactusy Gabi